Communism appeared attractive to Asians because of the immediate success it had achieved in the Soviet Union before the cold war. Communism was instigated by the poor conditions that were experienced by workers in Russia during the industrialization period. The egalitarian nature of communism was very attractive, as it took power and wealth from the elite in the society and distributed them evenly to the masses (Wang 193). Asians have a cooperative culture that values respect and honor. The premises of communism were attractive to them in the Twentieth Century, as no one was expected to exploit the system for personal gains (Wang 198). One of the main criticisms of communism is that it offers little incentive to work hard. This is because no matter the effort one puts, the gains are the same for everyone. The cooperative nature of Asians was a near perfect fit, as they are not as individualistic as the other cultures in the world.
The peasant farmers in china were willing to join Mao Zedong’s army to bring communism to China because it promised benefits from the government. The chances of the farmers getting exploited seemed minimal at the time, as they would no longer be estranged from the government. Communism also promises power to the people, and this is a great motivator. The central control of the economy would ensure that the people are not exploited by the elites in the community. The promise of having all the needs met by the government was also very attractive (Wang 195). United States was against the spread of communism because it clashed with the democracy ideals and created an environment for totalitarian governments. Communism ignores individuality of citizens and tends to reward the lazy at the expense of the industrious ones in a society. It causes resentment and conflicts as a result.
Works Cited
Wang, Aihe. “From Totalitarian to Utilitarian: The Coupling of Mao’s New Man and the Liberal Old Self.” Society 53.2 (2016): 188-203. ProQuest. Web. 3 Feb. 2019. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12115-016-9995-6