Since the beginning of government formations, there has been an ideation that gives humans across the globe a way to structure and govern their communities. However, as different types of governments evolved, broader, more diverse perspectives and values were put into play. This evolution of what a government meant inevitably changed civilian’s day-to-day lives, restricting or freeing their rights. One of the most controversial forms of government, communism, has three main fundamental pillars that play a role in an individual's life: self-advocacy, collectivism, and traditionalism. However, countries like the USSR have manipulated these values and turned the government into a dictatorship. This conveys the importance of these values, which …show more content…
Eugene recalls what it was like living in a shared apartment. On page 23, he says, “Mom, Dad, Grandma, Victor, and I were allowed to live in one tiny room. There were other rooms in our apartment, but other families occupied these rooms.” On the following page, he explains there was typically a spy in the communal building, eavesdropping and reporting back to the Committee for State Security (KGB), who wanted to know if the residents were “unhappy.” This example demonstrates how this aspect of collectivism can be perceived negatively due to infringing on civilian’s privacy and taking away a form of self-advocacy. On the contrary, the USSR made room for positive opportunities using communism. An example is in the documentary, The Human Face of Russia (1984), which captures civilians' daily lives. A Russian worker, Nikolai Timlin, walks the viewer through his daily routine. We learned that he oversees a work crew and unboxes cargo imported from other countries. The narrator suggests that the workers have built close relationships with each other because the narrator states that “the team always works together” …show more content…
An example of patriotism being applied is in a PBS documentary about Russia. In the first minute, Correspondent Nick Schifrin explains how, in the south of Russia, over 70% of the population are Orthodox Christians. He then interviews a local priest who says, “There’s only one way to be a true Christian, and being a true Christian is the only way to be a true Russian.” This quote symbolizes how, in Russia, faith means pride in your country. The priest later confirms this by saying: "The values of the church and the state coincide in Russia’s faith is patriotic.” This example vividly demonstrates the importance of patriotism in a communist society because it helps citizens unite as a community; whether attending Sunday church to worship or saying prayers before bed, all of them are part of a community they interact with daily. However, Eugene continuously experiences many negative aspects of patriotism in Genius Under the Table. One example is on page 9 when he visited Lenin’s mummy as a child. Even at a young age, he knew it was “not patriotic” to be questioning the
Working sort of opposite to patriotism is emulation. Emulation works by giving the audience a role model that they idolize, someone containing vast quantities of ethos in their eyes. This is the most positive of the three emotions intended to get the audience up. Inciting anger
During the 20th century, the rise of communism sparked rage in people throughout the world. More towards the end of the 1900's the fall of communism and dictatorships was just the beginning of what would eventually be a large democratic change for several countries. 1989: Democratic Revolutions at the Cold War's End, speaks about the change brought to several different countries from the 1980's-1990's and plans to show "the global transformations that marked the end of the cold war and shaped the era in which we live"(Pg V). During the cold war, communist had power and control over a large area and spread communism throughout several continents. This book specifically hits on six different studies of where communism and dictatorship affected these areas and what they did to stop it. Poland, Philippines, Chile, South Africa, Ukraine, and China throughout the end of the 20th century created revolutionary movements which brought them all one step closer to freeing themselves and creating democratic change.
The Legacy of Russia and the Soviet Union - Authoritarian and Repressive Traditions that Refuse to Die
The obvious benefits of communism are shadowed by the dark truth that the ruling party and their agenda will effectively alienate the common people in order to protect the state. As history has shown, socialism on a large scale has evolved from theory to tyrannical regimes that embody the same principals of sustaining a dictatorship. “Omon Ra” by Victor Pelevin, published in 1992 by the Tekst Publishing House in Moscow, gives great insight into the structure of a Leninist hierarchy in a post WWII Russian setting. Throughout the novel the main character Omon is constantly and slowly separated from his family, friends, and peers until his mind has adopted a reality of complete isolation from the rest of his “comrades”.
Communism ensures a lot of power and equality, as in “Harrison Bergeron”; however, the acts of both governments differ from each other and from the U.S. government. Communism today has no copyright laws, no private property laws, and the government owns the economy in its entirety. Communism stresses the ending of both religion and the entire morality established upon religion. Communism theoretically tries to improve respect within society, but instead it abolishes all concepts of morality (Communism and Amorality). The structure of communism encourages the establishment of classless and stateless society based on the common title of the means of production (Structure of Communism).It tries to offer an alternative to the problems assumed to be inherent with capitalist economies and the heritage of imperialism and nationalism.
Fashioning the Stalinist Soul," in Stalinism: New Directions. Edited by Sheila Fitzpatrick. London & New York: Routledge, 2000 Mochulsky, Fyodor Vasilevich. Gulag Boss: A Soviet Memoir. Edited and Translated by Deborah Kaple.
To further transform the Soviet Union, state officials encouraged citizens to help improve the literacy rate and recognize the many heroes of the socialist state. These heroes, including Joseph Stalin, “received huge amounts of fan mail and were lionized on appearances throughout the country” (72). They also encouraged the remaking of individuals, particularly through work. Before the transformation, many did not enjoy working, but “under socialism, it was the thing that filled life with meaning” (75). Numerous interviews an author had with “transformed” felons, illustrated that even criminals could be transformed into good citizens through work (76). However, Sheila Fitzpatrick argues that these interviews were “clearly a propaganda project.”
Society is flawed. There are critical imbalances in it that cause much of humanity to suffer. In, the most interesting work from this past half-semester, The Communist Manifesto, Karl Marx is reacting to this fact by describing his vision of a perfectly balanced society, a communist society. Simply put, a communist society is one where all property is held in common. No one person has more than the other, but rather everyone shares in the fruits of their labors. Marx is writing of this society because, he believes it to be the best form of society possible. He states that communism creates the correct balance between the needs of the individual and the needs of society. And furthermore thinks that sometimes violence is necessary to reach the state of communism. This paper will reflect upon these two topics: the relationship of the individual and society, and the issue of violence, as each is portrayed in the manifesto.
The exploration of what patriotism is and what represents patriotism is an important one more people should embark upon. If Americans are to examine patriotisms true meaning, we will be able to abolish this faux patriotism, which is represented by intimidation, censorship, and majority rules attitudes or actions. This can be replaced by feelings and actions of caring, compassion, acceptance, rationality, and nonviolence, or in other words, patriotism.
Rule of Lenin vs the Tsar The beginning of the 20th century saw a great change in the political structure of the Russia. A country once led under an autocracy leadership. was suddenly changed into a communist state overnight. Dictatorship and communism are at separate ends of the political spectrum. This study so clearly shows both involve the oppression of society and a strict regime in which people are unable to voice their opinions.
During Stalin’s regime, the individual Russian was the center of his grand plan for better or worse. Stalin wanted all of his people to be treated the same. In the factory the top producer and the worst producer made the same pay. He wanted everyone to be treated as equals. His goal to bring the Soviet Union into the industrial age put tremendous pressure on his people. Through violence and oppression Stalin tried to maintain an absurd vision that he saw for the Soviet Union. Even as individuals were looked at as being equals, they also were viewed as equals in other ways. There was no one who could be exempt when the system wanted someone imprisoned, killed, or vanished. From the poorest of the poor, to the riches of the rich, everyone was at the mercy of the regime. Millions of individuals had fake trumped up charges brought upon them, either by the government or by others who had called them o...
The history of the 20th century can be defined by the biographies of six men: Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, Vladimir Lenin, Adolf Hitler, Mao Tse Tung, and Josef Stalin. Each of these men had a lasting significant involvement in world affairs. This essay will focus on the significance each individual had on the ideologies of Democracy and Totalitarianism. Four of the six individuals were leaders of a totalitarianistic state, and three of these led a communist country. Also four of the six leaders were in power during the Second World War. The profiles of these six men formed the world that we live in today.
Whether one thinks that the ideas of communism are good or bad, by taking a look a today’s society, we can certainly see the affect The Communist Manifesto and other books of its kind have had. Karl Marx’s ideas have shaped many programs and organizations to attempt following along the lines of equality.
Since 1989, when the Berlin Wall fell and Eastern European Communism came to an end, many of those who have lived through or bore witness to communism published their experiences to the public through media. These personal accounts tell, for the most part, of repressive and manipulative governments that constantly abused their power. Since the original goal for communism was equality, the East German government clearly corrupted the hopes that Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels had for the future of the Eastern European government and society.
Other feel as if lying is perfectly okay to do whenever and wherever. Moreover, In article 1 paragraph 10 it explains, “Not only is lying justified, it is a moral duty.” This displays that some people say that lying is a lifestyle and there is nothing wrong about it since everyone does it. Even if all people lie, it does not make it okay to do, since the majority of people try to avoid them. For evidence, in article 2 paragraph 1 it states, “Truthfulness in statements which cannot be avoided is the formal duty of an individual to everyone, however great may be the disadvantage.” This demonstrates how people do not put enough effort into avoiding the horrible habit of lying. Also, lies may help on the spot on any situation but will come back