Comparative politics chapter 9 quiz

Marx and most other communists rejected liberal democracy because they claimed that it

deluded the people into thinking they had a say in politics when, in fact, only the wealthy had control.

Regarding societal institutions, Marx was highly critical of __________, which he argued was used to legitimize poverty and inequality. He called it "the opiate of the masses."

religion

In the Soviet Union and in Mao's China, what was a consequence of the state shifting to central planning?

shortages in industry and agriculture, leading to massive famine

In communist parties, the ________ acts as a type of legislative body.

Central Committee

In trying to explain why communism fell in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union but not in China, we find that

Chinese civil society remained much weaker, especially when compared to the overall Chinese population, and a smaller proportion of people actually participated in protests than did in other (formerly) communist countries.

The transition toward democracy has been more successful in Eastern Europe than in the former Soviet Union. Why?

Eastern European countries sought closer integration with Europe, including EU membership, while the former Soviet Union remained more isolated.

Which of the following BEST describes how the end of communism impacted gender relations?

Gender equality has declined since the end of communism, owing to the loss of economic and social policies, and the rise of religion and authoritarianism, in most formerly communist countries.

Which of the following describes the transfer of state-held property into private hands.

Privatization

In communist political economics, what does central planning entail?

The government (bureaucracy) replaces the forces of the market, explicitly allocating resources by planning what should be produced and in what amounts, and where it should be sold and for how much.

Marx predicted that a utopia would follow the final revolution and that people would then live in which of the following?

a stateless world

In Marxist theory, what does the superstructure refer to?

all noneconomic institutions in a society such as religion, culture, and national identity that serve to legitimize the current system of exploitation

Marx believed that __________ would decline under communist governance. In reality, it increased and would play an important role in the collapse of the Soviet Union.

ethnicity and nationalism

In China, Mao broke with Marxism and Leninism by

focusing on the peasantry instead of the working class.

Literally meaning "openness," __________ was one of Gorbachev's major reforms during the 1980s. It included political liberalization to encourage public debate.

glasnost

When examining postcommunist countries, we find that those who were more economically successful were those who

had a stronger judicial structure, which helped stem corruption and protect property rights.

Communist theory envisioned complete economic, social, and political equality between men and women. The reality under communist rule was that

laws changed, but society did not; traditional patterns of sexism persisted inside and outside the home.

Communism is an ideology that seeks to create human equality by eliminating which of the following?

private property and market forces

For Marxists, the __________ is the working class, who they argue is exploited under capitalism.

proletariat

Communist parties frequently relied on co-optation to maintain control. This can be seen MOST clearly in the nomenklatura, which involved which of the following?

staffing jobs in the state, government, and society with people approved by the party

Under communism, the party had virtually unchecked authority to control all aspects of human relations. As a result, following communism, __________, a necessary component of democracy, was weak.

the rule of law