Essay on communism and democracy

[Torie]

In my 20th century history class, I have to write an essay on the interrelationship between communism and democracy. How should I go about this? Does anyone have any ideas?

[Bitter Ashes]

I'd have a look at the course material that they've given you and highlight the bits about the flashpoints in the cold war. For the most part the USSR was keen to keep an iron curtain up, as part of their ML "socialism in one country" ideoligy, so make a list of examples of where Soviet influence was stretched outside its borders, or where other nations tried to interact with the USSR. Then write a little bit about each as case studies. Try to get a good mix of the different points.

If all else fails, ask the tutor. :)

[Blake's Baby]

As this is a history class not a politics class, I'll just try to get one thing clear; I'll assume you don't mean the relationships between the idea of communism and the idea of democracy (eg, 'how far is socialism an ideology of popular liberation?'), so by 'communism' and 'democracy' do you mean the Eastern Bloc and the Western Bloc (essentially the Cold War)? Or do you mean, how did the capitalist nations deal with the Soviet Republic in the 20th century?

If it's the first, they were both imperialist superpowers that supported vile regimes that murdered millions and competed globally whil allowing each other some freedom to quell trouble in their own spheres of influence - there's loads of stuff about this, the Vietnam War, the guerilla movements in Africa and South America, all the military Junta states like Chile; if it's the second, then the answer is that something like 15 countries invaded the revolutionary Russian republic and supported the White terror.

[Bitter Ashes]

I thought you were supposed to be examining the relationships. Have a look at the interactions between the communist countries and the capitalist ones. They mostly tried to avoid relationships tbh, unless they absolutly had to, or it involved trading lead somewhere in the world.