Communists claim that their ideology can be summed up in one phrase, �From each according to his ability, to each according to his need.� But to attain this form of Utopia the methods they apply are the exact opposite of that which they claim to desire to bring about. The Communist regime in the Soviet Union was one of brutality and devastation. ��in agriculture collective farms were established all over the country. The Soviet Union became a major districal power; but the plan�s implementation produced widespread misery for segments of the population. Collectivization met widespread resistance from peasants, resulting in a bitter struggle for helping authorities in many areas, famine, and estimated millions of deaths.�(Wcs) During the Russian Civil War of 1917, the Communists executed 50-200,000 people. Under Stalin(1924-1953), on average, an estimated 30,000,000 people died, of which 18,000,000+ were democides. (TCA) That is at least 30,050,000 people in 35 years with 37 years left till the end the Regime. Was this the reason for the Communists Failure? Millions starved or were murdered but that couldn�t have been the reason Communism failed. If it was it would have failed long before 1991. Was it perhaps the economy as so many have said or something else like the religious aspect of it? Economics and Religion are prime suspects for the failure of Communism in the USSR.
Economics has been ruled by many as the primary cause of the end of Communism in the USSR. But was it really the primary cause? Vladamir Lenin, The first leader of the Communist party in Russia, wasn�t the cause of Russia�s bad economy. In fact, Russia�s economy was bad before he came to power in 1917. At that time, World War I was the cause of the struggling economy. �In 1914 the average Russian, with a per capita income of 60 roubles a year.�(EdR) Lenin effectualized The National Economic Plan, which improved the economy by keeping trade down and increasing the private agriculture. Joseph Stalin, next to power after Lenin, started the industrialization of the USSR when he collectivized agriculture. This act caused several problems with the people. The main one being widespread famine. He also instituted the Five Year Plans which emphasized military growth. The final dictator of the USSR was Gorbachev who came into power after Stalin. Gorbachev disagreed with Stalin�s way of bringing about the perfect society. Instead he worked for the people�s approval of their communist government rather than persecuting them to get their allegiance. The economy wasn�t the downfall of Communism in the USSR. In fact, �The countries share in world industrial production grew from 4% to 20% between 1913 and 1980.� (WSU) The Communist economic system is actually the best system that is out there. But when it was thought up they forgot one very important thing- man is a sinner.
There system would work perfectly in a perfect world but we do not live in a perfect world. �There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one.�(Romans 3:10b-12) Communists don�t believe in God, creation or the Fall. They believe that no God equals no law which equals no good or bad(AG, 29). However, that is not so. It is impossible to get something from nothing meaning there has to be a god. That God has ingrained the law in the world and on our consciences, even non-Christians have a sense of right and wrong. �For there is no partiality with God. For as many as have sinned without law will also parish without law�(�for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these� are a law to themselves, who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them) in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ�� (Romans 2:11-16). Communists also believe that there is no salvation apart form the state. �Outside of socialism there is no salvation for mankind from war, hunger and the further destruction of millions and millions of human beings.�-Lenin. This again is untrue. Salvation comes to man through Jesus Christ�s death and resurrection. � For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.� (I Thessalonians 5:9) The Communists denial of God required that they take control of the churches and create a new religion. This religion made the State their god. All other religions/beliefs were band from society, punishable by torture and death. But man�s need for the true God was greater than the communists power. For every Christian they martyred another took their place. In order for Communism to survive they had to keep people from God but they couldn�t do it. The very premise their world was built on crumbled out from beneath them.
That is why Communism failed. The hurting economy was a problem as were the cruelties forced upon the people but they weren�t the main cause for the end of the regime. The economy and the brutality helped bring Communism to the edge but what ultimately sent it over was the need for God. Communists knew that Christianity was a problem. This knowledge is what led them to ban it. Because of the hard times and the cruelties the people faced they needed something to believe in, something to set their hope in. It wasn�t going to be in the State because that is were the problems originated(though many people still clung to this way of life because that is all they knew). That something else was the one true God.
Written May 1,2006 by Adrianna Wagner