(3) SECTION 3 STUDY NOTES (MARXISM, SOCIALISM, & COMMUNISM)

Who wrote The Communist Manifesto?

Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels.

What idea is central to Marxian theory?

Class struggle throughout history caused by capitalism.

Who developed Soviet Marxism in the early 20th century?

Vladimir Lenin.

What event brought Lenin and the Bolsheviks to power?

The October Revolution of 1917.

What happened to Russia after the Bolsheviks took power?

It ended monarchy and adopted Marxist-Leninist ideology.

What shift did Gorbachev introduce in the late 20th century?

Movement toward social democracy through reforms.

What happened to the Soviet Union in 1991?

It dissolved into multiple independent nations.

What is the modern political system of the Russian Federation?

A democratic state with multiple political parties.

Who is known as the "Father of Communism"?

Karl Marx.

What are Marx's two most influential works?

The Communist Manifesto and Das Kapital.

What is the main feature of Marxism?

Public ownership of the means of production, distribution, and exchange.

What defines a class in Marxist theory?

Its relationship to the means of production.

What is surplus value in Marxism?

Difference between worker wages and price of the product.

Why do economic recessions occur under capitalism, according to Marx?

Workers cannot buy the goods they produce; capitalists cannot consume all surplus value.

What must occur to achieve socialism, according to Marx?

A proletarian revolution.

What is the socialist slogan?

"From each according to his ability, to each according to his work."

What is the communist slogan?

"From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs."

What is socialism?

An economic system where goods are produced, owned, and shared collectively.

By the late 19th century, what did socialism come to mean?

Opposition to capitalism.

In socialism, how are workers compensated?

Based on the amount of work they perform.

What is central to socialism?

Common ownership.

Why is there little incentive to excel in socialism?

Profits go to the state, not the worker.

Why is democratic control essential to socialism?

People must participate in decisions about production and society.

Who expanded socialist theory in the late 19th century?

Friedrich Engels.

How did Marx view socialism?

As a transitional stage between capitalism and communism.

Which two major nations practiced socialism but became totalitarian?

The Soviet Union and China.

What is communism according to the American Heritage Dictionary?

A system where the state controls the economy and a single party holds power toward an egalitarian society.

What is the Marxist-Leninist definition of communism?

Revolution to overthrow capitalism and establish a dictatorship of the proletariat that evolves into a classless society.

Who owns resources in a communist state?

The government.

What are the two main social classes under communism?

The proletariat (workers) and the capitalist class.

What Cold War conflict was fundamentally ideological?

The struggle between communism (USSR) and capitalism (U.S.).

What is an example of a communist system today?

Cuba, where the government controls resources and provides benefits.