Karl Marx and Marxism

1. Karl Marx and Marxism “For the bureaucrat, the world is a mere object to be manipulated by him”

2. Politics • Marx was a communist. • He wrote The Communist Manifesto with his friend, Friedrich Engels in 1848.

3. Engels on Marx ‘His real mission in life was to contribute, in one way or another, to the overthrow of capitalist society and of the state institutions which it had brought into being, to contribute to the liberation of the modern proletariat, which he was the first to make conscious of its own position and its needs, conscious of the conditions of its emancipation. … His name will endure through the ages, and so also will his work.’

4. Marxism • Communism is a political philosophy which argues that men should have equal rights to wealth. • Marxism is a way of understanding and analysing the organization and structure of society. It is also a way of understanding how societies develop and change.

5. Marx’s role in history • When Marx died, he was not well known except in revolutionary circles. • After his death, his writing prompted a number of politicians to lead revolutions in his name. • Many of these societies were totalitarian. • His philosophy underlies the thinking of many political parties.

6. (Marxist) Conflict theory • All societies are divided into two groups • Owners • Workers • Our society is capitalist. • Owners are bourgeoisie • Workers are proletarians

7. Owners and workers • Owners exploit workers and live off the money which the workers earn • Workers put up with this inequality because: • They are oppressed wage slaves and cannot fight the system • They are indoctrinated by ideology and religion into believing what they are told by the powerful.

8. Marx on the workers ‘The worker becomes all the poorer the more wealth he produces, the more his production increases in power and range.’

9. Cardiff – Who paid?

10. Marx and The Revolution • Marx predicted that wealth would belong to fewer and fewer people. • The workers would eventually realize their position and overthrow the bourgeoisie • There would be an armed revolution which would begin in Britain. • It would happen in the very near future.

11. Events of Europe1914~Present

12. World War I • World War II • The Cold War • Modern Europe

13. World War 1 1914~1918

14. On June 28th, 1914. Archduke Francis Ferdinand, the heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary was assassinated. This set off a chain reaction of events all across Europe. Within days, Germany invaded the neutral country of Belgium and rolled toward Paris. The invasion of Belgium convinced the British to join the allies against Germany. Germany declared war on Russia and invaded Russian Poland. Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia at this time and attempted an invasion but was repeatedly repulsed.

15. In 1917, The United States also entered the war because of the continuous attacks on American ships such as the Lusitania. The United States, with France and other allied forces, pushed the German army back to well past it’s original borders. Both sides experienced heavy losses, but the Germans were finally beaten back, ending the war in 1918. Although short, World War I changed warfare drastically. World War I was when airplanes first became widely used. The introduction of gases such as mustard gas and chlorine gas had devastating consequences too. An estimated 100,000 people died from gas attacks and another 1,000,000 were seriously injured. Tanks were also introduced for the first time during World War I. A total of about 9 million people died, and countries were still recovering from their losses 50 years later. Most of World War I was fought in trenches

16. After World War I, the Treaty of Versailles was made by the allied forces. Germany’s colonies in Africa, China and the North Pacific were seized. Provisions were included to make sure that Germany could never start a war again. The huge German navy had to be reduced to 6 war ships, no submarines were allowed and Germany could not have an army of more than 100,000. In addition, Germany was forced to pay a total of more than $33 billion to the allies. The Germans thought the treaty unfair, but were forced to sign because of starvation of their people. The German diplomats left the hall weeping, with a sence that things were not yet resolved. Looking back, The Treaty of Versailles proved to be a step backwards, evident less than a generation later.

17. Map of Europe after World War I

18. World War II 1939~1945

19. Germany After World War I ended, Germany entered an economic depression. The Germans blamed other European countries and the Jews for their economic difficulties. In 1934 Adolf Hitler took control. Under Hitler’s rule, Germany began to increase its power. It renounced the Treaty of Versailles and annexed Austria in 1937 and 1938. In 1939 Germany’s invasion of Poland began. In 1940, Germany attacked Norway, Denmark, Romania, Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania and France. Then, in 1941, Germany attacked the Soviet Union. Adolf Hitler

20. Italy In 1940, Italy, under Mussolini entered the war. It attacked countries of North Africa in 1940 and declared war on France and Britain in 1941. It also attempted invasions on Greece although unsuccessful. Italy defeated British forces in in Africa in 1942. But in 1943, the US entered the desert war and along with other allied forces, conquered the Italian army. Italy’s mainland was then attacked and conquered during the same year. After being beaten, Italy actually changed sides and attacked Germany, although they lost to the Nazis too. Hitler and Mussolini during a parade

21. The Holocaust Nazi Germany under Adolf Hitler started a mass extermination of the Jews. Jews across Europe were sent to concentration camps where they were tortured and gassed. Other groups that suffered at the hands of the Nazis were Gypsies, homosexuals, and the mentally retarded. Jews at a concentration camp Mass graves

22. Germany’s power began to wane in 1943. After a series of battles, they lost completely to the allied powers. The atomic bombs dropped on Japan in 1945 signified the end World War II. The devastating effects of World War II are inconceivable. Over 50 million people lost their lives, half of them civilians, including 6 million Jews. The “Big Three” after WWII. From left, Churchill of Britain, Truman of the USA and Stalin of USSR.

23. USSR History • Circa 862 • Rurik, a semi-legendary Scandinavian warrior, establishes "Russ" or "Rhos" state at Novgorod • 1462-1505 • Ivan III (the Great) begins annexing surrounding areas, builds autocratic state; religious leaders proclaim Moscow "the third Rome"—heir to Rome, Constantinople

24. USSR • 1533 • Ivan IV (the Terrible) the first czar; expands autocracy, begins annexation of Siberia • 1613 • Michael Romanov becomes czar, founds dynasty that rules until 1917 • Russia loses Russo-Japanese War; Revolution of 1905 forces Nicholas II to accept a parliament, constitution

25. USSR • 1917 • Bolshevik Revolution: Czar Nicholas abdicates; Bolsheviks, led by Vladimir Ilyich Lenin, take control; Russian Soviet Socialist Republic established; capital moves to Moscow • 1918 • Bolsheviks assassinate czar Nicholas

26. USSR • 1918-1921 • Red Terror: Lenin purges Communist Party, socializes economy; 5 million die of famine • Lenin who once said: "It matters not if 90% of the Russian people perish so long as 10% bring about a world revolution." • 1922 • Russia, Ukraine, Belorussia, Transcaucasia (present-day Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan) form Union of Soviet Socialist Republics

27. Ironic Revolution? • “The tax system had broken down, so the Bolsheviks just turned on the Czar's printing pressing to fund their activities. At the same time, the prices of most goods were fixed, so as the money supply increased without limit, the legal prices became less and less realistic. Rationing cards replaced rubles as the means of acquiring goods. But if money no longer bought goods, then what was the point of working? Hence, the imposition of compulsory labor”

28. 1924-1929 • Joseph Stalin consolidates power; inaugurates first Five-Year Plan, collectivizes agriculture, industrializes; famine returns • 1936 • Millions die in Stalin's Great Purge (through 1953) 1941

29. Stalin’s 5 year plan • In the late 1920s and early '30s the state combined the peasants' lands and animals into collective farms. Starting in 1929 a policy of enforcement was applied, using regular troops and secret police to confiscate lands and material where necessary. • Many resisted, and a desperate struggle by the peasantry against the authorities ensued. Some slaughtered their livestock rather than turn it over to the collectives. Wealthier peasants were labeled "kulaks", enemies of the state. Tens of thousands were executed and about 100,000 families were deported to Siberia and Kazakhstan.

30. 1941 • Germany invades Russia • 1945 • World War II ends; Russia occupies Eastern Europe, establishes puppet governments, Cold War takes shape • 1949 • Soviets explode atomic device

31. Germany’s power began to wane in 1943. After a series of battles, they lost completely to the allied powers. The atomic bombs dropped on Japan in 1945 signified the end World War II. The devastating effects of World War II are inconceivable. Over 50 million people lost their lives, half of them civilians, including 6 million Jews. The “Big Three” after WWII. From left, Churchill of Britain, Truman of the USA and Stalin of USSR.

32. The Cold War

33. The basis for the Cold War was democracy versus communism. It was the clash between the two most powerful nations in the world, The Soviet Union and The United States of America. In 1949 The Soviet Union tested its first atom bomb and China turned to communism. These two events showed that communism was spreading and gaining power. The US responded by making more nuclear weapons. They also helped make countries devastated by the war, such as Japan and Germany, into democratic and economic world powers. Containment efforts led to fighting communism in Korea and Vietnam. Nuclear bomb test site

34. NATO Shortly after World War II, NATO or the North Atlantic Treaty Organization was made. This organization of ten West European and two North American countries agreed to protect each other from the powerful Soviet Union whose troops were massed along borders of communist and democratic nations. Through Mutual Assured Destruction (MAD), NATO kept the Soviet Union from using its nuclear weapons. Now that the Cold War is over, NATO still tries to improve security for countries as well as to help reform the former Soviet bloc countries. NATO flag (left) and shield (right)

35. Arguably the most vivid symbol of the cold war was the Berlin wall which separated East and West Germany. In 1948, the Berlin crisis arose, in which Soviets blockaded West Berlin, in an attempt to starve West Berlin into communism. But the allies airlifted food to the citizens, ending the crisis.

36. Communist Russia and Eastern Europe VS democratic US and Western Europe

37. Under communism, incredible amounts of people suffered. In the Soviet Union alone, an estimated 61,000,000 people were killed by the communists. Some estimates argue Stalin himself was responsible for 43,000,000 of these.

38. Background: The Soviet Union • Nikita Khrushev: Stalin’s successor • De-Stalinization • “Peaceful Co-existence” with West • Intolerant of independence movements • Hungary • Increased Arms Race • Removed and under house arrest from 1964-1971

39. Brezhnev Era • 1964 to 1982 • Suppressed dissidents • Fully used Brezhnev Doctrine: promise of use of violence against fellow Warsaw Pact members • Interesting in meeting with US, but not willing to negotiate away any stockpiles of weapons

40. The End of Brezhnev = New Generation of Leaders

41. Failure of the Planned Economy • Soviet benefits: low rents, cheap staple food items, free health care/day care, very little unemployment • Soviet Drawbacks • Collectivization unproductive • Command economy cannot produce enough consumer goods • Long lines, few luxury items • Central planning unaware of local problems • Lifetime security = little worker motivation

42. 1953: European Common Market • Soviets invited to join, declined • Created long-lasting suspicion • Fed Cold War fears

43. Detente • Definition: Easing of tension between the USSR and US in the 1970s • Ended in 1979 • Lack of trust • Neither nation willing to give up nuclear weapons.

44. The Gorbachev Revolution • 1985: new generation • Renounced Brezhnev Doctrine • Improve economy by reducing military spending • Pulled troops out of Afghanistan • Must make an agreement with the United States about nuclear weapons

45. Gorbachev Reform • Glasnost: “openness” • Ended censorship, encouraged discussion of problems • Perestroika • Restructuring of the government and economy • Reduced size of bureaucracy • Backed free marked reform • “essence of communism” • State still owns factories, but managers make decisions • Land is still owned by state, but farmers can have more for personal profit • Eliminates Soviet monopoly on political parties

46. Gorbachev Loses Power • Reform = economic chaos. Problems are actually worse • Without gov. help, factories closed, increasing unemployment • Discontent spread • Independence for many Bloc nations • 1991: Gorbachev resigns. • Communism dead after 74 years. Communism fell, but so did Gorbachev.

48. Communist Party Voted Out

49. 1991: Russia Under Yeltsin • 1991: Boris Yeltsin • 1993: Crisis, Constitution adopted • Privatization of state-run industries and farms • High unemployment and prices • Led to organized crime, corruption • 1998: economy collapsed • No one to give aid to Russia (unlike E. Germany)

50. Problems in Russia: Minorities • 1994: Revolt in Chechnya. Want to secede • Many ethnic groups, but mostly Muslim • 1999: Another revolt • 1999: Terrorist activity in Moscow by Chechen rebels • 2000: Revolts crushed by Vladimir Putin