How did life in the command economy under the Soviet Union’s totalitarian rule differ from life in the free-market economies under the Western democracies? Select all that apply.
A. Workers in the Soviet command economy had lifetime job security and little reason to produce high-quality consumer goods.
B. In the Soviet command economy, supply and demand determined production and job security.
C. Workers in Western free-market economies had lifetime job security and little reason to produce high-quality consumer goods.
D. In Western free-market economies, supply and demand affected production and job security.
A. Workers in the Soviet command economy had lifetime job security and little reason to produce high-quality consumer goods.
D. In Western free-market economies, supply and demand affected production and job security.
Use the map to answer the question.
How did the location of Berlin enable the Soviets to blockade it in an attempt to gain control over the entire city? Select all that apply.
A. It was on the West German border.
B. It was surrounded by Soviet-controlled East Germany.
C. It was beyond the range of Allied aircraft.
D. It lacked access to the sea.
B. It was surrounded by Soviet-controlled East Germany.
D. It lacked access to the sea.
Which happened in Hungary when Imre Nagy ended one-party rule and sent away Soviet troops?
A. The Soviets replaced Nagy, ended reforms, and daily protests ended.
B. Global support for protests caused the Soviets to negotiate a solution.
C. The Soviets invaded Hungary, stopped reforms, and later executed Nagy.
D. The West sent aid that helped Hungary break away from Soviet control.
C. The Soviets invaded Hungary, stopped reforms, and later executed Nagy.
The correct answers are:
A. Workers in the Soviet command economy had lifetime job security and little reason to produce high-quality consumer goods.
D. In Western free-market economies, supply and demand affected production and job security.
To understand why these are the correct answers, let's break down the differences between life in the command economy under the Soviet Union and life in the free-market economies under Western democracies.
In a command economy like the Soviet Union, the central government controls all aspects of the economy, including production, distribution, and pricing. Workers in this system had lifetime job security, meaning they were guaranteed employment throughout their working lives. However, this security often resulted in a lack of motivation to produce high-quality consumer goods. Since the government determined what and how much was produced, workers had little reason to focus on quality or innovation.
On the other hand, in a free-market economy, like those in Western democracies, supply and demand determine production and job security. In this system, private individuals and businesses make economic decisions and compete with each other in the market. As a result, production is based on the demands and needs of consumers. If there is high demand for a certain product or service, businesses will increase production and create jobs in that sector. Conversely, if the demand decreases, businesses may reduce production and potentially cut jobs. This means that in free-market economies, supply and demand play a significant role in determining production levels and job security.
Therefore, option A is correct because it accurately describes the situation in the Soviet command economy. Workers had job security but lacked the drive to produce high-quality goods. Option D is also correct because it accurately describes the situation in Western free-market economies, where supply and demand has a direct impact on production and job security.