Principles vs. Practices

Previously in this unit students learned that the Three Worlds promoted competing social, economic and political ideals. In this lesson, students evaluate regional crises or hotspots in the US, USSR, and China as evidence of how the superpowers contradicted the principles they championed. In fact, the actions of the superpowers created external realities that undermined the efforts of Third World nations to follow a third way, as in the case of Chile under Salvador Allende.Students will analyze speeches, posters, videos, and newspaper articles, paying special attention to multiple points of views. In particular, students will determine how people and governments tried to persuade and/or forcibly impose adherance to guiding principles in actions and words. An optional newspaper research project has been developed for this lesson (CWW4). It is highly recommended as it reinforces the idea that the responses of the Three Worlds to regional hotspots undermined their appeal and ideological authenticity.