Communism & Regime

Question 1

3a. Cold War communist nations and present communist nations?

Answer 1

Current: China, Cuba, Laos, Vietnam, North Korea

Past: Russia, Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Yugoslavia, Romania, Bulgaria, East Germany, Mongolia

Question 2

3b. Please briefly explain what “communism” means.

Answer 2

“Communism” means a classless society where production and resources are communally owned. The idea is to eliminate socio-economic inequalities by dividing and distributing resources and wealth equally. It is the opposite of capitalism but its ideology has not been properly translated into the real world.

Question 3

3c. Explain how communism served/serves to shape government in a country.

Answer 3

It has served/serves shaping government through a centralized authority that controls all aspects of political and economic life and one-party rule where a single political party dominates all branches of government as well as the economy. This communist government then works to dismantle class division and redistribute wealth and resources.

Question 4

3c. Explain how communism served/serves to shape economics in a country.

Answer 4

In terms of economics, collective ownership where a state owns all means of production and resources and a planned economy with centralized decision-making on all production, distribution, and consumption forms. This means that the distribution of resources and goods is based on the needs of the population rather than market profit to ensure equal access to goods and services.

Question 5

4a. In IR, we use 2 distinct meanings of the term “regime”. What are those?

Answer 5

1. International regime
2. Government regime

Question 6

International regime

Answer 6

The rules, principles, norms, and procedures within the international system that actors agree to (mutual convergence on expectations for cooperation)

Question 7

Government regime

Answer 7

the political system or form of government within a state that regulates the operation of a government and its interactions with society (how it exercises power)

Question 8

4b. Please give an example of each “regime”.

Answer 8

Intl. regime: Biological Weapons Convention

Government regime: Communist regime in China