The Communist World (1945-1982): Characteristics, Countries, and Tensions

The Communist World (1945-1982)

General Characteristics

• Political System: Dictatorship of the proletariat. The common interest was prioritized over individual rights and freedom.
• Countries established institutions that merged executive and legislative powers, allowing only the existence of a single party: the communist party.
• Economy: Controlled by the state.
  • Collectivized land
  • Nationalized industry and services
  • Controlled the market and prices
• Economic Performance:
  • 1945-1960: Recovered from the war crisis.
  • Post-1960: Economic slowdown due to:
    • Low productivity
    • Lack of economic incentives
    • Technological backwardness compared to the West
    • Lack of consumer products leading to rationing
• Communist Society:
  • In theory: Egalitarian and classless.
  • In practice: Significant differences between the communist party (controlling the state bureaucracy) and the rest of the population.
  • Improved standard of living after the war, but not to Western levels.
  • State-guaranteed:
    • Full employment
    • Basic needs (education and health)
    • Improved public services (though with poor equality)

The Communist Countries

Communist Bloc (Soviet Union):

• Central and Eastern Europe (Soviet troops after WWII)
• Revolutions in China (1949) and Cuba (1959)
• Parts of Asia (North Korea and Indochina)
• Parts of Africa (Angola and Namibia)

The Soviet Union

• Stalin's death in 1953
• Khrushchev's de-Stalinization: Combating abuse of power and the cult of personality; allowing some freedom of speech and thought.
• Brezhnev's halt to reforms after Khrushchev's death in 1964.
• Soviet Satellites in Eastern Europe: State repression of revolts and independence claims (e.g., Hungary in 1956, Prague Spring in 1968).

Communist China

• Post-WWII civil war between Chiang Kai-shek's nationalist government and Mao Zedong's communist rebellion.
• Mao's victory in 1949: Establishment of the People's Republic of China; Nationalist government's retreat to Formosa (Taiwan).
• Characteristics of Maoist China:
  • Repression of opposition
  • Strict control by the communist party
  • Cultural Revolution (1966-1971): Forced abandonment of traditional ways of life.
  • Collectivization and communes: Self-sufficient units combining agriculture and industry.
  • "Great Leap Forward": Economic plans for heavy industry development in 1958.

Extreme Tension (1947-1956)

The Blockade of Berlin

• Berlin, located in the Soviet occupation zone, was divided into four sectors (British, French, American, and Soviet).
• 1948: Allies unified their sectors; Stalin responded with a blockade of West Berlin.
• Allies airlifted supplies to West Berlin.
• Blockade ended in 1949.

The Korean War

• Post-war Korea divided at the 38th parallel:
  • North: Communist government backed by the USSR.
  • South: Anti-communist dictatorship supported by the USA.
• North Korea invaded the South, triggering the war.
• China and Russia supported North Korea; the USA aided South Korea.
• War ended in 1953 with the restoration of the previous border.