surprising that there had been wartime alliance → between US and USSR
- due to the fact that US had completely different ideology from the USSR + visions clashed
- From beginning of communist rule in USSR → US + other democratic countries → had opposed communism - Most politicians / Business leaders in US → hated + feared communist ideas → felt it would threaten their way of life
USSR → believed → US was acting selfishly → to build its own economic empire + political influence in the world.
- such perceptions → caused mistrust + tensions + competition → as each believed its ideology should be accepted by other countries
| Ideology | US | Democracy | USSR | Communism |
|---|---|---|
| Vision + Beliefs of country | - spread democracy + ensure → individuals have right to choose own govt - create world → where individual liberty → in areas such as freedom of speech, religious freedom, freedom of assembly, right to own property → are protected - sustain capitalist world economy + prevent countries from becoming communist | - destroy capitalism → through class struggles + communist revolutions - create ideal + utopian world → where all people are equal, with all property + work shared equally among people |
| Who should have control in country | - Govt chosen in free elections → could be contested by >1 party | - 1 party dictatorship - elections held → all candidates belonged to communist party |
| How should wealth be created and shared in country | - wealth created → throguh free market → resulting in great inequality between rich and poor - capitalist → with free market economy - privately owned businesses + properties; people could own businesses + buy and sell goods. | - wealth would be shared through state control → resulted in low inequality + unemployment - communist → with command economy - Believed → goods should be allocated to people according to need - in command economy → govt would control → all resources → needed to produce goods → including factories/farms |
| How important are peoples individual interests compared to society’s overall interests | values individual freedom | regarded individual freedom as less important than protecting interests of society |