AKA Socialism, Marxism or Command Economy Communism AKA Socialism, Marxism or Command Economy

Communism grew as a response to:

Capitalism which resulted in rich and poor

Imperialism which exploited weaker nations

Nationalism which caused conflicts and wars

Founding Fathers Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels 19th century German philosophers wrote the Communist Manifesto and Das Kapital (Capital)

Basic Ideas of Communism Individual ownership of property ends. All property is owned communally by all of the people. Government controls the whole economy. Economic decisions are made to benefit the people as a whole.

Everyone is expected to contribute to the economy based upon his ability and to receive goods and services based upon his needs. A classless society in which everyone is equal is created. Religion, “the opiate of the masses,” is abandoned. Communism is spread around the world creating a stateless society.

Communist Terms Proletariat- working class Bourgeoisie- merchant class Means of Production- factories Classless Society- everyone is equal Dictatorship of the Masses- strong communist government that benefits the working class

Using the Terms The ___________ will rise up and seize the __________ from the __________ and then create a __________ to help build a new ___________.

The proletariat will rise up and seize the means of production from the bourgeoisie and then create a dictatorship of the masses to help build a new classless society.

The Bolsheviks led the Russian Revolution of 1917. created the Soviet Union, the first communist nation.

Vladimir Lenin

Joseph Stalin

Leon Trotsky

Communism in China In 1949, Mao Zedong proclaimed the birth of the People’s Republic of China.

Communism in Cuba Fidel Castro led a revolution in Cuba in 1959.