At its height communism was the political ideology of almost a third of the countries of the world. But how did this utopian ideology, inspired by the devastating injustices of the early industrial revolution, come to dominate the political culture of the 20th century? You will trace the history of communism from the early work of Marx and Engels, through the growth of mass political parties and revolutionary movements through its eventual triumph in the unlikely setting of Russia during the First World War. Concentrating in particular on communism's worldwide impact, examine how and why it became the chosen ideology of a host of newly independent Asian states and Third World countries after 1945, looking in particular at China, North Korea, Vietnam and Cambodia. Reflect on the character of communist regimes in Albania and East Germany and the impact of communism in the United States. Lecture style with question and answer time.