1. Definition, Ideals, and Sources Soviet Union
Communism
Definition, Ideals, and Sources
Soviet Union

2. Definition
Communism means that all people share equally in controlling the production and exchange of things of economic and social value.
Demands the end of private wealth
Calls for public ownership of all property and means of production
Insists that:
Exploitation of human beings must end
Freedom must be universally achieved

3. Ideals of Communism Envisions an earthly paradise
Explanation of history
Strategy of revolutionary action

4. Earthly Paradise
Envisions earthly paradise where all people have peace, plenty, community, and fulfillment
Freedom for all (communist definition means no wage servitude, no political oppression, no social subjugation)
Vision of itself as a cooperative, altruistic community (rather than an individualistic one concerned primarily with making profits)

5. Karl Marx Concept of History
Human society has evolved through clashes of material forces, gradually moving towards a classless society where the community jointly owns all methods of production, distribution and exchange.

6. Factors underlying Marx’s view of History
Materialism: belief that a society’s law, politics, ethics, religion, art, etc. are a reflection of underlying economic forces
Class Struggle: result of economic struggle between bourgeoisie (oppressor) and proletariat (oppressed)
Dialectical Change: a major societal change arising from the clash of two opposing ideas, forces, or social contradictions

7. Revolutionary Strategy (but how does change occur?)
Classic Marxist: Three Stages
Overthrow of capitalism (after it had developed the material conditions necessary to sustain the revolution)
Revolutionary dictatorship of the proletariat
Communism
Marx saw communism as an end goal that would be reached in a manner that was evolutionary, open, and democratic.

8. Communism in Reality Marx Lenin Stalin Mao
Philosopher, although he wanted to understand the relationship between theory and practice in order to help transformation to communism
Lenin
Stalin
Mao

9. V.I. Lenin: Context
Lenin was operating in Russia in the early 20th century.
Tzar ruled (autocratic & repressive)
Agricultural society, little industrial development
Economically backwards
Weak bourgeoisie
Few industrial proletariat
Lots of peasantry

10. What happened in 1914?

11. WWI was Unique Opportunity
Losses on battlefield / people didn’t want war; at least not this one
Discontent on farms
Discontent in factories
So what did Lenin do, to bring his dream of Communism to fruition?
hint: dance with the one that brung ya

12. What Happened Next
Nicholas abdicated; entire family executed (spring, 1917)
Provisional government put in place, which wanted to form liberal, democratic institutions
Eight months later, Lenin-led communist forces overthrew provisional gov’t (Oct, 1917)

13. Marx and Lenin Difference: Transitory Period
Lenin supported ‘advanced revolutionary theory’, i.e., that violent revolution was justified to get to period of transition (dictatorship of proletariat)
Lenin did not see communism as coming from gradual reform, but that state power must be used to wipe out all of capitalism
Lenin saw transitory period as lasting much longer than Marx thought it would take, as more changes had to occur moving from capitalism through socialism to communism

14. Joseph Stalin (ruler, 1928-1953) “Modifications” to Communism
1. Socialism in one country
Lenin assumed Western European countries would follow Russia towards communism
When it didn’t happen, Stalin argued that socialism had to be built in Russia, despite its lack of industry
2. Power of the Soviet state to build socialism
Stalin accelerated industrialization
Centralized, very strong government

15. Stalin’s Rationalizations?
Needed strong state “in order to prepare the conditions for the withering away of state power”
State power cannot wither away as long as it is “surrounded by the capitalist world [and] is subject to the menace of foreign military attack.”

16. Was Stalin a Communist Leader?

17. NO! Tyrannical dictator Prime example of a totalitarian ruler
Party purges
Phony show trials
Mass executions
Mass internments
General suppression of all dissent