Chapter 21
Chapter 21
Places like Russia, China and Cuba took on communism because it promised freedom from inequality, oppression and exploitation. Communism posed a threat to capitalism and democracy in the West. It started an arms race between the U.S and Russia.
Global Communism
Countries underwent revolutions to become communists. As the Soviets and the Vietnamese took over other areas, communism’s influence spread. Communist parties formed in governments like U.S, Philippines and Malaysia generating fear and causing crackdowns by those governments. Russia joined Eastern European communist countries in the Warsaw Pact and Russia and China formed an alliance in 1950 with the Treaty of Friendship.
Revolutions as a Path to Communism
World War I made many of the lower class in Russia unhappy forcing them to organize into parties and overthrowing the elites. Soldiers abandoned their posts, trade unions were created, organizations called soviets arises to speak for the working class, peasants took over landlords’ land and redistributed them. However, the government was still unable to meet people's demands so a small socialist party known as the Bolsheviks came into power. As they took over power, the Bolsheviks were engaged in a civil war with landlords, national forces and troops from the U.S. The Bolsheviks managed to stay in power and renamed the country USSR. In China, the communist party started out small but gained more support from rural workers and women. The Nationalist Party opposed the communists but Japan’s invasion allowed the party to gain even more followers. They fought off the Japanese, encouraged radical social change and expressed Chinese nationalism.
Building Socialism
Governments tried to end class and gender inequality, promoted modern development and encouraged selflessness and collectivism. The government controlled the economy and managed education and media to promote their way of thinking. In Russia and China, they created laws to make marriage more of a decision for women, legalized divorces and made it easier for women to get hired for work. In the countryside, both governments redistributed land from the landlords to give to peasants. They both ended private property and collectivized the agricultural lands. Both states controlled the industrialization process and mobilized their human and material resources resulting in huge outputs. There was rapid urbanization, increased number of educated people, growth of an elite class. Huge industrial projects led to environmental devastation. China and Russia both had enemies who were hug ranking officials and had been corrupted by foreigners. Both sought to rid their country of people who sought to bring capitalism to their government.
East vs West
The division between Western and Eastern Europe was known as the Iron Curtain. As North Korea sought to take over South Korea, China and America became involved in a war that ended in a stalemate. In Vietnam, the attempt of the communist north and south forced America to intervene but with the help of China and Russia, Vietnam unified their country under communism. The Soviets tried to keep Afghanistan a communist state, but with the help of the U.S, communism ended. The U.S and Russia engaged in an arms race but never used any of its weapons knowing that a nuclear war can only end in catastrophe. They both tried to get other countries to take their side. America’s military strength was able to grow because of a flourishing economy and large middle class. In Eastern Europe, there was a lot of conflict and division and their citizens were subjected to government propaganda. Tensions arose between China and Russia but the U.S was able to get them to sign an agreement.
Paths to the End of Communism
As China's leader Mao Zedong died, revolutions ended communist governments and the Soviet Union collapsed, the communist era was ending. Part of the failure of communism was economic as Russia and China were unable to catch able with the capitalist world. The other was moral as communist leaders committed acts of tragedy like Stalin’s Terror and the Cultural Revolution. China's reforms opened itself up to the world economy and foreign investment resulting in economic growth and prosperity. The communist party remained in power and refused to promote democracy. Russia's reforms allowed more cultural and intellectual reform but it failed to improve the economy.
Places like Russia, China and Cuba took on communism because it promised freedom from inequality, oppression and exploitation. Communism posed a threat to capitalism and democracy in the West. It started an arms race between the U.S and Russia.
Global Communism
Countries underwent revolutions to become communists. As the Soviets and the Vietnamese took over other areas, communism’s influence spread. Communist parties formed in governments like U.S, Philippines and Malaysia generating fear and causing crackdowns by those governments. Russia joined Eastern European communist countries in the Warsaw Pact and Russia and China formed an alliance in 1950 with the Treaty of Friendship.
Revolutions as a Path to Communism
World War I made many of the lower class in Russia unhappy forcing them to organize into parties and overthrowing the elites. Soldiers abandoned their posts, trade unions were created, organizations called soviets arises to speak for the working class, peasants took over landlords’ land and redistributed them. However, the government was still unable to meet people's demands so a small socialist party known as the Bolsheviks came into power. As they took over power, the Bolsheviks were engaged in a civil war with landlords, national forces and troops from the U.S. The Bolsheviks managed to stay in power and renamed the country USSR. In China, the communist party started out small but gained more support from rural workers and women. The Nationalist Party opposed the communists but Japan’s invasion allowed the party to gain even more followers. They fought off the Japanese, encouraged radical social change and expressed Chinese nationalism.
Building Socialism
Governments tried to end class and gender inequality, promoted modern development and encouraged selflessness and collectivism. The government controlled the economy and managed education and media to promote their way of thinking. In Russia and China, they created laws to make marriage more of a decision for women, legalized divorces and made it easier for women to get hired for work. In the countryside, both governments redistributed land from the landlords to give to peasants. They both ended private property and collectivized the agricultural lands. Both states controlled the industrialization process and mobilized their human and material resources resulting in huge outputs. There was rapid urbanization, increased number of educated people, growth of an elite class. Huge industrial projects led to environmental devastation. China and Russia both had enemies who were hug ranking officials and had been corrupted by foreigners. Both sought to rid their country of people who sought to bring capitalism to their government.
East vs West
The division between Western and Eastern Europe was known as the Iron Curtain. As North Korea sought to take over South Korea, China and America became involved in a war that ended in a stalemate. In Vietnam, the attempt of the communist north and south forced America to intervene but with the help of China and Russia, Vietnam unified their country under communism. The Soviets tried to keep Afghanistan a communist state, but with the help of the U.S, communism ended. The U.S and Russia engaged in an arms race but never used any of its weapons knowing that a nuclear war can only end in catastrophe. They both tried to get other countries to take their side. America’s military strength was able to grow because of a flourishing economy and large middle class. In Eastern Europe, there was a lot of conflict and division and their citizens were subjected to government propaganda. Tensions arose between China and Russia but the U.S was able to get them to sign an agreement.
Paths to the End of Communism
As China's leader Mao Zedong died, revolutions ended communist governments and the Soviet Union collapsed, the communist era was ending. Part of the failure of communism was economic as Russia and China were unable to catch able with the capitalist world. The other was moral as communist leaders committed acts of tragedy like Stalin’s Terror and the Cultural Revolution. China's reforms opened itself up to the world economy and foreign investment resulting in economic growth and prosperity. The communist party remained in power and refused to promote democracy. Russia's reforms allowed more cultural and intellectual reform but it failed to improve the economy.
Comments
Post a Comment