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
Is this the setting for a Marxist
Communist Revolution?
No - very small proletariat
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
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
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”
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
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
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”
China Overview
About same size as U.S.
over 1 billion people v. 255 million
Similar Climate, settled East to West
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
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
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
Chiang Kai-Shek
General in imperial
army
Joined KMT
Succeeded Sun yet-
sen
Actively opposed to
Mao and
communists
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
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
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
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.
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
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
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