Background to the East-West Background to the East-West ConflictConflict

A brief overview of the A brief overview of the Soviet UnionSoviet Union

The The OOrigins ofrigins of C Communismommunism During the 18th and 19th century the

way people conducted their everyday lives changed dramatically.

Europe moved from an agrarian based society to an industrialized region with factories being introduced to all the major cities on the continent.

The Origins of CommunismThe Origins of Communism The basic premise of

communism is equality. There was a huge gap

growing between rich and poor during the 19th century.

Writers of the time began to question the “growing gap” between rich and poor.

They advocated for a “new” social order.

A reconstruction of society on the basis of equality.

Background to communismBackground to communism With the new industrial

revolution taking place working conditions deteriorated as factory owners and managers were driven by economic interests.

Long hours, little pay, and child labour were common.

Many people familiar with these conditions began to search for a better social system.

Karl Marx was an advocate for reform from Germany and wrote the Communist Manifesto.

This became the framework to design a society based on equality.

Karl Marx-the father of Karl Marx-the father of communismcommunism

Karl Heinrich Marx, b. May 5, 1818, d. Mar. 14, 1883, was a German economist, philosopher, and revolutionist whose writings form the basis of the body of ideas known as Marxism.

Marxism and RussiaMarxism and Russia Marx viewed human evolution as a

series of stages toward freedom. Marx saw capitalism in conflict with this

philosophy and predicted revolution would occur across Europe.

A key point is that these ideas were conceptualized with Europe in mind. How would they apply to Russia???

Origins of communismOrigins of communism Vladimir Ilich Lenin had

been active in improving social conditions in Russia during the late 19th century and became very interested in the work of Karl Marx.

Lenin was born in 1870, died 1924.

He is primarily responsible for applying the Marxist framework to Russia.

V.I. Lenin

Russia to the Soviet UnionRussia to the Soviet Union Russia had been considered a “backwards”

empire by many during the late 19th century. Unlike other countries, there was a small

aristocracy and a huge peasantry. The Tsar and upper classes seemed oblivious to

the daily toil and hardship felt by the peasantry. Huge losses of life in the beginning of the First

World War and poor working conditions made the climate right for revolution.

And then along came Joe...And then along came Joe... Stalin wished to

modernize Russia. Joseph Stalin was

born in 1879 and ruled the U.S.S.R from 1929 to 1953.

“To do in ten years what took the west a century to complete.”

A propaganda poster glorifying the October Revolution

Barrett Khan 2005