False Hopes: Communism and Fascism

These flashcards cover key concepts related to the rise and impact of Communism and Fascism, including foundational principles, important figures, and major events from the lecture.

What were the two alternatives to liberal democracy that emerged after WWI?

Communism and Fascism.

Which countries are primarily associated with Communism and Fascism?

Communism: Russia (Soviet Union), later China; Fascism: Italy, later Germany.

What did both Communism and Fascism view liberal democracies as?

Inherently flawed and incompatible with true human nature.

What was the nature of the ideological fights between Communism and Fascism?

They focused on principles of economic organization instead of power, income, or religion.

What was the original plan for War Communism put forth by Lenin?

To establish collective property of all industry and centralized control of the economy.

What did the New Economic Policy (NEP) allow for peasants in 1921?

Peasants could sell their surpluses to private traders.

Who played a key role in leading the Bolsheviks to victory in the civil war (1917-1923)?

Leon Trotsky.

What was one major consequence of Stalin's Great Purge?

750,000 executions and significant weakening of the Red Army.

What was the fundamental flaw in Marx's vision of communism according to the lecture?

He never formulated a coherent view of how communism would work.

How did fascism differ from communism regarding economic ownership?

Fascism allowed private enterprise and did not eliminate all forms of capitalism.

What political event occurred on October 25, 1917, in Russia?

The Bolsheviks took over the offices of the Kerensky Provisional Government.

What was the significance of the phrase 'socialism in one country' in Stalinism?

It emphasized the need for rapid industrialization and collectivization within the Soviet Union.

What role did Adolf Hitler play in the DAP (German Workers' Party)?

He infiltrated the group, demonstrated political prowess, and eventually led it to become the NSDAP.

How did the economy of the Soviet Union mobilize during WWII?

The Soviet Union reached unprecedented levels of mobilization, allowing it to out-produce Germany.

What was Debates regarding historiographical perspectives on National Socialism primarily centered on?

The functionalism vs. intentionalism debate.

What were the origins of Nazism as described in the notes?

A combination of old German nationalism, anti-Semitism, and the aftermath of WWI.

What did the Nuremberg laws do in Nazi Germany?

They established racial definitions and classifications, particularly targeting Jews.