Childrens Illustrated Encyclopedia

135

Communism

CHINA

In 1949, China became a Communist

state under Mao Zedong (1893-1976).

China has the largest Communist party

in the world, with more than 85 million

members. Since the 1970s, China’s rulers

have gradually abandoned Communist

economic policies, encouraging private

enterprise to create economic growth.

However, the party has kept a tight grip

on power. It encourages people to take

part in group sports, such as tai chi (left).

AFTER 1917, A NEW WORD came into popular use—Communism. It was

then that Russia set up the world’s first Communist government. By 1950, nearly

one-third of the world’s population lived under Communist rule. The word

communism comes from the Latin word communis, meaning “belonging to all.”

More than 2,000 years ago, the Greek writer, Plato, put forward the earliest ideas

that resembled Communism in his book The Republic. Much later, Vladimir

Lenin (1870-1924), the Russian revolutionary, developed modern Communism

from the writings of the German philosopher Karl Marx. Unlike Capitalists, who

believe in private ownership, Communists believe that the state should own a

country’s wealth and industry, and wealth should be shared according to need.

In Communist countries, the Communist party controls every aspect of daily life.

During the 20th century, Communism was a major

political force. People in Communist countries,

however, resented economic hardship and their

lack of personal freedom. From the late 1980s,

various countries, including the former Soviet

Union, rejected Communist rule.

SPREAD OF COMMUNISM

After 1917, Communism spread from Russia to many other

countries elsewhere in the world (shown in red above). In Eastern

Europe and North Korea, Communist governments were installed

after occupation by the Soviet army. In China and Southeast Asia,

local armed Communist groups took power after fighting long wars.

FIDEL CASTRO

In 1959, Fidel Castro (left), a Cuban lawyer, led

a revolution against Cuba’s dictator, President

Batista. Castro became head of government,

and Cuba became a Communist state. Castro

seized all American property and promised

freedom to the Cuban people. In the 1960s,

Castro encouraged and supported

Communist movements throughout

Central and South America.

Under Capitalism, companies

own all the factories. Workers

are paid wages but do not

always share the profits.

Find out more

Cold war

Democracy

Mao zedong

Russian revolution

South america, history of

Soviet union, history of

CHAINS AROUND THE WORLD

“The workers have nothing to lose

... but their chains. They have a
world to gain,” wrote Marx in his
Communist Manifesto. On this
magazine cover, a worker strikes
down “chains” that bind the world.

China

Mongolia

North

Korea

Yugoslavia

Poland

East Germany

Worker

Romania

Soviet Union

Hungary

Cuba

Albania

Bulgaria

Laos

Vietnam

Cambodia

Czechoslovakia

KARL MARX

Communism is based on the ideas of

Karl Marx (1818-83). His major work,

Das Kapital, became the Communist

“bible.” He believed that all history

is a struggle between the rich rulers

and the poor workers, and that the

workers will eventually overthrow

their rulers in a revolution.

Marx died in exile in

London, England.

CAPITALISM COMMUNISM

Owner Worker Worker

Under Communism, the factories

are owned by the state. The state

sets wage levels for workers, and

uses profits for other investments.