Communism

Soviet Empire and Utopian

Dreams

The History of Communism was defined by the interests, needs

and goals of the Soviet Union for most of the 20th Century.
Century

1917

Russian
Revolution

1991

Fall of
USSR

1848

2007

but there was more to Communism than

just the USSR.
USSR

Hugo Chavez

Marxism : The theory behind Comunism

Workers of the World, Unite ! You

have nothing to lose but your chains !

Classical Economist, Philosopher and

Journalist
History is shaped by Class Struggle
New productive technologies create new
social groups who eventually have a
Revolution !

Karl Marx, 1818-1883

Ancient--->Feudal --->Capitalist-->Socialist--->
Capitalists exploit workers by taking surplus
value
Friedrich Engels:
Engels
History has scientific laws just like nature
Supported Marxs
writings
Revolution was
coming soon !

and political activity $$

RUSSIAN REVOLUTION 1917 !

Ten Days That Shook The World
Tsar Nicholas
II
The
Unlucky

WWI Exhausts Russia

Democrats, Liberals and
Moderate Socialists
overthrow Tsar in February,
1917
Bolsheviks & Anarchists
topple Provisional
Government in October

Lenin creates the Red Guards & CHEKA secret police - launches
Red Terror against Class Enemies. Tsarist Whites fight back

 Soviet
People

Bolshevik
Party
Workers
Poor and Middle
Peasants
Rich Peasants & MiddleClass
Capitalists & Priests

Former
Classes
Enemies of the
People

Nobility & White

Guards

The first Soviet Secret Police

were known as The CHEKA
All-Russian Extraordinary
Commission for Combating
Counter-revolution &
Sabotage
Used Terrorism, Torture,
Assassination and Espionage
Had its own special elite
military units and
concentration camps
CHEKA -KGB
badge

Separate from regular

criminal police ( MVD) and
military intelligence (GRU)
Spied on everyone
Answered only to the
leadership of the Bolshevik

Iron Felix Dzerzhinsk

Leader
Politburo
Secretariat
Central
Committee
Local, Provincial, Regional,
Republic Party Officials
( Nomenklatura )

Party
Members

Power was
rigidly
centralized in a
pyramid
Discipline
was
harsh

Lenin set down the brutal rules

for the Soviet System.
Stalin built that system into a
global power
Lenin was willing to share
power & tolerate some debate
inside the Party.
Stalin insisted on absolute
obedience and all the power.
Lenin took great risks to spread
Communist Revolution.
Stalin wanted security and
power for the Soviet Union even if
it harmed the chances for
Communist revolution
elsewhere.

Lenins death set off a fearsome power struggle between

Joseph Stalin and Leon Trotsky with terrible
consequences for the Russian people.