Transcript Communism vs Capitalism

United States and the
Soviet Union in 1945
Mr. White’s US History 2
Comparison of the Soviet Union and
United States
►United
States
►Soviet
Union
 Capitalist
 Communist
 Democratic
 Totalitarian
 Harry Truman
 Josef Stalin
Big Questions
► Compare
and contrast the various positives
and negatives of capitalism and
communism, democracy and totalitarianism
► Project how we think Truman and Stalin will
do as leaders
Compare and Contrast: Economic
Systems
► Both
capitalism and communism are
economic systems.
► The economy of a country is the system of
human activities related to production,
distribution, exchange, and consumption of
goods – how the people in a country get
what they need
► These two economic systems are very
different.
Capitalism – The United States
► In
capitalism, the means of production are
mostly privately owned – the people own
factories, businesses, farms, etc.
► Most businesses or other things are done
for profit, the desire to make money
► Prices of goods and services are determined
by market forces – supply and demand
Communism – The Soviet Union
► Means
of production are supposed to be controlled
by the people (in theory), but in practice the
government has controlled them (Soviet Union)
► Profit is not supposed to be a driving force in the
economy – “from each according to their ability, to
each according to their needs
► Prices are controlled by the government or aren’t
really part of the economy – rationing or other
regulation
Communism – What it means for
people in it
► Working
harder or at a skilled job does not
necessarily win you higher pay – a factory worker
and doctor can end up making similar amounts of
money
► Government rations much of the resources – you
can only take what the government decides you
can have
► Government must crush any disagreement or
criticism – communism must have a totalitarian
government
Compare and Contrast – Strengths
and Weaknesses
► What
are some of the strengths of a
capitalist economy? What are some
problems?
► What are some of the strengths of a
communist economy? What are some
problems?
Democracy – The United States
► Democracy
– rule “by the people,” from the
Greek words demos, meaning “people,” and
kratos, meaning “rule.”
► People either vote directly on laws or elect
people to govern them as representatives
► Can include other things like guaranteed
rights for the people, equality in law, civil
liberties, right to petition the government,
etc.
Totalitarianism – Soviet Union
► Government
regulates nearly every aspect
of public or private behavior – total control
► No voting for officials – government or one
ruling party decides who will be in the
government
► Government controls media – can’t criticize
the government
► Sometimes secret police are used to enforce
what the government wants
Compare and Contrast – Strengths
and Weaknesses
► What
are some of the strengths of a
democratic form of government? What are
some weaknesses?
► What are some of the strengths of a
totalitarian form of government? What are
some weaknesses?
Harry Truman – President of the
United States
Was Vice President for
Franklin Delano Roosevelt
► Became President when
Roosevelt died in 1945 of a
stroke
► Seen by some as
inexperienced; weren’t
sure he’d make a good
president
► Since he hadn’t been
voted in as president,
many outside US felt he
lacked the approval of the
people - mandate
►
Josef Stalin – Soviet Union
►
►
►
►
Wasn’t Russian, was
actually from the Soviet
country Georgia
Ruled with absolute
authority – those who
even seemed to disagree
were “disappeared.”
Responsible for purging
the government of people
who didn’t support him
Also responsible for the
forced starvation of around
7 million people in the
Ukraine
Harry Truman vs. Josef Stalin
► How
do you think Truman will do as
President of the United States? Do you
think his inexperience or his lack of a
“mandate” hurt him, or can he overcome
them?
► How do you think Stalin will do as leader of
the Soviet Union?
► Which of these leaders do you think you’d
prefer to live under?