KEY TERMS FOR COLD WAR

COLD WAR

The Cold War was a conflict between the two superpowers, the United States (US) and the Soviet Union (USSR).  This conflict developed after WWII and was a struggle over political, economic, and ideological differences.  It was fought through espionage, propaganda, diplomacy, and limited conflicts.  Each nation invested heavily in the nuclear arms race not with the intention of using these weapons but to actually avoid nuclear war (deterrence).  Much of the world allied with one of these superpowers and each side called this their "sphere of influence."  At first  the US and the USSR said they respected each other's sphere but soon they started to compete to expand their alliances.

MARXISM/COMMUNISM

This is an economic and political system where there is no private property and thus profits from that property would be shared on the basis of need.  ("From each according to his ability to each according to his need." )  The class system would not exist any more and the workers, the only remaining class, would run the government.  It was believed that the only way communism could be achieved was through a violent class struggle between workers and owners of private property.

 CAPITALISM AND DEMOCRACY

This is an economic system based on private property and an individual's ability to better himself/herself through their own talents and skills.  People would obtain property and use it to produce goods and services and then sell them on the free market. They would be able to keep their earnings/profits.  It is often believed that representative democracy goes hand in hand with capitalism because both represent individual freedoms.