Communism & Rejection of Liberalism

Socialism was a reaction to the problems created by the ​ (a)   . Worker exploitation and class division led to Marx's development of socialism, which aimed to create ​ (b)   between the workers and the business owners. He believed that a ​ (c)   would eventually occur and that workers would take over the businesses and factories.

• industrial revolution
• equality
• revolution
• mercantile system
• competition
• union

Match the following aspects of communism to the liberal value being rejected.

• Communist party does not tolerate criticism and eliminates all opposition.

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• Income and goods are shared equally among workers.

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• No variety of products. Everyone gets the same type of goods at the same prices. Innovation is slow.

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• Communal ownership of farms and factories. No private businesses permitted.

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• Government dictates what job each citizen must do to benefit the economy.

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Answer explanation

Aspects of liberalism rejected:

• private property, competition, profit motive, self-interest, individual rights and freedoms

Communist ideology rejects the liberal value of ​ (a)   by removing democratic principles like ​ (b)   and ​ ​ (c)   . Communist nations always become totalitarian regimes because they are ​ (d)   states with no democratic mechanisms.

• the will of the people
• elections
• freedom of speech
• one-party

A communist would be least likely to reject which of the following classical liberal arguments?

• Power must not be centralized, but there should be a separation between the legal system and the elected government.

• The purpose of government is to protect private property.

• All people are equal before the law - men, women, and minorities.

• The government should not be involved in economic decisions - leave that to the consumer and the producer.

Answer explanation

Although the 'law' in communist regimes is subordinate to the communist party, all citizens are considered equal regardless of gender, religion, or ethnicity.

Communism ​ (a)   the common good by sharing all property and wealth and ensuring each citizen receives basic needs. Communism ​ (b)   self-interest because the pursuit of individualism may not benefit the collective. Communism ​ ​ (c)   equality and ​ (d)   competition to ensure that all people have what they need and no person is richer or more powerful than any other.

• supports
• rejects

During the interwar period, Western European elites (wealthy men) and business owners were concerned about the popularity of communist ideology and worker unions because

• these beliefs threatened their traditional political and economic control.

• communists and unionists were racist and intolerant

• healthy democracy depended on the pursuit of profit

Answer explanation

Because communism in Russia had removed all private property and wealth, business owners and capitalists in Western Europe were very concerned about losing their wealth and its associated political influence. It was, therefore, easy to convince business elites and private property owners to support fascist ideology to preserve their power and property.

Strikes and union activity in North America were often viewed by business owners and politicians as extreme because

• Female workers went on strike to obtain the right to vote

• North American unions were composed of Russian immigrants

• the concern of worker exploitation was central to the communist agenda

• they protested child labour

Match the picture with the correct description of a citizen's role in a communist system.

• Citizens will not seek to make any private profit.

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• Citizens will contribute to the common good by working diligently.

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• Citizens must surrender all property to the collective and must work on this land together

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• Citizens will not criticize the communist party or its leader. Opposition can lead to imprisonment

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• Citizens must only take what they need to survive to avoid shortages.

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As an economic system, communism failed in many ways. Firstly, the lack of ​ (a)   resulted in poor quality and a lack of innovation. Secondly, ​ (b)   economic decisions resulted in shortages of products and food. Finally, without the use of slave labour in the prison camps known as ​ (c)   , much of Russia's infrastructure (ports, railways, etc) could not have been built so cheaply and so quickly.

• competition
• centralized
• gulags
• private
• price controls

Select the statement that would be most strongly supported by Karl Marx.

• "the life of man, solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short"

• "Wherever Law ends, Tyranny begins."

• ‘When the legislative and executive powers are united in the same person, or in the same body of magistrates, there can be no liberty..."

• "the life of the worker depends on the whim of the rich."