CHAPTER #1COMMUNISM VS CAPITALISM

The battle between Communism and Capitalism is not just a battle between political or economic ideologies. It is a battle within the human race itself A battle between the principles of greed, history, virtue, and tact. A battle between people, events, things and movement. Was it a revolution or a regression? These are the things we must figure out in this the first chapter of IB History.CHAPTER 1: COMMUNISM VS. CAPITALISM

The IB Exam in May is broken up into 3 parts: Paper #1 (DBQ), Paper #2 and Paper #3.

The first potential question regards the ideological difference between communism and capitalism.

QUESTION #1: DIFFERING IDEOLOGIESCapitalism is based on the notion of Private Property and the accumulation of wealth. You can buy whatever kind of car you want and whatever kind of house you can afford. Theoretically, this drive to make more money will push the economy forward because Capitalists understand that greed is an underlying characteristics of human nature, and as a result, a major pusher of profit, innovation and competition.

The problem is that historically there has been a great division between rich and poor. Essentially, too many countries were made up of a situation where 1% of the country was rich, and 99% had virtually nothing. Karl Marx called this “class warfare”.

This was the case in France before the French Revolution, Russia before it became Communist, China before Mao Zedong, Cuba before Fidel Castro, and Vietnam before Ho Chi Minh and the Vietnam War.

The one thing that all these leaders had in common was that they all wanted to get rid of class warfare and the RICH/POOR problem.

Now, Communism states that the ONLY way to get rid of this Class Warfare is to GET RID OF MONEY altogether. That way there would be no RICH AND POOR, because in theory everyone would be equal.

As a result, they made PRIVATE PROPERY ILLEGAL!In theory, the State would own everything and then redistribute it as it sees necessary

As Karl Marx said “From each according to his ability to each according to his needs”.

- Born in germany in the 1800’s- Wrote the Communist Manifesto (The Communist Bible)

**He honestly thought that be eliminating all private property and all money we would create a UTOPIA; a perfect world. Of course this exists only in theory, and in my classroom.

Communism has 2 problems:1. First of all, if 100 of us live on a Hippie Commune in the middle of Utah we would probably share everything and get along. For example, if each of us had 100 apples and Crystal Souders had none you would give her some, right? (I mean I wouldn’t but the rest of you would, right!?)

Anyway, Communsim, which comes from the term ‘COMMUNE’ or ‘COMMUNAL’ meaning ‘TO SHARE’ works GREAT in small populations where everyone WANTS to share Hippie Communes Amish Villages Kibbutzes in Israel

My classroom where I get a cut of everyone’s lunch money

But as the population grows to let’s say, 100 million, people STOP wanting to share and want the FREEDOM to do whatever they want and make as much money as they can. Greed is tough to get rid of.This is why my father left the Soviet Union in 1979 when I was ___ years old.

As a result of so many people wanting to leave Communist countries (1100 people tried to leave Cuba last year), countries like Mao’s China or the Soviet Union had to take away:- The Freedom of Speech (cuz they don’t want you criticizing Communism)- The Freedom of the Press (cuz they don’t the media criticizing Communism)- The right to LEAVE (cuz they don’t want you leaving Communism)- The Right to Vote: My father, Papa Shtrakhman, used to have a saying: “Vote as many times as u want, but there’s only one name on the ballot!”

**Communism also hates religion because it divides people. Karl Marx called religion ‘The Opiate of the Masses’. And historically, religion has been the cause of more wars than gold, land or power.

P.S. My cousin was not allowed to have his Bar Mitzvah in Russia because he was Jewish. So he had his briss, his circumcision, when he came to America when was 15 years old. OUCH!!!

Anyway, this is why Communist countries become DICTATORSHIPS. They start out theoretically wanting to help the population but wind up become totalitarian governments. They say that this is to insure a Communist government, but the moment a leader needs a gun to keep people inside, that country is doomed!!

In other words, the idea of a UTOPIA, or a perfectly communistic world, is great in THEORY, but in reality greed gets in the way and the removal of all financial incentive hinders innovation and progress.

And that brings us to Problem #2:

Greed is the driver of innovation. Without it half the people wouldn’t study so hard, wouldn’t start businesses, wouldn’t invent stuff, wouldn’t wake up early to go to work, wouldn’t go to Medical School for 8 years etc. Some people do it out of the goodness of their hearts, but by and large, greed and competition drive innovation and profit. Communism didn’t understand this.

Let’s say we each have an apple orchard.- The harder you work, the more apples you pick. The more apples you pick, the more money you get. You can sell these apples and then buy a BMW, or send your kid to college, give money to charity, or take a trip to Paris. - Now let’s say all the Apple Orchards became Communist. Everyone got THE SAME amount of apples regardless of who picked how many. Some people woke up at noon, some people came to work drunk (the Soviet Union had a MASSIVE alcoholism problem), some people didn’t water the trees, and THEY STILL GOT EXACTLY THE SAME AMOUNT OF APPLES.

THE RESULT:People would stop waking up early, they would top inventing new fertilizers, would stop carefully watering their trees everyday etc. because they saw that EVERYONE GOT THE SAME 2 APPLES NO MATTER HOW HARD THEY WORKED.

Why would you invent a new tractor when the Government would just take it away?. Of course, altruism and the desire to “do good” would account for some progress and hard work, but it would only be a matter of time B4:a) People would STOP working so hardb) People would leave to come to a place where the harder you work the more $$

you got…………………..Americac) The ECONOMY would collapse (Russia, Cuba etc.)

BUT CAPITALISM HAS A PROBLEM TOO.

Capitalism left unchecked can create a catastrophic situation of massive global inequality.

For example:

Fun Fact #1: In the United States, the richest 1% own 35% of the money and the top 5% own almost 65%. That means the poorest 40% (150 million ppl.) own less than 0.2%.

Fun Fact #2: Did you know that the wealthiest 65 people on the planet have more money than the poorest 3 billion!!!!!!!!!!!

Fun Fact #3: The Middle Class in the US has dipped below 50% for the first time since the Vietnam war

Ideally, a healthy country looks like this:1. UPPER CLASS- 10%2. MIDDLE CLASS-80%3. LOWER CLASS-10%

But we look like this:

EVEN AMERICA GETS A LIL’ BIT SOCIALISTFDR really changed America. During the Great Depression, in the 1930’s, unemployment in the United States was 25!!!! That’s catastrophic . Capitalism was having a problem! If we left capitalism to its own devices, America would fall!(It was at 10% when Obama took office after the Great Recession of 2008).

FDR knew he had to do something. As part of his New Deal he created Social Security (which forces people to put $$$$ aside which they then get when they’re 65 years old) and a national work program to give people jobs. In the 1960’s

President Lyndon Baines Johnson (LBJ), who took office after JFK was assassinated, added on Medicare and Medicaid to give older people and poorer people health care. Of course, WWII jump started our economy as well, but we cannot ignore the New Deal.

This IS NOT pure capitalism, it is a country responding to the FAILURES of capitalism. This happened again in 2008 when we loaned our own banks 700 BILLION DOLLARS to stave off world-wide financial collapse! America became Socialist for a few months instead of letting our banks fail as the law of capitalism would suggest should happen.

Social Security: Guaranteed savings accounts for seniors (not freshmen)Medicare: Health care for people over the age of 65 Medicaid: Free basic health care for the very poor

Now let’s look at Canada, France, England or ScandinaviaThe tax rate is closer to 50% , and luxury items like jewelry or expensive cars have a luxury tax of close to 75%, BUT.. you get certain benefits, such as: 1. you get to go to college for free!!!!!!!!!!2. You get Health Care for free!!!!!!!! (for everyone)3. Some countries give new mothers time off to be with their babies, and Sweden even gives time off to new fathers! This is called maternity leave and paternity leave.4. But your taxes are a lot higher!!!!!! What kind of country do YOU want?

Long Response Question: In which country would you rather live?

Country A- 10% drive a Ferrari- 40% drive a Honda

- 40% are broke -

Country B

- 100% drive a Smart Car- No one has a Ferrari!!!!

- No one is broke!!!!-

LONG RESPONSE QUESTION: Which country would you rather live in and why?_____________________________________________________

PART 2 HISTORY OF RUSSIA

There is a reason why Russia became ‘Communist’.

- The main problem in Russia, as with many countries, was the 1%/99% phenomenon. Russia has always been a peasant culture with the Royal Family, the Czars, and the Russian Orthodox Church, holding all the power, while a majority of the population starved and froze to death in winter.

HISTORY OF RUSSIA- Russia has been backwards for 700 years!!! That is because first they were taken over by the Mongols in the 1300’s. - The Mongols were a brutal enemy (AP WORLD ) enslaving many and raping and killing others.

Sad Fact: Genghis Kahn is said to have raped so many women that 7% of all the men in Asia have his DNA!

As a result of the Mongol Hordes, Russia was separated from the rest of Europe - So when Europe got the Enlightenment, Russia didn’t!

- When Europe got the Scientific Revolution, Russia didn’t!- When Europe got the Industrial revolution, Russia didn’t!

- Eventually, the Russian princes who decided to work with the Mongols became Kings and started to call themselves Czars (Pronounecd ZAR, It comes from the Latin term ‘Ceasar’!) Queens are called Czarinas.CZAR #1: Peter the Great- 1600’s Started the first Russian navy Created the beautiful city of St. Petersburg near Finland (I was there in the summer during ‘White Nights’ when the sun never sets so it was like dawn at 3:00 a.m.) Made all the nobles learn French (That’s why my dad made me take French in college even though I already spoke Russian)

CZARINA #2: Catherine the Great: The 1700’sOTHER CZARS: Alexander II, Nicholas I, Prince Vladimir, Shtrakhman the Stupendous.

The people were poor, illiterate and hungry. This is where COMMUNISM comes in.

FAST FORWARD TO WORLD WAR ONE (1917)- Russia was in the middle of WWI long before America ever got involved- Russia lost 10,000,000 people to the Great War.(That’s more than America and Germany combined)- Don’t 4get that America didn’t even get into the war until the Lusitania was sunk and we intercepted the Zimmerman Telegram- Russia lost all its food, all its railroads, all its iron and steel. Plus 10 million people!!!!!!- They wanted out of WWI!!- The Communists, and Vladimir Lenin, saw their chance.

Vladimir Ilych Lenin (looks like Savannah)

- Lenin was born in Ulyanovsk, Russia, in 1870 (Ulyanovsk is about 1000 miles East of Moscow) - Lenin spoke 7 languages- He was kicked out of Russia by the Czar for being a troublemaker, like Robert Crespo.- He was the exiled to London- When WWI broke out Lenin saw HIS CHANCE

Vladimir Lenin (My Dad is named Vladimir), saw 1917 as an opportunity to put the writings and the teachings of Karl Marx into practice. He came into Moscow with his Communist supporters and assassinated the ENTIRE Romanov family of czars, even the kids (That’s where the movie Anastasia comes from. She was one of the Romanov daughters)

From this point on Russia would be known as …..the Soviet Union (USSR: United Soviet Socialist Republics)

A Soviet is like a Communist Council or Assembly The Communist Revolution in Russia will forever be known as

‘Red October’ because it all happened in October, 1917. The Soviet flag has a hammer (strength) and a sickle (farming)

Russia immediately takes over:1921: RUSSIA TAKES THE UKRAINE (where I was born)1922: RUSSIA TAKES BELARUS, ARMENIA, GEORGIA AND AZERBAIJAN (THE TRANSCAUCASES)1924: MULSIM TURKMENISTAN1924: Muslim UZBEKISTAN

1929: Muslim TAJIKISTAN1936: Muslim KAZAKHSTAN1936: Muslim KYRGYSZTAN1936: Muslim OIL RICH AZERBAIJAN ON THE CASPIAN SEA

As soon as Lenin won, he began implementing the basics of his new Communist philosophy. All private Property was abolished. Everything would heretofore be owned and controlled by the government. All privately owned farms would be collectivized.

This means that all the farms would be merged into one large state owned farm. Everyone had to give up their land and give up their animals so that everybody would be EQUALLLLLLLLLL. Historically land has always been in the hands of the few, so to remedy this Communist leaders like Lenin, Stalin, Mao and Castro aimed to collective or re-distribute it. This is NOT intelligent because you run into the ‘Apple Orchard Problem’.

COLLECTIVIZATION………Collectivization is when you force every single farm owner in the country to consolidate all of their farms into one large state owned, and state run, nationalized farm. The State would now grow the food; they would decide what to grow and how much. The State would be in control, not the actual farmers. Your land no longer belonged to you.

Can u image what happened when a bunch of bureaucrats in Moscow started deciding what to grow and how to grow it?! A famine, that’s what!

EVERY time someone has tried COLLECTIVIZATION it has failed miserably:1. Stalin in 1932-1933---------------------7 MILLION DEAD2. Mao Zedong in 1958-1961-----------40 MILLION DEAD

A word about Collectivization. It is true that the world has been split up between serfs and landowners for the longest time. If you were born a serf, you died a serf, and if your father was rich

chances are you would be rich as well. In order to try to reverse this, Communists from Stalin in Russia, to Mao Zedong in China, to Fidel Castro in Cuba, and other Latin-American leaders, tried to take all the land and then consolidate it under the state’s ownership. In theory, there would then be enough food for the State to distribute to everyone equally. In theory, yes. But we do not live in theory. **Even in America, the idea of Social Mobility, or moving up the economic ladder, has taken a hit. If people do not believe there is any chance for improvement, revolutions occur.

This is also known AS LAND REDISTRIBUTION (if land is given from the rich to the poor but remains privatized) and is the hallmark of any Socialist/Communist regime. It will be part of EVERY chapter that we read.

Can you see any problems with this? Think of the “APPLE ORCHARD” Individual farmers will not want to work hard. Removing profit and ownership as an incentive lowers quality. Farm owners lie about productivity to avoid getting shot! People start to starve because revolutionary bureaucrats in Moscow, or Beijing, or Havana are making all of the decisions.

After Vladimir Lenin tried this, PEOPLE ACTUALLY STARTED SHOOTING THEIR ANIMALS INSTEAD OF GIVING THEM OVER TO “THE STATE”. CAN U SEE WHY?! These people nurtured and raised these animals since birth, they didn’t want to give them away.

BUT LENIN WAS NOT A STUPID MAN. When he saw that the farmers were killing all their animals, he quickly reversed course and in 1922 (The Soviet Union was born in 1917), he started what was the known as Lenin’s NEW ECONOMIC POLICY

LENIN’S NEW ECONOMIC POLICY1. He got rid of collectivization and just gave farmers a tax instead! Wow!!!!!2. Small businesses would be allowed!!!! (WOW!)

The State would still control large factories, the banks and international trade but people could actually own SMALL, PRIVATE BUSINESSES.

**This is a MAJOR departure from Communist theory and the only way Russia could survive!

He also allowed other countries to invest foreign capital in Russia (Even though we were Capitalist-Imperialist Pigs!)

- Whaddayaknow, as soon as Russia gave farmers incentive to grow more food cuz they can keep it, sell it, and then buy other stuff, agricultural output SHOT UP!!!

- Of course, Lenin got a lot of criticism for this. People argued that he was not a true Marxist and all that, but he knew that “It doesn’t matter if a cat is red (Communist) or white (non-Communist), the only question is whether it can catch mice?”

This means, ladies and gentlemen, that Vladimir Lenin GAVE UP ON COMMUNISM within 3 years of taking over the Soviet Union.

Yes, he kept all large industrial businesses in the hands of the State, as many countries do even today, but with small businesses and farms he let controlled capitalism run its course.

Unfortunately, Stalin and Mao will forget all this and will bring the horrors of collectivization, and famine, back into the world.

JOSEF STALIN (looks like………John T.))

“Josef Stalin is one of the worst demons in history, killing more people than even Hitler. But he did save Russia in World War 2.”

Anonymous (Really, it’s Mr. Shtrakhman)

First of all, we cannot confuse ‘Communism’ with ‘Stalinism’. Communism is a theoretical understanding of the relationship between money and people. Again, Communism comes from the root word ‘commune’ which means to share. It must be voluntary and it must be open to change.

Stalinism was a brutal suppression of life, liberty and justice. A murderous rampage by one of the biggest demons in history. A paranoid, schizophrenic man named Josef Stalin who used the IDEA of Communism to justify murder and death.

‘Stalin’ was not his real name.He was born Josif Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili.

Stalin is Russian for ‘Man of Steel’.And I’m not talkin’ Superman here.

He was born in the Soviet Republic of Georgia in 1878. Georgia is now an independent country world renowned for their wine and nothing else.

Stalin was one of Lenin’s most fervent revolutionaries, but when Lenin was dying in 1924 he famously told all of his advisors “Do not let Stalin take control, he is a maniac!” Unfortunately Stalin was no fool. He beat everyone to it by killing all of the Generals who opposed him.

*In fact, when Stalin gave a speech no one wanted to be the first guy to stop clapping because you never knew if he was going to have you killed. Like in my

class when I tell a joke and someone stops laughing…

**And when Hitler captured one of Stalin’s sons, a Corporal, he called Stalin and told him he would trade his son for a Nazi General. Stalin famously said “A

Corporal is not worth a General!” and he let his son die.

He even killed Vladimir Lenin’s best friend Leon Trotsky, the man who should have taken control. Stalin chased Trotsky all the way to Mexico City where he hired a girl to pretend to like him. The girls’ real boyfriend then snuck in the apartment

and bashed poor Trotsky’s head in.

Because Stalin was a paranoid schizophrenic, he then had every single photograph of Trotsky removed from Soviet archives!

Stalin then began to rape Russia of its people and its dignity! Next to Hitler, Pol Pot of Cambodia, and Genghis Kahn of the Mongols, Stalin is one of the world’s

most ruthless murderers.

Stalin was responsible for 3 bad things:1. The forced Collectivization of all the farms in Russia (leading to a 7 million person famine) thereby FORGETTING Lenin’s lesson!2. STALIN’S PURGES: Sending millions of Russians and Ukrainians to the Gulags, or prisons, of Siberia.3. Executing millions for being anti-revolutionaries

**Siberia is in northern Russia and is extremely cold, often reaching 50 below zero. They even have a lizard that freezes itself in a state of suspended animation and stays that way for up to 4 years (The Siberian Salamander).

On the other hand, he was also responsible for a few positive developments:1. He did turn Russia into one of the most industrialized nations on the planets in order to fight in WWII

2. He did defeat the Nazis after the Battle of Stalingrad

STALIN’S PURGES- He murdered 63,000 opponents of farm collectivization- He forced 1.2 million to leave their homes and go to the barren waste land of Siberia- He sent 3.6 million people to prison for being “Capitalist-Imperialist Spies”- He executed 750,000 “spies” in just one year- An average of 1000 executions per day for 10 years!- Killed or imprisoned 10-11 million Russians total from 1924-1956 when he died.

**Prisoners were sent to Russia’s famous gulags, or prisons. These were brutal places, like our cafeteria, where once you went in you were never heard from again!

STALIN’S PURGE OF THE SOVIET MILITARY (He killed anyone seen as a threat)

Stalin killed five Marshals (equivalent to five-star generals) He killed 50 out of 57 Army Commanders

Killed 8 out of 9 Navy Admirals If you lost a battle during WWII you were expected to commit suicide,

or you would be shot anyway. Also, if you ran away during WWII, your own Russian officers were

ordered to shoot you in the stomach as you ran towards them.

NO FREEDOM OF THE PRESSSad Story: All of the news in Russia was censored. You couldn’t get CNN, BBC or anything else. The only thing you could get was “Air America”, a special news station that the Americans broadcast from West Germany.

My father, who saw through Communism from very early on, would sit by the window and listen to Air America. My Grandmother used to come into his bedroom and tell him “If they catch you, and you know there are KGB spies

everywhere in this apartment complex, they will send you, a 14 year old boy, to the Gulags of Siberia never to be heard from again. What do you choose?”

Homework Questions:1. In one paragraph, please summarize the difference between Capitalism and Communism?

2. What is the historical context for the birth of Communism? How is the 1%/99% problem related?

3. Explain this quote by Karl Marx: “From each according to his ability to each according to his needs”.

4. How did Russia’s history influence its development?

5. How was WWI the spark that lit the powder keg of Communist Revolution?

6. What is the philosophy behind collectivization?

7. What are the problems with collectivization?

8. What is the New Economic Plan and why is it so IMPORTANT?

9. Long Response Question 1. Stalin was a nasty dude. How so? Provide AT LEAST 3 PIECES OF EVIDENCE:

10. Long Response Question 2. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statement: “We cannot confuse Communism with Stalinism”?

MINIMUM-WAGE ASSIGNMENT

One area of today’s world that is totally applicable to this debate is Minimum Wage. Currently, the Federal Minimum Wage is $7.50 per hour though some states make it higher. There are a lot of people who want the Minimum Wage to be either $10.00 or $15.00. There are basically 2 sides to this debate:

1. Raising the Minimum Wage would make all the prices go up and companies like McDonalds or Target would fire people because they would want to cut labor costs.

2. The 2nd side of the debate notes that it’s impossible to live on $7.50 per hour and that people are forced to go on Government Assistance for things like food, health care and housing. So why should I, the average taxpayer, have to subside Wal-Mart employees with things like health care instead of making them do it.

The CBO (Congressional Budget Office) has noted that raising the Minimum Wage to $10.00 would result in the following:

A) 500,000 would be firedB) 900,000 would be lifted out of poverty

New York and California have just started gradually implementing a $15.00 Minimum Wage

This is a very important issue to you guys because:1.50% of recent college graduates are working at a job that DOES NOT

require a college degree2.30% of recent college graduates are being forced to move back home

with their parents (The Boomerang Generation)3.Of ALL the unemployed in America, 40% are UNDER the age of 30

PART A

If the Federal Minimum Wage is $7.25 per hour, how much is that per week, per month and per year based on a standard 40 our workweek?Per week: Per month: Per year:

Make a list of the average person’s monthly expenses and see if they can all be met by a Minimum Wage salary. I’ll start you off:- Rent: $500 per month (for a room somewhere)

MINIMUM-WAGE ASSIGNMENT PART BREAD THE ARTICLE “TIME FOR A RAISE” (in the back) AND ANSWER THE

FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:

1. What is the current Federal Minimum Wage and what does President Obama want to raise it to?

2. What are a couple of reasons that he provides?

3. How many people would this law help and how much more would they be making?

4. Many people disagree with President Obama. What are some reasons that they provide?

5. Look at the graph on the back page. What does the shaded area tell you? Think deeply here?

6. Which state has the highest minimum wage and what is it?

7. The political cartoon on the back is interesting. How does it perfectly embody the whole debate?

PLEAZ MOVE ON TO CHAPTER 2: YALTA AND POTSDAM AND CHAPTER 3: WHO STARTED

THE COLD WAR ANYWAY?

KARL MARX: Another part of the story

Karl Marx said that the Industrial Revolution ruined the world. How so? Well, it used to be that one woman would sew one shirt per day, or one man would build one desk or one chair per week. That ONE individual could thus support himself by filling a need that everyone had (making shoes, clothing, etc.) It might take

that man/woman 6 months to make one high end bed, but at the end of those 6 months he/she had enough money to live on.

Now, however, all the workers were being replaced by machines. That means that factory owners were gonna get richer, but everyday workers would become

EXPENDABLE.

We can see this even today, especially playing out in the political debate. Both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump blame things like Free Trade for “taking jobs

away”, but actually it is automation that took the most jobs away, not Mexico or China.

Not only were the workers expendable but when henry Ford created the Assembly Line, each worker was now completely mindless and interchangable, and that

means they were REALLY EXPENDABLE. This is also why FDR had to introduce things like the Minimum Wage in 1938 to control the situation (originally 25

cents!)

This is also why you kids are in advanced classes. So that you can get an education that allows you to complete for HIGH-SKILLED jobs. Because low skilled jobs are

giving way to machines.

*Some fast food restaurants like Wendy’s are even replacing waiters with at-table iPads to order from. Will the Minimum Wage debate impact this??

Fun Fact: The word ‘sabotage’ comes from the French word ‘sabo’ meaning shoes. The French workers would throw their shoes into the gear of the machines to ‘sabotage’ them!

Even on farms, machines did almost all of the work/ One machine could replace 100 farmers.

Examples of new farm technology:1. The reaper2. The Tractor3. Trimmers

4. Mechanized Plows

With the invention of factories, farming machinery and the assembly line Karl Marx said 3 things would happen:

A) People would lose their jobs to factories and farmers to machines.

B) Only the factory owners would ever have any money. Individual peasants would always be broke because they were so easily replaceable.

C) The 1%/99% phenomenon!

Once this happened Karl Marx saida) Workers of the world will unite in revolution!

b) They will spread this revolution with gunsc) They will take over the ‘means of production’; the factories, farms, etc.d) They will create a utopia where everyone has enough but NOONE has too much

Russia: Communist in 1917China: Communist in 1949

North Korea: Communist in 1950Cuba: Communist in 1959

Vietnam: Communist in 1969All had the 1%/99% PROBLEM!!!

A UTOPIA is a perfect world where everyone is equal. Alas, it exists only in theory, on hippy communes and in my class where I am the happy dictator!

I gave you this to better help you understand the historical context within which Karl Marx was operating. The Industrial Revolution transformed the world, some ways better than others, and now in the 21st century, the Technological Revolution is continuing to change things, again, better for some and worse for others.

What does the future hold? We’ll have to wait and see, but low-skilled workers will perhaps be permanently under-employed, in the United States and around the world!

This is what Marx and Engles were talking about when they wrote the Communist Manifesto:- Workers’ revolution spread by gunpowder!

This is also why the United States always looked at communism as a virus; because of its inherent nature to want to spread, and especially through armed revolt.