Decline+of+the+USSR+Research+Socio-Political+Structure


 * The hammer and sickle has become a symbol for communism, along with the flag of the Soviet Union (http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o72/release-me-from-me/Communism.jpg) ||
 * In capitalism, private businesses do everything
 * In USSR, almost all production is owned by government (Kotz, Weir, 2)
 * State plans took place in Moscow
 * This is opposed to capitalistic de-centralized businesses(Kotz, Weir, 2)
 * Normal businesses elsewhere would be criminal in USSR (Kotz, Weir, 2)
 * Others called it "Communism", but Soviets were saving that term for a stateless, and classless society (Kotz, Weir, 2)
 * Soviets called their system "State Socialism" (Kotz, Weir, 2)
 * It is often just referred to as socialism. (Kotz, Weir, 2)
 * Everything necessary for well being would be owned by the commons (Gooding, 1)
 * Communal rather than competition (Gooding, 1)
 * Everyone would live and work in harmony
 * Everyone would reach their full potential
 * Everyone would pursue individual goals, without risking the goals of others (Gooding, 1)
 * Socialism was based upon communal farming that was historically done by Russian peasants (Gooding, 2)
 * Socialism focuses more on self-development than protection of its people (Gooding, 3)
 * Socialism kills individuality, and silences the minority (Gooding, 4)
 * It demonizes everyone against it (Gooding, 4)
 * In the 30's, a high class emerged (Gooding, 12)
 * This pointed the USSR away from its communism goals (Gooding, 13)
 * Stalin made major changes to the Soviet model (Gooding, 14)
 * This was a much more violent, war focused system
 * This system was bad for the economy (Gooding, 14)
 * By the 80's, it was a huge economic problem (Gooding, 15)
 * This system forgot its peasant heritage
 * Gorbachev tried to reform the system back to its Leninist foundation (Gooding, 15)
 * This was called "Perestroika" (Gooding, 18)
 * Perestroika worked fantastically (Gooding, 18)
 * Everything soon afterwards crashed (Gooding, 18)