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Berlin Wall

Definition

The Berlin Wall was a guarded concrete barrier that physically divided East Berlin from West Berlin from 1961 until 1989. It symbolized the ideological divide between communism and capitalism during the Cold War era.

Analogy

Consider the Berlin Wall like a huge divider in your room separating your study area from your sleeping area. You can't cross over easily without permission - just like how people couldn't cross from East to West Berlin.

Related terms

Cold War: A period of geopolitical tension between the Soviet Union and the United States and their respective allies, the Eastern Bloc and the Western Bloc, after World War II.

Communism: A political theory derived from Karl Marx, advocating class war and leading to a society in which all property is publicly owned and each person works and is paid according to their abilities and needs.

Capitalism: An economic system characterized by private or corporate ownership of capital goods, by investments that are determined by private decision, and by prices, production, and the distribution of goods that are determined mainly by competition in a free market.



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© 2024 Fiveable Inc. All rights reserved.

AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.