Communist systems of the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe

Résumé du document

During the XXth century, the communist system, an alternative political system to capitalism, emerged in Russia after the October Revolution. The features of this system are the important ideologies, the role of the communist party, the central planned economy and also the terror that took place with the secret police during this period. What explains the development of this system in Soviet Union and Eastern Europe? This question raises various issues first; it focuses on the influences that lead to the development of the communist system. Then it highlights that, the process was not exactly the same in Soviet Union and in Eastern Europe. Actually, to answer this question, it must be focused on what had an effect on the development of communist system and why these factors lead to a differential development. What legacy from heterogeneous past and new influences can explain the differential development of the communist system?

Firstly, I shall explain the legacy of the past that influenced the development of the communist system in Soviet Union and in Eastern Europe. Secondly, it can be argued that new influences also led to the differential development of communist systems.

We shall study the legacy of the past that shaped the development of communist system in Soviet Union and in Eastern Europe.

Extraits

[...] As far as Eastern Europe is concerned, Lenin was internationalist and wanted nations to take part of Soviet revolution by will but not by force whereas Stalin was nationalist and imposed with the Red Army state socialism in Eastern Europe. Moreover, the development of communism with Stalin aimed at using Eastern countries as a protective belt and not at rising new revolutionary processes. Another rupture and new influence upon the development of communism is characterized by the destalinisation .The last influence that led to the fall of communism is Gorbachev's perestroika and glasnost. These political practices intended to give more independence to Eastern European countries.It can be argued that all leaders had their own influences upon the communist system. [...]

[...] Nevertheless, it can not be denied that new influences shaped the development of the communist system of the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. First of all, let us discuss Marx and Lenin influences upon communist system. It can be said that Marxism is a theorical base for the development of communist system. His legacy might be the claim of scientificity used by Stalin to impose censorship in communist system. However, Marx neither expected a revolution in a feudal country such as Russia but in an advanced country, nor did he want an imposed revolution by a party but a spontaneous one. [...]

[...] What explain the development of this system in Soviet Union and Eastern Europe? This question raises various issues. First, it focuses on the influences that lead to the development of the communist system. Then, it highlights that the process was not exactly the same in Soviet Union and in Eastern Europe.Actually, to answer this question, it must be focused on what had an effect on the development of communist system and why these factors lead to a differential development. What legacy from heterogeneous past and new influences can explain the differential development of the communist sytem? [...]

[...] For instance, Tito was eager to set up a differential communist system in Yugoslavia. Similarly, some countries did not share the idea that one vanguard party should run the country. Sometimes, communist parties were popular one. Finally, some countries did not share the same consciousness of the working class. For instance, Poland ‘solidarity' movement did not share same views than the communist party. On the whole, it influenced the communist system in Eastern Europe in a different way than in Soviet Union. [...]

[...] To conclude, I would like to emphasize that the differential development of communist system in Eastern Europe and in Soviet Union is due to two factors. On the one hand, the different legacies from the past had an impact on the communist system spread. It can explain why some populations of Eastern Europe were reluctant to this system and why soviet values could not penetrate some Eastern European societies. On the other hand, new influences shaped the development of the communist system. [...]