History 171- Vii. Fall Of World Communism

Front 1

The collapse of communism over the last two decades of the 20th century was the result of “two general failures.”

Back 1

-Economic
-Moral

Front 2

Economic

Back 2

-Communist economies by the late 1970s showed no signs of catching up to the more advanced capitalist countries (Soviet economy was stagnant

Front 3

Moral

Back 3

-The horrors of Stalin's terror and the Gulag (camps), of Mao's cultural revolution, of something approaching genocide in communist Cambodia--all of this wore away at Communist claims to moral superiority over capitalism (The Global political culture embraced democracy and human rights as the universal legacy of human kind rather than the exclusive possession of the capitalist)

Front 4

How did Mao Zedong change his approach to building “socialism” in China?

Back 4

The cultural revolution and the Great Leap Forward

Front 5

Key terms: Great Leap Forward

Back 5

-An economic and social campaign by the Communist Party of China (CPC) from 1958 to 1961. --The campaign was led by Mao Zedong and aimed to rapidly transform the country from an agrarian economy into a communist society through rapid industrialization and collectivization. (The campaign caused the Great Chinese Famine.)

Front 6

Key terms: GPCR – Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution

Back 6

-A social-political movement that took place in the People's Republic of China from 1966.
-Set into motion by Mao Zedong- its stated goal was to enforce communism in the country by removing capitalist, traditional and cultural elements from Chinese society.

Front 7

Key terms: Deng Xiaoping

Back 7

-A politician and reformist leader of the China who, after Mao's death led his country towards a market economy.

Front 8

Key terms: Tiananmen Square

Back 8

-A large city square in the center of Beijing, China
- Protests were held here; accomodates up to 600,000 people; Mao has a mausoleum near it

Front 9

Key terms: Mikhail Gorbachev (“glasnost” and “perestroika”)

Back 9

Glasnost: 1988 would see Gorbachev's introduction of glasnost, which gave the Soviet people freedoms that they had never previously known, including greater freedom of speech.

Perestroika: Gorbachev initiated his new policy of and its attendant radical reforms in 1986. The new policy of "reconstruction" was introduced in an attempt to overcome the economic stagnation by creating a dependable and effective mechanism for accelerating economic and social progress.
According to Gorbachev, perestroika was the "conference of development of democracy, socialist self-government, encouragement of initiative and creative endeavor, improved order and disciple, more glasnost, criticism and self-criticism in all spheres of our society. It is utmost respect for the individual and consideration for personal dignity."