Communist And Post-Communist Countries

Question 1

BRIC

Answer 1

Fast growing economies of Brazil, Russia, India, and China. Growing so fast, may overtake combined economies
of richest countries by 2050.

Question 2

central planning

Answer 2

● Ownership of private property and market mechanism were replaced with allocation of resources by the state bureaucracy.
● Communist economies experience problems- Logistical difficulties, management of economy takes more work and energy than market economy which does so spontaneously.
● Lack of worker incentives, workers don’t fear losing their jobs, factories don’t worry about going out of business.

Question 3

The Communist Manifesto

Answer 3

● First interpretation of history and vision for the future in 1848. Saw capitalism as an economic system that exploited workers and increased gap btwn rich and poor. Believed proletariat would overcome bourgeoisie and social class would disappear as ownership of private property would be banned. Equality and cooperation.

Question 4

co-optation

Answer 4

Allocation of power throughout various political, social, and economic institutions.

Question 5

democratic centralism

Answer 5

Rule by a few for the good of the many

Question 6

Maoism

Answer 6

Also believes in equality and cooperation, but preserves peasant based society

Question 7

market-based socialism

Answer 7

Allows for significant infusion of capitalism into the system

Question 8

Marxism

Answer 8

The view that capitalism is bad and economic equality and no social class is better. Communism sprouted from
here, encouraging equality and cooperation, w/o greed and strife, governments not necessary.

Question 9

Marxism-Leninism

Answer 9

● Thought revolution would happen in industrialized, capitalist societies, happened in Russia first
● Lenin believed tsar had to be overthrown, Russia peasants released from oppression. Directed industrialization
and agricultural development from a centralized gov’t, capitalist ventures restricted in soviet union.

Question 10

nomenklatura

Answer 10

● Recruitment of elites through this, or the process of filling influential jobs in the state, society, or the economy with people approved and chosen by the Communist Party.
● Includes political jobs and all top positions in other areas, such as university pres, newspaper editors, and military officers. Party approval = party membership

Question 11

proletariat

Answer 11

The working class

Question 12

social mobility

Answer 12

Ability for individuals to change social status over course of lifetime.

Question 13

“vanguard of the revolution”

Answer 13

A group of revolutionary leaders who could provoke the revolution in non-capitalist Russia

Question 14

bourgeoisie

Answer 14

Owners of factories and other means of production