The political desire for power and control led to the practices of socialism and communism. These political leaders have used control of government to influence and steer economies for their own personal gain. During the first half of the 20th century, the rise of socialism and communism led to economic, political, and social corruption throughout Eastern Europe, the United States, and many economies around the world, resulting in the need to act against of them. The introduction of government-controlled economies has led to devastating consequences that are seen in many aspects of life as well as literature. The government's shift toward social programs had many effects on working-class citizens and the way businesses operated. In the early 20th century, the free-market capitalist system became the popular model for most of the world's economies. Indeed, during this period, most economies were experiencing an economic boom. Globalization and the introduction of telephone communications were the starting point for growth and prosperity. However, the outbreak of World War I destroyed over 20 million lives and slowed the globalization of world economies. World War I was a disaster and left people scared and uncertain about the future. People were looking for a better and fairer way of life and the introduction of socialism and communism was born. “Communism required state ownership rather than private ownership of land, factories, and other economic resources, called the means of production” (Vontz). Furthermore, the party's state was the communist position that the party should defend all communist countries from free market economies. The creation of secret military and police forces was necessary until people free to choose and decide their own future were able to succeed. Works Cited Fariello, Griffin. Red Scare memories of the American Inquisition. 1st. New York: WW Norton& Company, 1995. 556. Print.Hayes, John E. Red Scare or Red Menace?. Chicago: The American Way Series, 1996. 214.Print.Rand, Ayn. "Anthem Equality 7-2521." http://www.pagebypagebooks.com/Ayn_Rand/Anthem/.Np, nd Web. April 1, 2014. Ronald Reagan, “Tear Down this Wall,” Making the History of 1989, article no. 567, https://chnm.gmu.edu/1989/items/show/567 (accessed April 3, 2014, 11:00 am) .Von Drehle, David. "JFK." His lasting legacy. New York: 2013.Vontz, Thomas “Communism.” World Book Student.World Book, 2014. Web March 13, 2014.Yergin, Daniel, Joseph Stanislaw, et al. Commanding Heights The Battle for the World Economy. Simon: Free Press, 2008. 535. Print.