1. Communism “From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs”
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2. Origins Emerged in 19th century Europe
Reaction to the excesses of the industrial revolution and free enterprise system
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3. Socialist Ideology 1800 to roughly 1850: Utopian Socialists
Replace the free-enterprise system: workers would collectively own all productive enterprises
Common ownership of the economy (communism)
Society based on equality and community
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4. Socialist Ideology 1850-1900’s: Karl Marx- A utopian Socialist
Socialism: a political system in which private enterprise (capitalism) is abolished and replaced by some form of common ownership of factories, farms and other productive enterprises
(no distinction between communism and
socialism)

5. Marxism Karl Marx clip art Born 1818-Germany
Bonn University ( ) Law
1837 Berlin- Georg Wilhem Fredrich Hegel:
Believed history advances through recurring clashes between opposing forces. (religion, philosophy, forms of government and society) these clashes are the “root and movement of all life.”

6. Marxism
Hegel: “Humanity would eventually reach a final synthesis, a state of perfection beyond which there would be no more conflicts and is guided to its final destination by God.”
1844 Paris, France
Marx: The principle motive forces in society and politics are economic in nature

7. Marxism
Friedrich Engels ( ) son of wealthy German industrialist: popularized Marx
1847: The Communist Manifesto
Economic relations condition everything else that happens in human affairs
Class Conflict- Bourgeoisie (factory owners) v Proletariat (workers)
“What the bourgeoisie therefore produces, above all, is its own gravediggers” Marx

8. Marxism Over time: The rich get richer and the poor get poorer
Bourgeoisie class shrinks (monopolization)
No middle class
Unemployment of working class
The state becomes an instrument of class domination (“the executive of the modern state is but a committee for managing the common affairs of the bourgeoisie”)

9. Marxism The Socialist Revolution:
Small bourgeoisie class is unable to stop resentment from the proletariat.
Spontaneous revolution
Proletariat dismantles capitalism
Proletariat controls state power and economy. (“temporary dictatorship of the proletariat”) Control all means of production.
Classless society
Once capitalism is deprived of power, government itself ceases to exist as a political institution
As politics withers, economic conditions improve
Everyone works for society as a whole
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10. Marxism
Marx maintains he had discovered the laws governing humanity’s social evolution
All societies from the dawn of time, were governed by the laws of economic determinism
Under Communism, private property, social classes, conflict, the state, political power, and politics disappear

11. Marxism: Phases of Historical Development
Mode of Ownership of the means of production
Dominant Mode of Production
Class Conflict
Primitive Communism
Family/Tribal use of land
Communal subsistence agriculture
none
Slavery (ancient world)
Communal state-ownership
Some private property
Communal-state
Agriculture and industry
Masters vs. Slaves
Feudalism
State-feudal ownership; emerging private industry and commerce
Feudal agriculture
Aristocracy vs. serfs and emerging bourgeoisie
Capitalism
19th century Europe and US
Private
Industrial Capitalism
Bourgeoisie vs. Proletariat
Communism
Communal
Communal industry and agriculture

12. Marxism-Leninism Vladimir Lenin adapts Marx to fit Russia:
Highly centralized Bolshevik party engineered coup d’ etat on Russia’s agricultural society (not industrial)
Key idea: Primacy of the Communist Party or Democratic Centralism
Discussion and debate were allowed, but once a decision was made, everyone would obey it without question
The “dictatorship of the proletariat” becomes “the dictatorship of the party”

13. The Marxist-Leninist State
Strayed even further from Marx ideology:
Used severe, coercive force to accomplish goals. (Stalin: Mass Murder)
Erected a powerful state which controlled all aspects of society (totalitarian)
The state became a huge bureaucracy, under Communist Party control
Never attained the stateless, egalitarian utopia proposed by Marx

14. Marxism-Leninsm The Party State controlled government and society.
CPSU-Communist Party of the Soviet Union
Divided into Republic, province (oblast), district (raion) and city party committees. (It was all about who you know)

15. The Soviet Union Critical Institutions of the Party
Secretariat-headed by the Secretary General- small-administration of various departments of the CPSU-oversaw the bureaucracy. Very Powerful.
Politburo-small,supreme policy-making body
KGB-Secret Police
Party Congress elected from members of CPSU
Central Committee- parent body, was elected by the Party Congress-5 years, large, elects Secretary General
Most important People
Secretary General- Like a Prime Minister
Members of the Politburo-Cabinet
Nomenklatura- List of important people and positions in CCP

16. Social Democracy Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD, 1875)
Blue-collar workers
Shunned revolution, used the ballot box to attain political power (Promoted Democracy)
Advocated:
Universal suffrage
Proportional Representation
Equal Rights for all Citizens
Parliamentary control over legislation
Economic Socialism? (influence of capitalism)
Compromise and moderation
Europe

17. Socialism in the Developing World
Adapts socialism to fit local tradition and custom
Africa: Difficult to institute socialism (corruption)
Middle East: Egypt and “Arab Socialism” uses Islam to reinforce authoritarian control
Latin America: Marxist backgrounds. Revolution to bring about change (Cuba)
Social Democratic-Chile 1970.
Role of Globalization?

18. Legacies of Marxism Karl Marx Communism Social Democracy
Politics: Communist Party Dictatorship
Economics: Centrally Planned Economy (state control)
Where:
Soviet Union
Central/Eastern Europe
China 1949-
North Korea 1945-
Vietnam 1954/73-
Cuba 1959
Social Democracy
Politics: Democracy
Economics: Until WWII-state or workers’
ownership of most of the economy. After
WWII, favored mixture of private
Enterprise and welfare state
Where: Western Europe

19. The End of an Era
Technology has led to the spread of democratic ideas in Communist countries. (Internet, Satellite TV etc)
Lessons Learned:
The Cold War rivalry played a major role in determining the way Germany, Japan, and the EU evolved.
We cannot understand modern communism without understanding its history