Communists

Karl Marx and Frederick Engels were the authors of a 23 page pamphlet called "The Communist Manifesto." Engels was co- author and Marx did the final copy. Published in 1848, the main issue the document brought to light was a struggle of classes. Capitalism was seen as a means which the bourgeoisie (wealthy) profited off of the proletariat (working class). One of the means to change this struggle was to replace capitalism with socialism. It can be viewed as a subversive work because of the resulting revolts in Europe and later in the world. Communism was a well established belief before the Russian Revolution. It encouraged the proletariat in rising up against the bourgeoisie in revolution and encouraging the world to join in.

"Workers of the world unite!"

In order to understand the impact on Russia, we need to look at the impact of communism on the world:

One of the first countries affected was Germany. In 1848, there would be a communist march on Berlin, with a subsequent trial of the people responsible. Communism would also continue to thrive. During the Weimar Republic, the communists and Nazis were fighting to assume control of the government prior to the rise of Adolf Hitler. There were only two choices. Be a Nazi or be a communist. Neither were good choices. The communists were rounded up and shot by the Nazis. After WWII, the Soviet parts of Occupied Germany became the DDR (Deutsche Demokratische Repulik), otherwise known as East Germany with a walled border as well as a wall in Berlin cutting off access to the west.

France was another country to see uprisings. There was a revolution to overthrow King Louis Philippe.

Russia would be the next region affected by the communists when Lenin read "The Communist Manifesto." That inspiration to overthrow the Tsar didn't happen in 1917. It took years to come with the final seizure of power in October 1917. The revolution brought more famine and death to the population who were executed if they did not follow communists values. Dissidents were improsoned or sent to work in the gulags of Siberia- mainly Kolyma, where few returned.

In the 1950s- 1960s the Soviets invaded Eastern Europe and set up communist satellites which became part of the Warsaw Pact. This became known as the Iron Curtain.

Europe was not the only region to be influenced by communism. The Soviets also invaded Afghanistan touching off a bloody war, which the US supplied aid to. That side eventually proved to be Al Qaeda- responsible for the 9/11 attacks in 2001.

China would be influenced by Mao Xedong and he would establish the People's Republic of China in 1949 following a civil war. The resulting civil war saw the Nationalist Government flee to Formosa. Formosa became the Republic of China or Taiwan. While the US recoginizes the sovereignty of Taiwan, Mainland China won't. They see it as a renegade province. There is also trouble in Hong Kong since the handover from the British. It has been the site of numerous violent clashes. Famine also followed communism in China.

Kim Il Sung would establish North Korea and go to war. As a result of this war that is still going on, an armistice exists. South Korea is prosperous in comparison to the conditions of North Korea. There is famine among the people. North Korea is seeking to be a nuclear power and possibly cross the DMZ at the 38th Parallel reigniting the war.

Ho Chi Minh would fight for a communist Vietnam, while causing a civil war and defeating the US and its backed governments in Saigon.

The Khmer Rouge would take power in Cambodia and rule from 1975- 1979 resulting in some of the severest human rights violations.

Fidel Castro would seize power in 1957 by overthrowing the Battista regime and becoming a dictator almost until his death with his brother Raul being his successor until his death in 2015.

The Sandinistas would cause trouble in Nicaragua in a bloody civil war against the Contras.

El Salvador was another country affected.

Che Guevara would cause political instability in South America.

You can see the impact of "The Communist Manifesto" and the bloody wars that resulted.

Communism had several effects. Here are a few:

1. Tyranny replaces tyranny.

2. Poverty. People living under communism make a few dollars a month.

3. Censored TV, News and Newspapers like Pravda are all controlled by the state.

4. Arrest, punishments and imprisonment for speaking out against the government.

5. No freedom of assembly. Protestors are either killed or tried and sent to forced labor.

6. Mass executions of vast numbers of people.

7. No private ownership of property.

8. The banning of religion and free expression in art and books- especially if it goes against the communist party.

9. Famine and lack of distribution of resources. China, Russia and North Korea had these in common after power was seized.

10. No incentive to do better because you will still get the same as those beneath you.

11. Forced labor.

12. What you produce is taken by the government.

13. Restricted travel requiring papers to be filed.

14. Lack of privacy with your activities being reported to the government.

15. Monitored telephone and communications.

16. Reporting of those not following the rules.