Reasons Behind the Spread of Communism
Reasons Behind the Spread of Communism
In the mid 19th century Karl Marx published The Communist Manifesto, which brought Communist Party views to world attention. Seventy years later communism overcame Russia in the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917. In the next 50 years Cuba, North Korea, China, and Vietnam also adopted communist form of government. Although each of the previously mentioned countries possesses slightly different reasons why a communist revolution was successful, all have something in common. Communist revolutions succeeded in developing 3rd world countries striving for national independence and/or social change.
Before we discuss why the reasons individual countries adopted communism, we must first look at the positives that communism offers to developing nations. In Karl Marx’s book, The Communist Manifesto, he defines communism as a utopia that exists when all resources and production facilities are the property of the entire society rather than individuals. Marx said that communism would consist of a classless society. Every member of society would be a member of the proletariat, or working class. Marx envisioned the society would function on the principal of “from each according to his ability, to each according to his need.”(Marx 60) Keep in mind; this is the ideal form of communism, not what came into practice in Eastern Europe and Asia.
It’s no wonder that communism appealed to the masses of poor workers. Communism promised to level the playing field and ensure everyone was provided with what they needed. Predictably, countries that succumbed to communism typically had polar societies. A small percentage of elite possessed nearly all of the wealth while the remaining masses of society were forced to fight for scraps.
Marx envisioned a communist nation would exist without social classes or a government. He believed the working class would govern itself. Why does this appeal to struggling countries? Many of the countries that adopted a communist form of government in the 20th century came from a long history of oppressive, overpowering, and corrupt governments.
Marx, an anti-capitalist, said that the rich upper class prospered through the exploitation of the powerless lower class. He believed that capitalism would choke on its own wealth and collapse. Next the poor would rise up against the former oppressors and form a classless society. This anti-capitalist ideology led to hoards of propaganda against capitalism. Phrases...