How was Cuba and China "lost" to communism?
by Rit NosotroComparative Essay
How was Cuba and China "lost" to communism?
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Summary:
Communism is a political and economical system that was once one of the most powerful forces in the world. As late as 2004, only Cuba and China maintained a communist form of government. How were they lost to communism? Let’s start with a brief history of communism.
Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, both economic philosophers, believed in communism. They believed that violent revolutions were sure to happen in the natural course of history. Marx wrote a book called the Communist Manifesto. They believed that socialism was an intermediate stage where some class differences remained and communism was a final stage of society where there were no class differences. Their ideology taught that people could live in harmony without God, and government would no longer be needed. This doctrine is in direct opposition to the Bible which teaches God made man with a void that can only be filled with His peace and only then can people live in harmony. Without God, man rules with greed and violence.
The Chinese communist party was founded in Shanghai in 1921. Even 10 years before the party was formed, there were student uprisings concerning communism. The party was founded by two Beijing University Professors; Chen Duxin and Li Dazhao. One of Li’s students was Mao Zedong. These people believed in communism and Marxism-Leninism. There became two parties trying to rule the country; the Communist Party of China and the Nationalist government of China. In 1923 the Communists and the Nationalists joined forces to beat the warlords. But the Nationalist turned on the Communists and when they got to Shanghai, and they decided to clear out the communists.
The Communists, including Mao, retreated to remote mountains. Here they decided to uphold the traditional Marxism. They recruited rural pheasants to attack the landed class. The communists started to gain control and favor again. But the Nationalists encircled them and they had to flee. So Mao and his followers, numbering 100,000, trekked 6000 miles on "the long march" to a safe place. Only 8000 people survived.
In 1937, Japan invaded China. Communists and Nationalists reluctantly formed a coalition to help each other fight Japan, but after Japan surrendered, civil war between them continued. The Communists continued to grow and finally defeated the Nationalists who had become extremely corrupt under the leadership of Chaing Kai Shek. With the protection from the USA, the Nationalists fled to Taiwan and have control of Taiwan even today (Jan. 2004).
In October 1949, Mao, as the chairman for the Communist Party of China, officially founded the People’s Republic of China. The Communist party has been in control since then and are still very powerful.
They history of communism in Cuba is shorter but equally powerful. The president of Cuba, since 1940, was Batista. His nemesis was Fidel Castro. Although Castro was the son of a land owner, he had strong Marxist beliefs. He went to Havana Law University and graduated with a law degree. Here he got very involved with politics. He said, “One day a copy of the Communist Manifesto- the famous Communist Manifesto! - fell into my hands and I read some things I’ll never forget… What phrases, what truths! And we saw these truths everyday!” He ran for the Cuban House of Representatives but troops led by Batista stopped it and exiled Castro to Mexico.
In 1956, Castro and about 80 others such as Che Guavara, invaded the Cuban government. They were crushed but escaped into the mountains. Slowly, Castro won followers in his communist ideas. In 1957, Castro’s forces waged guerrilla wars against the Cuban Government. Finally in 1959 Batista resigned and fled the country. Castro’s forces took control of the Cuban government and Castro became dictator. They set out to change ties with the United States. Castro wanted Americans out of Cuba which resulted in bad ties with the United States.
So how was Cuba and China “lost” to communism? Some blame the USA for not providing more support to Batista and Chaing Kai Shek. The simple answer is that a group of people who didn’t like the present government and way of life replaced it with communism. Corrupt and vain governments are easily replaced by the same. Only when a government honors Biblical truths can they remain in power. Communism is only "a way that seems right to a man, but in the end, it leads to death.". (Proverbs 14:12)
Quick Quiz:
1. Who wrote a book called the Communist Manifesto?
A. Engels
B. Nicholson
C. Marx
D. Castro
2. Who founded the Communist Party of China?
A. Mao Zedong and Fidel Castro
B. Calvin and Hobbes
C. Chang Kai-Shek
D. Chen Duxin and Li Dazhao
3. What is the government of Taiwan today?
A. Nationalists
B. Communists
C. Run by aliens
D. All of the above
4. What is the main point of this article?
A. Huh? Oh…um….I don’t know….
B. Communism
C. Cuba and China
D. B and C
Answers: 1.C 2.D 3.A 4.D
Bibliography:
Paul Halsall, "Chinese Cultural Studies: Concise Political History of China,"
16 December 1995, "[Communist Party, in China]." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed. New York:
Columbia University Press, 2003. www.bartleby.com/65/. [22 November 2003].
"Communism," Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2003 http://encarta.msn.com
© 1997-2003 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
Jerry A. Sierra, "Castro: How I became a communist" Richard Hooker, "The Chinese Communist Party," 1996 World Book, Inc CD-Rom 2002, 2003 Edition
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