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Communism

Communism POSC 150 Introduction to Political Theory Braunwarth Russian Society late 19th c. Keeping up with the rest of Europe? No, very backward, illiterate, and superstitious The nobility spoke French Semi-Feudal, peasant society Economy based on agriculture

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Communism

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  1. Communism POSC 150 Introduction to Political Theory Braunwarth

  2. Russian Society late 19th c. • Keeping up with the rest of Europe? • No, very backward, illiterate, and superstitious • The nobility spoke French • Semi-Feudal, peasant society • Economy based on agriculture • Is this the setting for a Marxist Communist Revolution? • No - very small proletariat

  3. Russian Politics • Much Discontent • from both Peasants and Intellectuals • No freedom of debate/discussion • opposition parties outlawed • spies and informers everywhere • prisons full of dissidents • some illicit pamphlets, terrorism

  4. Lenin (Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov) • Older brother executed for trying to assassinate Tsar Alexander II • Went underground, became a revolutionary, and took the name of Lenin • Plunged into an extensive study of Engels and Marx

  5. Leninism • Learned: class struggle is the driving force of historical development • Must take advantage of class distinctions • Any means necessary to achieve ends • Hardened against “softness”

  6. Vanguard Party • What is it? • Small, organized group of revolutionary intellectuals • Need to agitate, organize, and educate the workers to their “true” interests • Needed to overcome “trade union consciousness” • Revolution would be more likely with “immiserated” proletariat and vanguard

  7. 1917 Russian Revolution • Fed up with defeats and shortages WWI • March: riots in big cities, troops join in • Tsar Nicholas replaced by Kerensky • October: Bolsheviks storm Winter Palace • Seized mines, mills, factories, etc. • Led to counter-revolution by landowners and other privileged groups (whites) • 1918-1920 civil war: Reds won

  8. Russian Communism • Lenin needed the Vanguard of the Proletariat to bring about the revolution in Russia • Did the resulting state whither away as predicted by Lenin? • Why or Why not? • Example of “The Iron Law of Oligarchy”

  9. China Overview • About same size as U.S. • over 1 billion people v. 255 million • Similar Climate, settled East to West

  10. China 19th c. • Decline to Desperation (much starvation) • Situation: very similar to Russia • Very small proletarian (1 in 200) • Large Peasant population • Very poor, largely feudal (war lords) • Also, exploited by Imperialist Powers • Opium Wars • 1850s: series of Peasant Revolts

  11. Dr. Sun Yat-Sen • Born 1866 in a poor farming family • founded Kaomintang Party (KMT) • Led rebellions against emperors including successful 1911 revolution • Good intentions but co-opted by foreigners • Died 1925

  12. Mao 1893-1976 • Librarian (educated) • restricted to what had been translated into Chinese: Communist Manifesto, Lenin’s Imperialism • Founding member of Chinese Communist Party 1921

  13. Chiang Kai-Shek • General in imperial army • Joined KMT • Succeeded Sun yet-sen • Actively opposed to Mao and communists

  14. 1935 The Long March • Mao with army of 200,000 • 1 year: capture 160 cities, cross 16 mountain ranges, innumerable rivers, • average 24 miles/day • with conscripts, lost ~ 400,000 • end up in caves in Yenan province • guerilla warfare, befriended people • “swim like fish in the ocean” • set up small self-sufficient communism

  15. Japan invades 1937 • Chiang Kai Shek solidifies power • More concerned with communists “disease of the heart” • KMT blunders in both wars • Mao fights much better • 1946 Communists begin taking over • After 1949 Chiang Kai Shek takes wealth and flees to Taiwan

  16. Revolution 1949 • Nation instead of Class • Not so much internal class warfare as • anti-imperialist war of national liberation • Rural Proletariat: • Lot of emphasis on oppressed people • They supported him • Revolution began in countryside • Model for revolution in Asia and Africa

  17. Progress under Mao • Virtually eliminated starvation, prostitution, female infanticide, female foot binding, profiteering • kicked out foreign corrupters • Agriculture increases 4%/year • Industrial production increases 11% • “small is beautiful” • built dams, reclaimed land, etc.

  18. Always Fighting USSR model • 1957 Hundred Flowers: • encouraged criticism of entrenched elite • 1958 Great Leap Forward • Industry in small cottage industries • Neither worked well • Still very poor country • People largely enthusiastic

  19. Cultural Revolution 1966 • Revolution within the revolution • Saw problems in USSR • Tried to return power to people rather than entrenched elites • Moved elite and intelligentsia to country • Set back production some and education a lot • Ultimately couldn’t stop the ILOO • C.R. eventually manipulated by elite

  20. Post Mao • After death in 1976: Deng Xiaoping • emphasis on Economic Development • some introduction of Free Mkt economy • No corresponding Political Freedoms • Tiananmen Square 1989

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