chapter 35 Flashcards
1
Q
- Word:
Land Reform
A
- Definition:
Breaking up large pieces of land to give land to peasants in areas where only the ruling or wealthy populations have owned all the land. - Importance:
Allows peasant population to earn enough money to break the cycle of poverty.
2
Q
- Word:
Standard of Living
A
- Definition: People’s level of comfort based on the material goods they own
- Importance: basis for ascertaining if a population’s quality of life is improving/declining.
3
Q
- Word:
recession
A
- Definition:
Economy slows, less purchasing by consumers and less credit available. - Importance:
If not monitored by the government, can lead to a depression and major losses for businesses and loss of jobs
4
Q
- Word:
Federal System
A
- Definition:
Government where power is shared between state governments and a central authority. - Importance: When power is shared then states can ensure that they have some autonomy in making laws to govern. This also ensures that the National government uses fairness in government all states equally.
5
Q
- Word:
Martial Law
A
- Definition: temporary military rule, usually enforced to restore order.
- Importance: Used in China to regain control after revolutionary activities in 1989, in Japan after the surrender of Japan in WWII and in other locations. Martial law allows the government to detain anyone deemed to be threatening state security without court orders and also give military courts the power to try civilians.
6
Q
- Word:
Apartheid
A
- Definition: Legal segregation laws in South Africa.
- Importance: Kept whites and blacks apart and allowed the minority population of whites to dominate the majority population of blacks through legal legislation. Caused outrage in world public opinion leading to economic and social sanctions against South Africa and its government.
7
Q
- Word:
Nelson Mandela
A
- Definition: Leader of the African National Congress who was jailed for illegal attempts to bring justice to the native population of South Africa. Imprisoned for 27 years.
- Importance: When freed he was elected as the first black president of South Africa. His leadership helped influence a reasonable transition to majority rule in South Africa for a majority population that was mistreated dominated for centuries.
8
Q
- Mikhail Gorbachev
A
- Definition: Soviet leader during the 1980s – contemporary of U.S. President Reagan. He was a reformist that was too soon for his time. Not popular along other Soviet leaders in the party.
- Importance: Introduced reforms such as glasnost and perestroika. Allowed the Berlin Wall to be torn down and help the end the Cold War.
9
Q
- glasnost
A
- Definition: Policy of “openness” as introduced by Gorbachev in the U.S.S.R; meaning a less restrictive environment for print journalism, news as well as outside influences and a freedom of ideas.
- Importance: Allowed more western influences including a more open approach to democracy; paved the way for later and greater reforms in the USSR.
10
Q
- perestroika
A
- Definition: policy of economic restructuring under Gorbachev in the USSR at the end of the Cold War.
- Importance: Helped revive the Soviet economy by allowing more local, direct management and ownership of private property and business. Made the economy more efficient and productive.
11
Q
- Commonwealth of Independent States
A
- Definition: Loose federation of former Soviet territories.
- Importance: Allied out of desire and not requirement as in the Warsaw Pact. Meant the end of the USSR. J
12
Q
- Reunification
A
- Definition: West Germany and East Germany, West Berlin and East Berlin joined back together.
- Importance: Signifies the defeat of communism by capitalism and the end of the Cold War. East German economy, though weak, will be strengthened by prosperity of West Germany. One Germany today. J
13
Q
- Ethnic cleansing
A
- Definition: To deliberately kill a group of people because of their ethnicity. The idea is to have a more pure race or ethnicity in a country/state.
- Importance: Used in Rwanda, Cambodia, Nazi Germany, Bosnia and other places to justify genocide.
14
Q
- Deng Xiaoping
A
- Definition: Communist dictator and party leader in China; “last of the old revolutionaries” who had ruled China since the revolution in 1949.
- Importance: Supported moderate economic reforms, including some capitalist ideas. Eliminated Mao’s communes and leased the land to farmers which increased food production and allowed them to profit with surpluses. Private business could invest in China and keep profit and state-owned businesses had more autonomy. Average person’s life improved with purchasing consumer goods previously out of their reach.
15
Q
- Tiananmen Square
A
- Definition: 100,000 students assembled in Beijing to protest for democracy; including a hunger strike.
- Importance: Deng Xiaoping declared martial law, soldiers were called in and hundreds were killed and thousands wounded. Showed that China was not willing to do as far as democracy and was willing to take a strong stand to stop it.
