At the heart of Communist ideology is the idea that wealth should be distributed equally among all people. In theory, the redistribution of wealth would reduce large gaps between the rich and the poor. The Soviets used the state-run command economy to reduce the economic gap. However, this method failed to provide a stable economy and, along with huge military spending, was the major cause of the collapse of the Soviet Union. But in capitalist economies the gap between rich and poor still exists, and in some places the gap is widening. Should capitalist countries try to narrow the income gap? Why or why not? What kinds of policies do you think would work? What are some of the effects of poverty? Can you see evidence of the income gap in your community?