Why did communism in the Soviet Union fail, but thrived and continues to thrive in China? Compare the similarities and differences, and argue why it failed in the Soviet Union and remains strong in China. Topics: 1. National Identity – Both are multi-ethnic states, but China did a better job of uniting ethnicities under a single ideology 2. Economic reform over political reform – China focused on economic reform while Soviet Union focused on political reform 3. The differences in the Marxist/Socialist ideologies in China and the Soviet Union: https://soviethistory.msu.edu/1985-2/perestroika-and-glasnost/perestroika-and-glasnost-texts/gorbachev-proposes-restructuring/ (this could be a good source for the differences in ideology. Soviet Union “opened up” to the idea of intellectuals and press while the Communist Party of China continues to have a strong clamp on society) Try to only use substantive sources such as academic and policy journals, books etc.
