Rejecting Liberalism

To what extent is the rejection of

liberalism justified?
-Why did communism emerge?
-How did communism affect citizens?

EXPLORING SOVIET COMMUNISM

Review: Marxs Beliefs an

Communism
In Industrial countries the bourgeoisie exploited the workers by
forcing them to create goods and services with a greater value than
the wages received.
Marx believed that capitalism would bring itself to ruin through:

Economic depression
Imperialism
Wars
Revolution by the proletariat.

After a series of revolutions capitalism would be eliminated; a

temporary dictatorship would be established to foster this transition.
Once communism was established, people would live in a
cooperative and voluntary society. The state (government) would
wither away
Production (goods/services) would be distributed by the motto
from each according to his abilities, to each according to his
needs.

The Ideal Marxist Society

Individual differences would still exist but no one
could collect enormous wealth while others lived in
poverty.
Equal opportunity for all people (classless society)
Abolish (end) private property and profit motive;
replaced with public ownership (nationalization)
With the existence of surplus goods crime and
greed would not exist.
People would be motivated by the common good
and the creation of equality

Communist Theory of the

20th Century
Political Ideas

Economic Ideas

Social Ideas

Workers will revolt and

overthrow the wealthy
business owners and
landowners
The state will be
governed by the
Communist Party in the
interests of the people
There will be a more
collective form of
government with better
representation for all
people

There will be collective

ownership of the means
of production
(resources, land, and
capital)
Private property will be
abolished
Incomes will be
equalized

A classless society will

be created
Women will have equal
rights
There will be cooperation instead of
competition

Communism Under
Lenin
Stalin

Vladimir Ilich Ulyanov

April.22.1870 January.24.1924
Adopted the name Lenin after
his Siberian exile in 1901
Became leader of the
Bolsheviks, and later, led the
Bolsheviks to what became knows
as the October Revolution. Nearly
3 years of civil war later, Lenin
and the Bolsheviks assumed
power of the entire country.
Lenin used Karl Marxs ideas to
transform the Soviet Union into a
communist state. Lenin modified
Marxs ideas to suit the conditions
of his country.

Lenins Additions To Marxism

Adapted Marxs ideas to conditions in Russia.
Views referred to Marxist-Leninist
Marx

Lenin

revolution could only

occur in a capitalist and
industrialized country

organized a dedicated
group of professional
revolutionaries (who
sought support from
peasants and workers) to
overthrow Russian
autocratic government.

Values, Assumptions, and Myths

under Lenin
Communists claimed that the new
country was a democracy.
Set up govt. that on paper was
democratic
Govt. based on a constitution
(1922)
CPSU (Communist Party of the
Soviet Union) refers to itself as
democratic because it rules in the
interest of the majority.
Real power was with the CPSU.
Maintained a monopoly of power
by controlling
Access to positions of
leadership
Content of communication
Direction of the economy
Culture and education

Authoritarian Essence
The Communist Party was the only legal
political party
This was justified by
Only one class (proletariat); therefore only one party
needed.
Party was the vanguard of the proletariat and protector
of communism.

Lenin also believed that elections in capitalist

countries were simply a sham (illusion of
real choice).

Structure of Soviet Government

Though appearing both democratic and federal in
nature,
The Supreme Soviet (parliament) was not
effectively democratic.
Met 2 times per year
Laws first past by Presidium so Supreme Soviet simply
rubber stamped legislation.

Real purpose of Supreme Soviet was simply to

spread message of Presidium.
Elections were not considered democratic because
there was usually only one name on ballot.

Soviet Government
Federal system
Little autonomy to republics.
Autonomy: right to make own decisions
Central Government controls all levels of
government & society .

Structure of Soviet Government

Communist Party Membership

Only those who were politically conscious,
honest, educated, and dedicated to the
party could join.

Nominated by party a member

Two years to become member
Every aspect of candidates life was investigated
Only 20% of population were members.
Majority of CPSU members were employed in
industry and agriculture. (72%)

in
n
Le

ic
l
Po

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i

War Communism

Economic System between 1918 and 1921

Introduced by Lenin in hopes to fight the economic
problems introduced through the civil war in Russia
Integrated emergency measures and socialist
dogma *A dogma is a settled or established
opinion, belief, or principle*
Emergency measures included a drastic change to
shared wealth, no profit motive, complete
cooperation for the common good & public
ownership.
It was abandoned because it led to strikes,
demonstrations, riots, and created social distress,
all in all, it failed miserably.

ic
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Po

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i

New Economic Policy

in
n
Le This was a policy designed to revive the nation from its economic

recessions, mainly in the area of agriculture

Re-introduced some limited private ownership of land and business,
allowed farmers to sell surplus for profit
Obviously this is a step away from pure communism, but Lenin
only intended to be a temporary policy
Lenin saw that the only way the Socialist Revolution can be saved
was to come to an agreement with the peasants and farmers
Within a few months, it had incredible SUCCESS
The famine was gradually eliminated, as well as the speculation of
failure
The state retained control of banking, large industry, transportation
and trade.

Joseph Stalin
December.18.1879
March.5.1953
Assumed name Joseph Stalin
means Man of Steel
Following Lenins death, became
leader of the Soviet Union after
a two year power struggle with
Leon Trotsky; whom Stalin had
deported.
Stalin radically changed the
USSR into an industrialized
nation and ended the New
Economic Policy
Stalins policies were known as
the Five Year Plans

5 Year Plans
In 1928 Joseph Stalin came
up with one of the three 5
Year Plans
Plans were to lead the
Soviet Union to increased
industrialization and to
collectivize the country as
whole. Also prepared the
country for war against
Nazi Germany
During these terms
however, many were
purged and terrorized

Collectivizing Farms
Collective farms were plans to
incorporate agriculture into the
focus of the nation
Private ownership was banned
and everyone had to voluntarily
collectivize farms
Kulaks were a group from the
richer peasants class that
resisted the idea of collectivizing
for the state, through
propaganda they were shown as
being greedy and uncaring
towards the nation but only
themselves. They were labeled
un-Soviet

Ukrainian Famine
Most productive area for agriculture had been Ukraine
Stalin wanted to crush the vestiges of Ukrainian
nationalism, thus he used famine as a tool to break the
spirit of the people.
Thanks to the famine, the will to resist collectivization
was destroyed and Ukraine was left in a state of disaster
Between 1932 and 1933 it is estimated that 8 million
people died due to the famine.
This genocide is known as the Holodomor

Great Purge
Purges conducted
mainly throughout
the 1930s and were
carried out by the
secret police
Anyone expected to
be an opponent or to
be against Stalin
were dealt with
violently
Between the years
1934 and 1938
around 10 million
people were deported
to concentration
camps and/or
executed.

The
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