UNIT 3: COMMUNIST AND POST-COMMUNIST STATES Jessica Ryan20th Century History

•Where is/was the communist world? •Eastern Europe, Asia, Cuba •1989-91 period of change •Most countries moved away from communism and toward economic and political liberalization •Remaining communist countries •China, Cuba, Laos, North Korea, Vietnam •Given reforms in many of these countries, how communist are they?

COMMUNIST WORLD

Karl Marx (1818-83) Communist Manifesto (1848) Two classes: bourgeoisie and proletariat Exploitation of proletariat revolution Ideal society: “From each according to his abilities, to

each according to his needs.” Communism as culmination of capitalism: revolutions

most likely in industrialized societies “What the bourgeoisie therefore produces, above all,

are its own grave-diggers. Its fall and the victory of the proletariat are equally inevitable.”

EVOLUTION OF COMMUNIST THEORY

Lenin (1870-1924) Adapted Marx’s ideas to Russian realities Vanguard party: would lead the revolution (not spontaneous) Democratic centralism: competition within single party “Imperialism as the highest stage of capitalism” Comintern to export the revolution to other countries Came to power in Russia 1917, died 1924 Mao Zedong (1893-1976) Adapted ideas for non-industrial China Peasant army Communal production, reject elitism Inspired nationalist movements in many countries Came to power in China 1949, died 1976

EVOLUTION OF COMMUNIST THEORY

Party state Parallel communist party and govt institutions at all levels Politburo in party similar to cabinet in government General Secretary of party = leader of country Party makes policy, government implements Command economy All decisions about production, supply, costs made by

government planners Five-year plans High degree of social control Police state, party spies at local level Dual economic and political transition in recent years

FEATURES OF COMMUNIST STATE

Case Study of Russia

Significance: after 1000+ years of feudalism, the communists take charge

Prior to 1917, Russian exiles split into 2 factions Bolsheviks vs. Mensheviks March 1917 food riots overthrow of Tsar Nicholas November 1917: Lenin and followers took over Lenin in power 1917-24 Union of Soviet Socialist Republics 1921 Proposed free market reforms, but no chance to implement Stalin wins power struggle, in charge 1928-53 Collectivization of agriculture widespread famine Totalitarian system (quite different from Lenin’s vision)

1ST TURNING POINT IN HISTORY: 1917 RUSSIAN REVOLUTIONS

Significance: demonstrates Soviet power and fuels competition with United States

USSR had superpower status after WWII Satellite states in Eastern Europe through Warsaw Pact Proxy war in Korea early 1950s Escalation of Cold War 1957 Sputnik launch panic in United States 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis: narrowly avoided nuclear war Proxy war in Vietnam (late 1960s, early 1970s) 1970s détente: easing of tensions, arms agreements 1980s renewed arms race Followed Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, proxy war

2ND TURNING POINT IN HISTORY: 1957 SPUTNIK LAUNCH

Significance: emergence of the “new” Russia Gorbachev (1985-91) Glasnost and perestroika: lost control of his own reform process,

and USSR soon fell apart Yeltsin (1991-99) Serious challenges, inc corruption, organized crime, Chechnya Personal health problems Putin (1999-2008) Moved country in more authoritarian direction Medvedev (2008) (Putin became prime minister) Some questions about which one was really in charge Putin returns to presidency (2012) (Medvedev now PM!) High domestic approval ratings, but criticized as undemocratic

3RD TURNING POINT IN HISTORY: 1991 DISSOLUTION OF SOVIET UNION

Dual executive President: directly elected, very powerful 2008 amendment: will switch from 4-year terms to 6-year terms Prime Minister: appointed and confirmed Some tension, esp when Putin was PM and Medvedev was Pres Federal Assembly Federation Council: less powerful, represents regions State Duma: maximum 4-year terms, PR only since 2005 Judicial branch: two separate high courts Constitutional Court: interprets constitution Supreme Court: highest court of appeal Federal system with 83 sub-national governments Some say real power rests with “the oligarchs” (business tycoons), though

Putin has acted against any who openly engage in politics (gets them for tax evasion, etc.)

POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS

Case Study of China

Significance: end of imperial dynasties and European domination Trade with Europeans began 1500s, but tightly controlled 1839-42 Opium War with Britain Forced China to open to European traders, ceded Hong Kong to UK Series of rebellions against dynasty 1911: Nationalist Party (Guomindang) came to power in coup Sun Yat-sen succeeded by Chiang Kai-shek at death in 1925 Country torn apart by competing warlords (1916-26) Rise of Chinese Community Party (formed 1921) 1934 Long March 1937-45 Japanese occupation: brief collaboration, but CCP took

more active role against Japanese (won supporters) 1945-49 civil war between Nationalists and Communists

1ST TURNING POINT IN HISTORY: 1911 NATIONALIST REVOLUTION

Significance: beginning of communist era 1949 CCP victory People’s Republic of China Nationalists fled to Taiwan (Republic of China) 1960 Sino-Soviet split: Mao kicked out Soviet advisors Series of mobilization campaigns Hundred Flowers Campaign (1957) Encouraged public debate, but cut short when CCP was criticized Great Leap Forward (1958-60) Policies resulted in famine, demotion of Mao within CCP leadership Socialist Education Movement (1962) Allowed Mao to regain control of CCP by purging it of rivals Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution (1966-69+) Targeted capitalists, intellectuals, etc. sent to re-education camps Period of great social upheaval and violence (Ten Catastrophic Years)

2ND TURNING POINT IN HISTORY: 1949 COMMUNIST REVOLUTION

Significance: (economic) reformers take charge After Mao’s death 1976, tensions in CCP between hardliners and

reformers (continue even today) Reformer Deng Xiaoping became paramount leader 1978 Major economic policy changes… Sell for profit, foreign direct investment (FDI), etc. huge growth …but no political reform April 1989 Tiananmen Square Pattern continued under Jiang Zemin (1993) and Hu Jintao (2003) Minor political reforms (independents can run in local elections, for

ex), but radical change unlikely 1980s Democracy movement: many now living in exile or prison 1992 Falun Gong: claim to be apolitical, but more members than CCP Rising international prominence, inc 2008 Beijing Olympics

3RD TURNING POINT IN HISTORY: 1978 DENG XIAPING TAKES POWER

Main point: Govt is subordinate to the CCP. Its role is to implement party decisions.

Government institutions President: maximum of two 5-year terms State Council: similar to cabinet, but larger National People’s Congress: meets annually to pass laws Supreme People’s Court: not independent People’s Liberation Army: plays important political role CCP institutions General Secretary: country’s leader, often holds title of president Politburo: approx 25 most senior members of CCP This is where true political debate takes place: discuss policies, argue, etc. National Party Congress: meets every five years to develop party platform,

rally support among faithful, select leaders, etc. Quite similar to RNC and DNC conventions in US!

POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS: PARTY STATE

Who was the Tank Man? What happened to him?

How has China changed since 1989? How is it the same?

What is the role of international actors in China?

What did you learn from the video? With the current economic downturn, how

will things change?

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER WHILE WATCHING “THE TANK MAN” VIDEO

a)North Korea b)Poland c)Vietnam d)Cuba

PRACTICE QUESTION 1: WHICH COUNTRY IS NOT COMMUNIST TODAY?

a)They would lead the communist revolution.

b)They would cooperate with workers to revolt.

c)They would hide and protect revolutionaries.

d)They didn’t because they were too conservative.

PRACTICE QUESTION 2: HOW DID FARMERS FIT INTO MARX’S THEORIES?

a)Joseph Stalin b)Nikita Khrushchev c)Leonid Brezhnev d)Mikhail Gorbachev

PRACTICE QUESTION 3: WHO WAS THE SOVIET LEADER DURING THE CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS?

a)Putin b)Yeltsin c)Medvedev d)Gorbachev

PRACTICE QUESTION 4: WHO IS THE CURRENT PRESIDENT OF RUSSIA?

a)Mainland China b)Manchuria c)Hong Kong d)Taiwan

PRACTICE QUESTION 5: WHAT IS THE MORE COMMON NAME FOR THE REPUBLIC OF CHINA?

a)Hu Jintao b)Deng Xiaoping c)Mao Zedong d)Jiang Zemin

PRACTICE QUESTION 6: WHO IS THE CURRENT LEADER OF CHINA?

1)b 2)d 3)b 4)a 5)d 6)a

ANSWERS TO PRACTICE QUESTIONS