Strongly Disagree to Strongly Agree Scale of 1

Strongly Disagree to Strongly Agree Scale of 1 -5 • “I should be paid for the work I do. If I work hard I should get paid a lot. If I work a little I should get paid a little. ” • “I would work extremely hard even if my pay would not change. ” • “We should provide our country’s poor with food and shelter. ” • “Everyone should be treated equally. ” • “Some people are naturally gifted at certain things. Everyone has their own strengths. ”

Communism SWBAT analyze the benefits and drawbacks of communism.

Which one of these men works harder?

Karl Marx and the Origins of Communism • Communism is an economic system that was developed in the 1800’s by Karl Marx. • Marx believed that business owners (whom he called capitalists) used their wealth to take advantage of workers by not paying them enough for their labor and overcharging them for the goods they created. • Marx predicted that the conditions of workers would grow so bad that they would eventually rise up and overthrow their capitalist rulers in a violent revolution.

Critical Thinking Was Karl Marx right? Do business owners take advantage of their workers? • Karl Marx was not correct when he said that all wealthy business owners take advantage of their workers. My family owns a business and my father is generous with everyone who works for our family and pays everyone a fair wage. I also know that there are people who are really mean to their workers. Karl Marx was wrong because only some people act greedy and selfish, not all people. It depends on the individual running the business.

After the Revolution • After the workers, who he called the proletariat, overthrew the ruling class the proletariat would establish an equal society and live in perfect harmony. Claim, Evidence, Reasoning Based on what you believe about people and human nature do you think human beings can ever live in perfect harmony?

What is happening here? Does this person’s experience seem good or bad? • This new system is much better than I thought it would be. I no longer have to worry about whether or not I can feed my family. I no longer have to worry about being fired by my jerk of a boss. I am officially employed by the government and I am making a government salary. Every weekend my family and I go to the dispensary to pick up our rations – it is slightly less than we purchased before – but it is not impossible to survive on. My family and I know that we are safe. We will never have to live on the street and we will never be hungry again.

How does Communism work? • Communism only works if people cooperate with one another. All people should work together and share equally. The economy is supposed to be run for the benefit of all members. • The goal of communism is to achieve a classless society where everyone “works according to their ability” and is “provided for according to their needs. ” • In practice, government leaders run the use of all land, the development of factories and the distribution of major resources and consumer goods.

Role of Government, Private Property and Cooperation • All major decisions on production, distribution and the use of resources are made by the government planners. • Private property ownership is abolished and replaced by national ownership of all land, factories, farms and major resources.

Do you agree with Marx? The theory of Communism may be summed up in one sentence: Abolish all private property. Karl Marx

Text-Self Choose 2! • Would you want to live in a communist country if: • • You were a coal miner? You were a teacher? You were a doctor? You were a paraplegic?

What is happening in Yugoslavia? Does this person’s experience seem good or bad? "Life under communism was very hard. Oh, how the people suffered! On the farm in Ljubljana, my family got up at 4 AM and worked until 10 PM, and the government took everything. When I decided that I would leave, I took my shoes to a shoemaker and asked him to cut a hole in the bottom (here I put my American money that relatives had sent me), then the shoemaker covered the hole with another sole. I did not want to be caught with money because then people would know I was going to leave, and this would be very dangerous. This was my idea to do this. I kept the shoes dirty and muddy. When I left Yugoslavia I put what few possessions I had in a bag and left without saying goodbye to my father. I did that because if the Communists asked him where I was, he could honestly tell the truth and say he didn't know.

Negatives in Practice • At one time there were many Communist states. The most Communist states existed after World War II, but they ran into a lot of problems. Communist economies were unable to keep up with the goods produced by free enterprise economies. • People became dissatisfied with the totalitarian governments especially since government planners were not able to predict all of society’s needs. Without incentives to work hard, many workers became lazy. Consumer goods were incredibly limited and people would often bribe government officials to get extra things.

Critical Thinking: Kara: I think that everyone should be treated equally. I’m tired of seeing so many people work so hard for so little money. My mom works 15 hour days at 2 different jobs and we barely have enough money to eat. Alexandra: You should look at some Communist books like the Communist Manifesto. You’d definitely like them. Kara: Communism is a good idea in theory, but I know it would never work in real life. It’s failed. People are just too greedy. Why does Alexandra believe that Kara would like reading the Communist Manifesto? What does Kara mean when she says “communism is a good idea in theory” but it “would never work in real life? ”

Communism Today • Today China, North Korea, Vietnam and Cuba are still Communist countries. However, China has only kept the totalitarian political system and has taken rapid steps towards creating a free enterprise economy. • Purely communist countries like Cuba and North Korea rely on foreign aid to feed their people.

Independent Practice • Is communism a good or bad economic system? Why? (Give two specific traits of communism to justify your response) • Was communism a good solution to the problems created by free market economies? • • Explain the basic traits of a free market economy. Explain the basic traits of a communist economy. Explain the problems that a free market economy creates. Did communism solve those problems?

Exit Slip!

STOP • • Summarize Trait Objective Purpose