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Communism “From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs”
Clip Art
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Origins Emerged in 19th century Europe
Reaction to the excesses of the industrial revolution and free enterprise system Clip art
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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 Clip art
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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)
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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.”
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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
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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
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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”)
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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 Clip Art
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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
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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
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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”
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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
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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)
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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
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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
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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?
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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
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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
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