Soviet+vs.+Chinese+Communism


 * Communism in Soviet Russia and the People’s Republic of China **  ** Alexandra Dumitru, Asha Isaacs, Journey Maranto **

** The Soviet Union’s Road to Power **

The writings of Karl Marx, the proverbial father of communism, began to gain ground in Russia in the late 19th. His first writing was published in late Tsarist Russia in 1872. Marxism also began to become popular among the Russian //intelligentsia// or the intellectual scholars of Russia’s noble class. At this time, Russia was under the grip of the strong tsarist hand; police repression and censorship were widespread. Russian exiles who expressed political views contradictory to those of the Tsarist regime remained in contact with study circles within the country. Russian revolutionaries, shrouded secrecy, made the first attempt to form a cohesive political unit, the //All-Russian Social Democracy Labor Party//, which was soon after disassembled by Tsarist police force. This gave the Russian Revolutionary exiles the opportunity to attempt to organize. Lenin, at this time exiled, was the driving force behind this underground attempt to assemble. Early 20th, Russia was still under control of the Tsarist regime, but state repression had lessened. 1903, Lenin, at the 2nd Congress of Russian Social Democratic Party, saw the creation of his followers, the Bolsheviks, and his opponents the Mensheviks, the “majority” and “minority” respectively. At this point communism in Russia was still in its fetal stages; only warring divisions of social democrats. 1912, The Bolsheviks officially split against the Mensheviks and by 1919, the Bolsheviks officially renamed themselves the Communist Party. By the early 20th, Lenin was prepared to initiate his revolution, but one thing had to be eliminated: the crumbling Tsarist state. Several factors led to the fall of the centuries rule of the Russian Tsars. It was a perfect storm. In 1904, Russia was losingthe Russo- Japanese war against Japan, causing the approval rating of the Tsarist regime to drop significantly. Bloody Sunday, an incident in 1905 where troops open fired on a workers demonstration, continued the negative response from the people the Tsar was now receiving. By September of the same year, Tsarist power continued to decline with the formation of soviet councils across the country and the return of Lenin from his exile in Siberia to become the head of the council in the capital. The formation of the Duma, the Russian parliament, the lessening of censorship, and the open competition of political parties were all signs of the deterioration of the Tsarist state. As the Tsar was beginning to fall, Lenin was on the rise, utilizing the peasant class to destroy the tsar even further. Lenin needed to create enough disorder so as to finalize to end of the Tsar, but not enough that said disorder would threaten his goal to create a communist Russia. The peasants offer a legitimate solution. They were strong enough, yet too disorganized to become a political threat. Lenin called this push //A Revolutionary Democratic Dictatorship of the Proletariat and Peasantry.// In 1917, the Bolsheviks finally prevailed, backed by the peasantry who hoped of a government on their terms. In a last ditched effort of self preservation, the generals of the last Tsar, Nicholas II, removed him from office to appease the revolting peasant chaos orchestrated by Lenin himself. What rose to replace the Tsar was a provisional government ruled by several of the social democrat functions including the majority Kadets, the Mensheviks, and the Bolsheviks. This provisional government was completely ineffective, its authority unrecognized by workers and peasants alike who began to form their own committees in the hopes of one day governing in their own right. In certain provinces, peasants, workers, and even soldiers were revolting. This is when the Bolsheviks began to rise to the challenge and gain power. Their support began to grow. Peasants, workers and soldiers backed the Bolsheviks due to the fact that it was unassociated with the failing provisional government which had ties with all the other rival socialist parties. On the basis of this support, the Bolsheviks surged forward with Lenin at the forefront towards complete control. On October 24, 1917, Kerensky, the current leader of the provisional government, attempted to suppress the Bolsheviks. This gave them the excuse they needed to take over, “in the name of the soviet and in the name of the people”.

** Communism on China’s Horizon **

In the early 20th, while Russia was preparing for the revolution that would forever change its political history, Manchu rule was collapsing due to actions of a “semi-westernized” Chinese doctor named Yat Sun-Yen. What followed the fall of the Qing, the last dynasty, was the formation of a Chinese republic, which had high hopes, but accomplished little. Due to his lack of a basis for power, Sun-Yen was driven from the government seat in Peking. The rest of the country was divided between disputing warlords and plagued with civil wars. It was complete anarchy. By 1911, the Chinese revolution had begun and by 1918, there was little improvement and most of China was unsettled by the end of WWI. At this point, China began to turn the Bolsheviks, whose success in Russia was quite appealing compared to the state of political chaos in China. The nationalist party, the Kuomintang, led by Yat Sun-Yen, made direct contact with Russia. Around the same time, Mao Zedong had begun the formation of the Chinese Communist Party. Once Yat Sun-Yen turned to Russia, a deal was dictated straight from Moscow. Sun-Yen was to unite with the Chinese Communists, but the communists would retain their organization and power. After the deal was struck, Russian advisors, supplies and equipment poured into Yat Sun-Yen’s center at Canton. Though Yat Sun-Yen now had the provisions he had wanted, the alliance became increasing one sided in favor of the Russians and the Chinese Communists. But this fact was irrelevant due to the interruption caused by the deaths of Yat Sun-Yen and Lenin in 1924. After Sun-Yen’s death, his successor, Chiang Kai-shek staged a coup against the communists to ensure control. Mao Zedong at this time was growing more powerful in the rural province of Hunan. Like Lenin in Russia, Mao used the peasant class, whose position was dire, to build his power. Mao was ready to enlist peasants in his guerrilla army in the country hills of Hunan. In 1920s, Mao appealed to Chinese peasants for several reasons. He distributed lands of careless landlords, relieved villagers from the crushing debt of the village money lender, and denounced taxes. His growing army was also helpful in periods of idleness, draining swamps and clearing land. Mao’s success initiated a power struggle with the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (also know as the Central Executive Committee), the highest authority in the community party of China, as Mao’s army began to spread throughout the Hunan countryside. The Central Executive Committee was encountering many problems at this time also; Chiang had turned against it and was launching several campaigns against Mao in 1933, who had begun to set up his own government. Two years later, with Sino-Japanese war, the situation became all the more confused. But the war wasn’t necessarily a bad thing for Mao; it mainly threatened areas which were under Chiang’s control. Chiang was crumbling under the Japanese threat, while Mao presented himself as the “champion of China”, winning the approval of the Chinese people who were growing increasingly frustrated with Chiang’s inability to deal with the Japanese. After WWII and Japanese victory over the Chinese, Chiang‘s nationalist party had fulfilled few promises it had made to the Chinese people. Communist support was on the rise as the communists began to arm themselves with weaponry the Japanese had left behind. Chiang was losing the people fast and it looked like his control was about to expire. All at once, his government collapsed and the thirty year Chinese revolution was brought to a close.1949, Mao Zedong declares China a communist country and renames it The People’s Republic of China. The era of communist China had begun and is still in place to this day.

** Leninism & Stalinism ** Lenin based his communist ideology off the original communist writings of Karl Marx in the Communist Manifesto of 1848. His basic ideals reflected that of Marx, but he did make a few changes to create his own brand of communism Leninism. Marx had predicted worker revolts would overtake the West, but this had yet to happen in 1900. Lenin explained this by claiming imperialism was the reason these revolts were delayed. Lenin also argued communism could only be successful it encompassed the entire globe. Lenin insisted that communism would also only be successful if the government was controlled by a single communist party, a “Dictatorship of the Proletariat”. Lenin acted on these beliefs once he and the Bolsheviks had come into power. He mercilessly suppressed dissent and supposed “enemies” of the regime. Former areas of the Russian regime were swallowed by Lenin’s new communist state and joined together to create the //Union of Soviet Socialist Republics// (also known as the USSR) to fulfill his desire for worldwide communist domination. After Lenin’s death in 1924, Joseph Stalin rose to become the supreme ruler of the USSR. He refined communist ideology into his own brand called Stalinism. Stalin initiated his reign of terror by secretly eliminating his rivals or opponents of his rule. Then, Stalin began the Great Purges of the 1920s and 1930s. Over 10 million were arrested, and 1 million executed. Stalin also set up labor camps in remote areas, such as Siberia, for his enemies called //Gulags.// To address economic issues, Stalin initiated a series of five year plans meant to industrialize Russia. A large portion of the Soviet economy remained devoted to the military. Stalin also developed a “cult of personality” in which he urged people to revere their leaders in such a way that it was comparable to religious figures. Stalin utilized this technique to keep his popularity up and prevent the Russian people from revolting against his oppressive rule as they had done just decades before. ** Maoism ** Maoism is a strain of communism that was created by Mao Zedong. Maoism has a certain Chinese flavor about it, especially seen with its incorporation of traditional Confucian values, long seen as a staple of Chinese political organization, and newfound hatred for the West and other colonial powers who had played a large role in their thirty year struggle. Mao also desired to create a “united front” in which all social classes were involved, not just the proletariat, in the communist revolution. This was a fundamental difference to Marx-Leninism. Maoism was modeled after Mao’s own rise to power. Mao believed that the communist revolution was to be completed in phases, first in small guerrilla communist groups (not unlike the peasant armies  Mao created), then the rebellion created by said guerilla groups would cause unpopularity for the noncommunist government ( not unlike the struggles of Chiang), finally, with the support of the people, the communists could overthrow the now unpopular government. Another aspect of Maoism was Mao’s insistence of the ever present threat of the bourgeoisie. Mao explained to deal with this threat, the government had to be constantly on alert. In Mao’s China, this meant a series of purges similar to those of Stalin. These purges in the1960s and 1970s were known as the Cultural Revolution. Thousands were arrested and the Chinese government censored all non Chinese works.

** How a Communist State is Run ** The head figure in a communist country is neither the head of government or state. Communist countries have two different bodies that work in cohesion: the ruling party and the state. The party has a national party congress, a central committee, the Politburo (the communist party’s chief policy making committee) and a standing committee of the Politburo. The Chinese parliament is the NPC, or the National Peoples Congress. Local parties elect members to the National Party Congress; the National Party congress elects members to central committee, which elects members to the Politburo. In these parties, real power is exercised and political issues are resolved.

Government structures in communist and non-communist countries are similar: the Russian Soviet Union had a president, prime minister and a foreign minister. Communist states also have departments headed by ministers that enact laws. The main difference between these two systems is that the communist regime controls all aspects of life: government, sports, culture, the army, police, unions, factories, farms, media and education.

Communist societies provide the people with voting rights, however communism is the only political party, therefore, by default, the Communist societies will always win. Democracy and political parties outside of communism are banned.

** Life in a Communist State **

A communist society can be, for some people, agonizing and anguishing. Many people living under communism have lost their lives to peasant starvation, genocides, and attempts at revolutionary transformations. However, it can also provide equality, order and security.

Karl Marx argued that there was an increasing gap of wealth and lifestyle between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat. However, 20th century communism proved to further divide the elite and the masses by giving state members, a more privileged and luxurious lifestyle. Therefore, the final social product of communism proved to be paradox to what Marx had intended.

In society, Communists believed in a collective life rather than in individual, private lives. Between 1950 and 1980, peasants in Communist China lived in communes, in which cooking, household work and child rearing were performed. Work on land was done by peasant groups called “work brigades.”

Propaganda advanced party members as the promoters of socialism and therefore increased them in power, influence and wealth. Party members lived life luxuriously. Communist societies were more unbiased than capitalist societies. Since there weren’t any businesspeople or landowners, a “rich class” did not exist. Ironically, party members in the state bureaucracy, secret police and army (essentially all the party members) lived a rich lifestyle.

Communist economic systems were state run and they proved to be insufficient in providing for the peoples’ needs. No longer was there a profit motive and competition between markets, therefore production output fell and products were of poor quality. In many situations, workers put little effort in their jobs and products because the government paid them poorly. Communist economy focused on producing industry products, such as iron and steel, rather than every day products, such as washing machines and cars. Communist production was very insufficient. There were shortages or simple products- from cars to housing and many people had to wait in long lines to purchase simple goods. Communism restricted originality therefore intellectuals and artists greatly suffered under the communist regime. Religious traditions and rituals were deeply oppressed. People had to watch what they said- they could be severely punished or their job could be jeopardized if they spoke about the government in disapproval. People could not travel outside the country. Communism was also in some ways highly successful. Space travel, Olympic accomplishments and technological innovations increased nationalism within the communist countries. Communism also established health care and a universal education. Life was affordable, for rent was low. Unemployment was uncommon; most people had secure jobs with minimal stress. Women were viewed more equally in communist societies.

** China **** and Russia: Their Interactions, Exchanges, and Difference in Communism **

There were many differences between China and the Soviet Union. Although the Soviet Union was the only major communist world power, China was a very big regional power. It also had influence on Russia. This influence, as well as Russia’s influence on China, highlighted the different styles of communism present in these powerful nations. Stalin’s successor, Nikita Krushchev, was in power when Hungary began revolting in 1956 – 1957. Poland’s communist party also had a change in leadership. Although China had been dependent on Russia for military and economic support, it was clear now that the Soviets would need China for ideological support. China advised Krushchev on how to deal with the Polish government, telling him to allow the stricter autonomy Poland was demanding, while getting greater foreign policy discipline in return. It was clear after this advice that the two communist powers had different views on communism. Mao Zedong and Stalin had different interpretations of the Marxist-Leninist doctrine. Mao kept a strict interpretation, focusing on the framework. Stalinist views, however, were seen as more orthodox. The strategies for conquering power were different as well. Mao had a more liberal form of communism, and their political decisions varied as well. The Chinese critiqued the system of communism in the Soviet Union, but it continued to be a large world power. Until, of course, it fell in the 1980’s to 1990’s.

** Russia: The Fall of Communism in the Soviet Union **

In 1985, Mikhail Gorbachev came to power. It was then that things started to stir in the Soviet Union. Because some citizens were begging for reforms, Mikhail Gorbachev instituted some changes in the Soviet Union. He started to allow more foreign elements to sink in. For example, a McDonalds was established in Moscow, and he added a policy of “glasnost” which allowed people some freedom to criticize. But in other cases, he renewed some Stalinist policies. He also started a series of economic reforms called perestroika. Gorbachev strove for people not to equate him to a powerful tsar, so he encouraged a new constitution in 1988. He gave some power to a parliament called the Congress of People’s Deputies and abolished the communist monopoly on elections. He was then elected president in 1990, still having central power. This caused problems among radicals. Many people wanted independence, while other radicals wanted a stronger central government. Soon, many parts of the Soviet Union began changing their government or demanding independence. Hungary, for example, elected a non-communist president. Poland did the same thing. Romanians were violent, and they fought the Hungarians. Clashes and fighting were starting around the Soviet Union in the Balkans, the remains of the Turks from the Ottoman Empire, and other ethnic territories/groups. The Soviet Union was falling apart. In 1991, things changed. In the summer, there was a failed military/police coup. After that, new attacks were happening in the Soviet Union. It was in December 1991 that the Soviet Union was dismantled. What was left was the Commonwealth of Independent States. Gorbachev then resigned and Boris Yeltsin was elect ed president. The Communist Party of Russia was officially dissolved.

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