Question

prompt: evaluate the extent to which the rise of communism had a positive impact on the world in the period 1900 - now
document a
source: article describing a \contention meeting,\ published in shenyang daily, a regional chinese newspaper, 1957
\chang po - sheng, head of the propaganda department of the communist youth league at shenyang university, and huan chen - lu, editor of the university newspaper, gave a joint speech at the meeting. the central problem they brought up was how to abolish the absolute leadership of the party.
huang chen - lu said: before the communist revolution, the party enjoyed high prestige, because its connection to the people was close and strong. but since the founding of the people’s republic 1949, the party has made itself superior to the people. more and more persons with impure motives are joining the party because it has become the easiest way to acquire power, influence, and money.
chang po - sheng added: outwardly, we have democratic elections, but actually the party exercises dictatorship and the few top leaders in the party’s political bureau exercise absolute power. as for freedom of assembly, association, and publication, these are just things written in the constitution, and the party has shown that the constitution is just a scrap of paper that it does not need to observe. citizens only have the right to become the party’s obedient subjects. the party has become the emperor of china—a sacred body that all must obey.
y: did communism have a positive or negative impact? how know?
document b
source: photograph from the 1950s depicts a collective farm - or commune - established in china during the 1950s. the land of wealthy landlords was confiscated and redistributed to peasants. farmers had to meet certain amount of food produced or be beaten
y: did communism have a positive or negative impact? how know?

Explanation:

For Document A:

The document presents criticisms of the Communist Party's leadership post - 1949. Chang Po - sheng and Huan Chen - lu claim the Party has become superior to the people, with impure - motive people joining for power, and that democratic elections are a facade while the Party acts dictatorially, ignoring constitutional freedoms. So from this document, communism is shown to have a negative impact as it's portrayed as leading to a dictatorial Party, loss of people - centric leadership, and disregard for citizens' rights.

Document B describes a collective farm in 1950s China where wealthy landlords' land was confiscated and redistributed, but farmers were forced to meet production quotas under threat of being beaten. The use of force on farmers indicates a negative impact of communism as it led to coercive practices against the peasantry.

Answer:

Negative impact. From Document A, critics say the Party became superior to people, had dictatorial practices, and ignored constitutional rights, showing negative effects of communism.

For Document B: