Failure Of Communism

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The latter half of the 20th century records the rise and fall of history’s most controversial ideologies, Communism. Pioneered under the leadership of the Soviet Union, the communist ideology transformed the Eastern European region; in the process, altering its territory and populace. Communism accomplished much across Eastern Europe, several of which being; its ability to ensure mass industrialization under centrally planned economies, unite a region under one Soviet flag, and employ mass collectivism. Though communism was not to remain within the Soviet Union, and it collapsed in 1991 under the leadership Mikhail Gorbachev. While the purpose of its decline has many underlying reasons, it can have summarized into three primary points. Communism …show more content…

The Soviet Union under Joseph Stalin, exemplifies the strictest form communist totalitarianism. Coming to the role of dictator in 1929, the years under Stalin was riddled with a massive degradation on personal freedoms, suppression of dissent, forced labor camps, secret prisons, and the elimination of potential enemies across the region. Upon his death in 1953, Joseph Stalin left a legacy of terror on the Soviet State, and his leadership became a new normal for the population. Throughout his rule, there was little awareness by the population, of the magnitude of oppression that the state had endured. Though it was following his death, that communism, within the Soviet Union began its path towards ultimate …show more content…

Under the leadership of Nikita Khrushchev, vast economic reforms were implemented in the aim of being competitive with the West. Following the revolts of 1956, Khrushchev put this plan into action. Bottoni reports, “The Soviet Bloc started implementing growth policies that were still based on the development of heavy industry, but faced greater emphasis on satisfying the fundamental needs of the population.” To modernize the Soviet state, it was necessary that the economy should be able to accommodate the needs of the growing population. The 1950’s marked high industrial growth rates across Eastern Europe, this was assisted under the territorial gains following World War II. Gaining territory previously held by Nazi Germany, the command based economy successfully pushed the state through waves of industrialization. The centrally planned structure allowed industrialization to happen in several years, a vast accomplishment compared to the West. The 1950’s marked a major shift away from agrarianism, to heavy industry and military spending. Because of this high industrialization, members of the Soviet population came to belief that the communist system was effective. Though this success was fleeting, limited entirely by the confines of the ideologies

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