ECONOMIC RESTRUCTURING : COMMUNISM AND CAPITALISM

Economic Restructuring:
Communism and Capitalism

Overview

 The characteristics of communism as an
economic system

 The economic and political influence of Marx,
Lenin, and Stalin on communism in Russia

 How the Soviet economic system worked and
eventually failed

 The importance of the export of resources for
the restructured Russian economic system

Chapter 4, Lesson 2

The Characteristics of Communism
as an Economic System

 The Communists
promoted an
egalitarian society—a
society without class
divisions

Chapter 4, Lesson 2

Melanie Stetson Freeman / © 2008
The Christian Science Monitor

The Characteristics of Communism
as an Economic System, cont.

 Nationalization and
collectivization are
two concepts
particularly linked to
Joseph Stalin’s rule
and the way the
Soviet economy
developed

Chapter 4, Lesson 2 Melanie Stetson Freeman / © 1989 The
Christian Science Monitor

The Economic and Political Influence
of Marx, Lenin, and Stalin on
Communism in Russia

 Karl Marx (1818-1883) – Melanie Stetson Freeman / © 1990 The
German philosopher and Christian Science Monitor
political theorist
Known as founder of
communism

 Vladimir Lenin adapted Marx’s
ideas to conditions in Russia

 Under Stalin, the Soviet Union
became a totalitarian state

Chapter 4, Lesson 2

How the Soviet Economic System
Worked and Eventually Failed

 The Soviet Union was Melanie Stetson Freeman / © 1999 The
both communist and Christian Science Monitor
totalitarian

 The problem was that
the Soviet system
never strove for
efficiency

 When the Soviet
Union dissolved in
1991, its economy
was in a tailspin

Chapter 4, Lesson 2

The Importance of the Export of
Resources for the Restructured

Russian Economic System

 Russia has greater wealth
in raw materials than
almost any other country

 Russia’s exports have
been a lifeline

 Russia is now developing
a capitalistic economy,
although it still faces
many challenges

Chapter 4, Lesson 2

Fred Weir / © 2006 The Christian
Science Monitor

Activity 1: Economic Restructuring:
Communism & Capitalism Review

Match the words on the left side with the
correct definition on the right.

Chapter 4, Lesson 2

Activity 2: Everyday Life Under
Communism

From what you have learned, how did the
communist regime control the daily lives of people
in the Soviet Union in each of the following areas:

1.Religion
2.TV, radio, newspapers, etc.
3.Education
4.Shopping
5.Food
6.Housing
7.Health care

Chapter 4, Lesson 2

Activity 3: Understanding the Rise of
Communism

1. How do you think you would respond?
2. Explain how you would see the pros and cons

of this new society.
3. What points would you use in trying to

convince others to join the Bolshevik
revolution?

Chapter 4, Lesson 2

Technology Enrichment: Dissidents’
Life Under Communism

Search the Internet to find answers to the
questions about your assigned person.

Andrei Sakharov and Alexandr Solzhenitsyn
were dissidents under communism in the
Soviet Union.

Chapter 4, Lesson 2

Review

 The Communists promoted the ideal of an
egalitarian society—a society without class
divisions

 Nationalization and collectivization are two
concepts particularly linked to Joseph Stalin’s
rule

 Karl Marx is known as the founder of
communism

 Lenin adapted Marx’s ideas to conditions in
Russia

Chapter 4, Lesson 2

Review, cont.

 Under Stalin, the Soviet Union became a
totalitarian state

 When the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991, its
economy was in a tailspin

 Russia has greater wealth in raw materials than
almost any other country

 Russia is now developing a capitalistic economy,
although it still faces many challenges

Chapter 4, Lesson 2

Summary

 The characteristics of communism as an
economic system

 The economic and political influence of Marx,
Lenin, and Stalin on communism in Russia

 How the Soviet economic system worked and
eventually failed

 The importance of the export of resources for
the restructured Russian economic system

Chapter 4, Lesson 2

Next….

Done—Economic
Restructuring:
Communism and
Capitalism

Next—Russia
and the
Republics

Chapter 4, Lesson 2 Robert Harbison / © 1991 The Christian
Science Monitor