Communism Seminar

Readings:
● “Iron Curtain Speech”

● Exchange of Notes on the Berlin Wall

● Excerpts from the Communist Manifesto

 G.D.R - German Democratic Republic (East Germany)

F.R.G. - Federal Republic of Germany (West

Germany)

Bourgeoisie - new business/industrial class (owned

the means of production)

Proletarians - workers in factories (bound to work for

Glossary wages)

Doctrine - belief held by a group

Of Terms
Quadripartite - consisting of four parts

Unilateral - performed by only one country involved

in a particular situation, without the agreement of
others.
 Iron Curtain Speech
● Describes the responsibility to
stop the spread of communism
● Expresses his belief that the
agreements in Yalta were
favourable to Soviet Russia
● States that the powers of the
world still have a chance at
stopping an imminent war
● Claims Russians admire strength
(something other
“english-speaking” powers
should be weary of)
Reply to Churchill
● Stalin relates Churchill to Stalin
● Speaks of the horrible effects
Germany had brought on Russia
(lost many people)
● Claims communism is almost
inevitable in most parts of the
world
US Note to the USSR On Berlin
● Recognizes East German
authorities (soviet influenced)
regulating movement at
boundaries and their violation of
the quadripartite status of Berlin
● Recognizes internal difficulties in
East Germany
● US Government protests against
the Soviet Government.
○ Expects the Soviet
Government to end illegal
measures
Soviet Reply
● Support actions of the G.D.R. to
establish effective borer control
(protect from activity against the
G.D.R.)
● Believes that the F.D.R. is
constantly attacking the G.D.R.
● Claims the protest from the US is
“without foundation and is
categorically rejected by the
Soviet Government.”
Excerpts from the Communist Manifesto
1. Abolition of property in land and application of all rents of land to public purposes.
2. A heavy progressive or graduated income tax.
3. Abolition of all rights of inheritance.
4. Confiscation of the property of all emigrants and rebels.
5. Centralization of credit in the banks of the state, by means of a national bank with state capital and
an exclusive monopoly.
6. Centralization of the means of communication and transport in the hands of the state.
7. Extension of factories and instruments of production owned by the state; the bringing into
cultivation of waste lands, and the improvement of the soil generally in accordance with a common
plan.
8. Equal obligation of all to work. Establishment of industrial armies, especially for agriculture.
9. Combination of agriculture with manufacturing industries; gradual abolition of all the distinction
between town and country by a more equable distribution of the populace over the country.
10. Free education for all children in public schools. Abolition of children’s factory labor in its present
form. Combination of education with industrial production, etc.
Communism in theory provides some
positive benefits. If “perfect” communism
was to become a reality, do you believe
that the positives would outweigh the
negatives? (see Communist Manifesto)
In Excerpts from the Communist
Manifesto, it claims “The history of all
hitherto existing society is the history of
class struggles.” What class struggles
exist today in Canada? Relate the result
of these modern struggles to the result of
class struggles in the mid 1900s (e.g.
Holocaust).
If you were a US citizen in the mid 1940s,
how would you feel in regards to issues in
Berlin? Would you feel a responsibility to
step in and help? Would it be for
humanitarian reasons or for hate towards
communism? (see “Iron Curtain Speech”,
especially page. 1)
Before WWII, Hitler’s aggression was
met by pacifistic appeasement that would
lead into a World War. After the end of
the war, the Soviet Union would continue
similar aggression that was again met
with similar appeasement (at least at
first). Do you believe that Soviet
aggression should have been dealt with
strictly, or due to their massive losses, do
they deserve the right to try and regain
some power? (see “United States Note to
the USSR On Berlin and class notes)
The Treaty of Versailles is viewed as a
large contributing factor to World War II
(largely due to the horrible effect it
brought onto Germany). In the Yalta
Conference following WWII, the winning
countries wished to avoid past mistakes
by being less harsh on Germany. Do you
believe this became reality? Did the
effects of the Yalta Conference have a
more positive effect on Germany when
compared to The Treaty of Versailles?
(see “Iron Curtain Speech”)
Stalin compares Churchill to Hitler. From
the view of someone in Soviet Russia,
would you believe these sentiments?
Stalin does provide some ideas to
ponder… How much do you agree with
his ideas looking back? Was Churchill
similar to Hitler? Why or why not? (see
Stalin’s “Reply to Churchill, 1946”)
In Churchill's speech, he claims the Yalta
Conference “was extremely favorable to
Soviet Russia.” Is this True? Did Russia
deserve to be favoured after large losses?
How are modern-day communist
countries (e.g. China, Cuba, Vietnam)
viewed by the world and how much of an
effect do they have on the rest of the
world? Why is or isn’t there as much hate
towards these countries?