Ch 12 Sidetrack: Communism ~You say you want a revolution… and you know it’s going to be alright ~ Ch 12 Sidetrack: Communism

Karl Marx Considered the father of Communism, wrote his Communist Manifesto in 1848 Saw three classes in society: Aristocrats: upper-class Bourgeoisie: “middle-class” of business owners & professionals (college educated jobs), very few of them Proletariat: working-class, poor, often own little property, very little political power, vast majority of the population.

Marx’s Steps to Communism Proletariat recognizes that its poverty is due to the Bourgeoisie Proletariat (worldwide) bands together to fight for higher wages/better conditions Proletariat overthrows the Aristocracy/ Bourgeoisie Proletariat takes over govt. and businesses, starts to take them apart Communist Utopia; everyone shares the work, no more government.

Mr. Phelps’ Definition of Communism Political system in which the govt. owns all the businesses and property in order to try to make people more equal. Govt. tells you what job to work & what goods/services you can have

U.S.’s “Red Scare” 1917, “October Revolution” makes Russia into a Communist country (Soviet Union) Some U.S. citizens worried it would happen here They worried that unions were already in stage 2 The “Palmer Raids” carried out by the govt. did not turn up any major plot for revolution

U.S.’s “Red Scare” 1919 was a big year of strikes The strike against U.S. Steel Corp. was a major setback for unions, which had won many raises during WWI Brutality against workers was terrible

U.S.’s “Red Scare” The use of force against the striking Boston police gained Calvin Coolidge enough popularity to become VP in 1920