Among the numerous milestones of the twentieth century, World War II occupies a specific place for its profound influence on the entire world. Claiming millions of people’s lives and leaving thousands of cities in ruins, transformed the existing economic and social relations. One of the most remarkable changes in this regard was the development of communism, which quickly became the leading ideology in a significant part of Europe. Within five years after the war’s termination, the relevant regimes were established in Poland, Romania, Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, and several other countries. Still, this ideology was largely perceived as a threat in the Western World and did not gain popularity. A review of the factors leading to communist growth in Europe and its failure in the United States is valuable for understanding this critical historical period and its outcomes.
One of the most evident factors for the spread of communism in Eastern Europe was the influence of the Soviet Union. The victory over Germany led to the creation of a bipolar world. By the end of the war, Eastern Europe was largely controlled by the Soviet Union, and the development of governments loyal to it was an expected move (Mason, 2019). It was also evident that, strategically, Western countries were less interested in those regions and were unwilling to start a new conflict. Besides, the declarations of Yalta and Potsdam conferences provided for the free elections on the occupied territories, which made a feeling of accomplished duty for the citizens of democratic states (Mason, 2019). Finally, initial Stalin’s strategy was based on a gradual and slow gaining of power by the local communist parties without provoking much resistance (Mason, 2019). All this allowed the Soviet Union to establish the desired ideology through force and its regional domination.
Although the factors mentioned above provide immediate causes for the establishment of communism, the framework for its development was created by the social and economic aspects. Research indicates that the primary “factor fostering the popularity of socialism was inequality” (Sabry, 2018, p. 701). The Marxist theory suggested that the rising wealth of a small group of people and industrialization and urbanization trends would constitute the driving force for the new ideology. Indeed, the increased competition and frequent crises leading to labor surplus resulted in a “concentration of capital in the hands of the few” and caused “further impoverishment of the proletariat” (Sabry, 2018, p. 701). These factors created the foundation for the rise of communism in the early twentieth century.
The named trends were additionally aggravated by the destructive effects of the war in European countries, which caused revolutionary changes and created new social structures. First, it modified the economic systems, which became more oriented on local demand and redirected from the West (Naimark, 2018). This led to the inefficiency of traditional market instruments and created the foundation for the state-controlled distribution of resources. Second, the numerous expropriations occurring during the war decreased the value of property rights for the citizens (Naimark, 2018). Finally, the entire composition of the local population was changed by the years of the Nazi regime. The selective killing of the elites of certain nations resulted in the almost complete disappearance of the middle class, which generally constitutes the base of capitalism supporters (Naimark, 2018). The combination of these factors formed the grounds for the growth of communism, which was then forcedly established by the Soviets.
Although the conditions in the United States were largely different from those experienced in Europe, the expansion of this ideology had a significant influence on the internal situation and policies. The most critical aspect was the conflict between worker representatives and employers. The impact of communist ideas led to the development of organized labor unions, which required full employment and increased wages (Ceplair, 2011). The situation was further aggravated by job cuts due to a rapid drop in demand for manufactured products after the war. This resulted in “the largest strike wave in the U.S. history” with over five million cases within a year (Ceplair, 2011, p. 76). Such development indicated significant changes occurring in American society due to the effects of the new ideology.
Despite the identified issues, communism in the United States did not become as popular as in Eastern Europe for several reasons. To begin with, it contradicts the basic principles shared by most citizens. A survey shows that the majority of Americans disapprove of its anti-religious attitudes, government property control, and elimination of class distinctions (Tonnies, 2017). Besides, the United States had a strong tradition of market economy and did not experience the destruction of infrastructure and elimination of entire population groups by the Nazi regime. Finally, the government introduced a comprehensive program intended to counter the spread of new ideas. It included a significant media campaign portraying the Soviet Union as an enemy and substantial involvement of various law enforcement agencies (Ceplair, 2011). Therefore, the combination of social factors and timely political intervention allowed to limit the expansion of communism in the United States.
The discussion above indicates that the popularity of the new Marxist ideology was a comprehensive phenomenon with several causes. The existing social issues and the destruction caused by the war created perfect grounds for its future development. The Soviets, dominating the region after the Nazi’s surrender, seized the opportunity to establish loyal regimes. Still, such a coalition created a strong opposition in Western countries, which was supported by their citizens’ traditional values. This formed the conditions for the development of a bipolar world structure, which later defined global politics for many years.
References
Ceplair, L. (2011). Anti-communism in twentieth-century America: A critical history. ABC-CLIO.
Mason, D. S. (2019). Revolution in east-central Europe: The rise and fall of communism and the cold war. Routledge.
Naimark, N. (2018). The establishment of communist regimes in Eastern Europe, 1944-1949. Routledge.
Sabry, M. I. (2018). Between social democracy and communism: An institutional and socioeconomic perspective. International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy, 38(9/10), 698-721. Web.
Tonnies, F. (2017). Communism, conformity and liberties. Routledge.