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Communism Facts & Worksheets

Communism is a political and economic system that seeks to create a classless society in which the major means of production, such as mines and factories, are owned and controlled by the public.

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Communism is a political and economic system that seeks to create a classless society in which the major means of production, such as mines and factories, are owned and controlled by the public.

See the fact file below for more information on the Communism or alternatively, you can download our 22-page Communism worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

ORIGINS OF COMMUNISM

  • While communism was introduced long before, it was German revolutionary Karl Marx who strengthened the importance of it through his work The Communist Manifesto, released in 1848.
  • According to him, there is no government or private property or currency, and the wealth is divided among citizens equally or according to individual need.
  • His aim was to overthrow capitalism, which he viewed as suppressing to the lower class society and solely beneficial to the citizens of the upper echelon.
  • He intended a transitional system in which the working class (proletariat) would control the government and economy and be paid “From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.”
  • Initially, communism was interchanged with socialism. However, the latter usually works through the existing democratic structures of capitalist countries.
  • Communists state that capitalist economic and political systems must be completely overthrown through revolution, in contrast to the principles of socialism.

COMMUNIST IDEOLOGIES – MARXISM

  • Marxism, as defined by Marx, is a method of socio-economic analysis that views class relations and social conflict using a materialist interpretation of historical development.
  • “Materialist interpretation is defined the fundamental substance in nature, including mental states and consciousness, are results of material interactions.”
  • It examines the effect of capitalism on labor, productivity, and economic development and argues for a worker revolution to overturn capitalism in favor of communism.
  • Marxism further interprets that forms of society rise and fall as they further and then impede the development of human productive power.

COMMUNIST IDEOLOGIES – STALINISM

  • Stalinism was developed by communist dictator Joseph Stalin from 1927 to 1953.
  • Under this policy, rapid industrialization, the theory of socialism in one country, a totalitarian state, and collectivization of agriculture occurred.
  • It promoted class conflict, utilizing state violence to forcibly purge society of the bourgeoisie or the capitalists.
  • This resulted in the persecution of the capitalists and their supporters.

COMMUNIST IDEOLOGIES – MAOISM

  • Maoism is associated with Mao Zedong, the communist president who implemented such ideology to the People’s Republic of China.
  • Mao emphasized the importance of using the peasants as the main force of the Chinese revolution.
  • His focal points were armed struggle, united front, and the Party’s leadership role as the three keys that led the Chinese revolution toward victory.
  • Mao’s “Land Revolution” affected the rural areas of China, forcing the farmers to produce for the government. This forced the Chinese economy’s rise, but resulted in the ordinary people’s famine, persecution, and eventual civil war.

COMMUNIST IDEOLOGIES – LENINISM

  • Vladimir Lenin developed Leninism for the working classes to develop political consciousness.
  • According to him, Communist revolution would occur in a nation in which a disciplined “vanguard” would seize power and create the “proletarian dictatorship” where the working class holds the power.
  • Leninism also characterizes Imperialism – extending a country’s rule over foreign nations, often by military force or by gaining political and economic control of other areas.

COMMUNIST IDEOLOGIES – DENGISM

  • Dengism was developed by Deng Xiaoping. According to his ideology, Marxism should adapt to the existing socio-economic conditions of China.
  • Under his leadership, Dengism was focused on two core goals:
  • Promoting modernization of the Chinese economy
  • Preserving the ideology of the Communist Party of China and its control of the reforms required by modernization. He wanted the country to open to the world.
  • Since the 1980s, the theory has become a mandatory university class.

MODERN DAY COMMUNISM

  • There are communist countries today. These communist states follow the principles of communism and have only a single political party, the communist party.
  • Before, the largest territory that practices communism was the Soviet Union and its smaller states: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan.
  • Other countries that formerly practiced communism include: East Germany, Yugoslavia, Romania, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Bulgaria, Democratic Kampuchea, Somalia, Albania, Mongolia, Cuba, North Vietnam and China.
  • As of the year 2020, there are five countries that are considered communist states:
    • China – The Communist Party of China is the sole political party of the People’s Republic of China.
    • Vietnam – The Communist Party is the only party to represent the people and lead the country.
    • Cuba – The Communist Party of Cuba adheres more strictly to the tradition of Marxism-Leninism and the USSR model.
    • Laos – The country’s only political party is the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party.
    • North Korea – Although the world considers it communist country; North Korea does not consider itself to be one. It instead claims to be a “dictatorship of people’s democracy.”

Communism Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about the Communism across 22 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Communism worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the Communism which is a political and economic system that seeks to create a classless society in which the major means of production, such as mines and factories, are owned and controlled by the public.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Forms of Government
  • Picturing the Government
  • Modern Communists
  • The Promoter
  • Pros and Cons
  • Read and Analyze
  • Communist Response
  • My Government
  • The Art of Leadership
  • Anagram Challenge

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Link will appear as Communism Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, April 1, 2020

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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