2. What Is Communism? Ideology and political economy
Wealth and property shared to eliminate exploitation and oppression
Political institutions that maintain this system would eventually be eliminated 2

3. Communist Thought: Surplus Value of Labor
Karl Marx (1818–1883)
Surplus value of labor
Human beings create things of value
Value stays with the object
This is the source of exploitation—that people can unjustly take others’ labor
Core of human relations is economic 3

4. Communist Thought: Base and Superstructure
All human actions flow from relationship between haves and have-nots
Base: Economic system
Means of production (technology)
Class Relations
Superstructure: Social system
All non-economic relations in society 4

5. Base, Superstructure, and False Consciousness
Base drives superstructure
How technology and class are constructed affects how we think and what we believe and value
False consciousness: superstructure blinds us to the truth of exploitation
Religion is the “opiate” of the masses
Democracy is a “sham” 5

6. Revolution and the “Triumph” of Communism
Rise of the property owning class
Feudalism
Revolution:
Rise of the proletariat
(Socialism)
Capitalist Democracy
Dictatorship of the Proletariat
Withering away of the state
Communist Utopia

7. Revolution and the “Triumph” of Communism
History driven by economic change
Not evolutionary: Revolution!
Dialectical materialism:
Thesis: conflict btwn base/superstrucutre and technology
Antithesis: tension btwn bourgeoisie and proletariat
Synthesis: revolution that overthrows old base/superstructure 7

8. The Inevitable Downfall of Capitalism
Feudalism overthrown
Inevitable capitalism next
Marx justified:
Intense competition
Wealth concentrated into fewer and fewer hands
Wages driven down
Workers alienated from their labor
Consciousness! Realize their conditions and act! 8

9. Revolution and Utopia Proletariat revolt against exploitation
Seize means of production and state
International Revolution
Dictatorship of Proletariat: temporary period to smash remnants of old order
When successful, state would “wither away”
True communism—true equality and cooperation! 9

10. Putting Communism into Practice
Russia: Lenin (1870–1924)
China: Mao (1883–1976)
Both sought to carry out Marxism
Problem: Marx expected revolution where capitalism was most advanced! Not China, Russia?
Solution: “vanguard” party of elite comm. revolutionaries take the place of proletariat in starting (Lenin) 10

11. Communism in Practice Communism comes to power
Communism tended to take root in countries with lower, not higher, economic development
Communism comes to power
Russia 1917 (Lenin)
Eastern Europe post–World War II
China 1949 11

12. Communist Party Rule Gov’t and state controlled by communist party
Small “vanguard” organization
Leading role written into constitution
Power can’t be taken away
Nomenklatura: politically sensitive jobs must be vetted by party
Party becomes vehicle for opportunism
Co-optation
One-party rule 12

13. Structures under Communism
Politburo
General Secretary
Central Committee
Prime minister, or president, a parliament, a judiciary, and a local government: all encompassing postitions that are apart of the nomenklatura and staffed by party memebrs
Parliamentary elections exists: candidates are almost exclusively party members
No real competition
“rubber-stamp” institutions: approving decisions sent down the party hierarchy
Flow of control
Regional Committees
Flow of information
Basic party organizations (cells)

14. Institutions of the Party-State
Party-state: unclear separation
Party more powerful than government
Basic party organizations
General secretary: head of the party
Politburo: top party cabinet
Central committee: “legislature” of party
Cells: small groups designed to give party a way to monitor the masses 14

15. Communist Ideology in Action
Shaped policy
Sought to legitimize authoritarianism
Secular “religion”—required unquestioning faith in communist ideology
Personality cults (Stalin, Mao, Castro)
Calls to sacrifice for ideology
Quest for monopoly of power down to most basic level of home and work

16. Leaders in Communism
Stalin—purged people from Communist Party for being “disloyal”
Mao—Cultural Revolution persecuted intellectuals

17. Communist Political Economy
Property absorbed by the state
Only personal possessions are privately owned
Labor controlled by the state
No private employment (or unemployment)
Markets eliminated by the state
Demand does not drive supply 17

18. Central Planning and Incentives
How do you make an economy work without markets and private property?
Central planning: state bureaucracy allocates resources, determines what should be produced, where sold, price
Difficult task—limited information
Limited incentives for hard work, innovation (no individual profit) 18

19. Societal Institutions under Communism
Suppression of religion
Advanced gender equality (education, work), but many traditional values remained in place
Nationalism and ethnic identity downplayed in favor of communist “internationalism” 19

20. The Collapse of Communism
New Cold War, 1980s
US v USSR
capitalism v communism
arms race
space race
Economic stagnation
New political leadership (Gorbachev), seeks reform of system
Glasnost: openness
Perestrioka: restructuring 20

21. From Reform to Defeat
Improved relations with West means allowing reform in Eastern Europe
East European populations eject communist leaders
Glasnost leads to criticism of system itself
Party resists reforms
Deepening crisis; failed coup by communist conservatives in 1991 21

22. Transformation of Political Institutions
How do we move from communism to democracy?
Reorganizing the state and creating a democratic regime
Electoral institutions?
Executive structures?
Civil rights and liberties? 22

23. Evaluating Political Institutions in Transition
Uneven progress in Eastern Europe, former SU
Why difference? Pre-communist differences:
Economic development
Civil society
Democratic institutions
Rule of law
Degree of contact with western Europe
Length of communist rule 23

24. Transformation of Economic Institutions
How do we move from communism to capitalism?
Privatization: How to get rid of state assets?
Sell to highest bidder?
Give to people?
Voucher privatization?
Marketization: How to end central planning?
Shock therapy or gradualism? 24

25. Transformation of Societal Institutions After Communism
National identity and religion
Re-emergence of nationalism, ethnic/nationalist conflict
Re-emergence of religion, including fundamentalism and new faiths
Gender
Elements of equality under old system challenged
Also threatened by changes in social expenditures 25

26. Evaluating Societal Transitions
Ethnic conflict, created opening for terrorism (Afghanistan)
Still, less conflict than many predicted
High degrees of nationalism in Russia and China
Setbacks for women in some areas but gains in others (fewer women in parliament but more in cabinets) 26

27. Future of the Post-communist World
Re-balancing freedom and equality
Institutionalizing new practices and values
Communist countries becoming more diverse
Some joining advanced democracies
Others heading toward less developed status 27

28. The Chinese Alternative
Much earlier and more dramatic liberalization of the market
But political dissent not tolerated
1989 Tiananmen Square: student protests crushed violently
Move toward capitalism continues, but without democratization
Wiser move than Soviet Union, or more dangerous in the long run? 28