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The Australian-New Zealand Realm. This is like Anglo American offshoot of Europe. The region has struck a balance between agriculture and industry. Living standard is high and people are well educated, energetic and progressive. There is a high degree of urbanization and American cultural influences are growing.

Its most of the population is concentrated in its seven big cities. Its cultural patterns are Western. British influence is still dominant. Its identity appears in its spatial isolation. It is a huge country but with sparest areas of population.

The Communist Realm. Although less important nowadays since the collapse of the Soviet Union and satellite political systems, the Communist Realm is still in existence in other parts of the world, and the former Soviet-controlled areas, as new systems have not yet matured. It has the distinctive economic and political ideologies of Eastern European countries and ex-USSR. Communism supplies the basis for social and economic organization. The communist party is the driving force behind the political machine. USSR was the first country to successfully adopt centralized planning for the progress of its national economy. Most other countries pursued the planning policies in varied degrees.

Russia. Once a very backward state with feudalism on the top, it is now a leading world power with progressive economy, technology and scientific advancement. Its planned economy, its communistic ideology gave it a distinct shape and identity. Russia is the follower of dialectical materialism and staunch propagator of the dictatorship of the proletariat. Atheism had replaced the church and deism. Realism is the hallmark of Russian life style. There is no place to voice of dissent. Collective farming was the characteristic of Soviet agriculture. Now some changes are taking place. It is no more a land of iron curtain. We can know a lot about the Russian way of life and freedom of religion has been given. In place of collective farming now incentives are being given for private farming.

China is one of the oldest cultural realms with unbroken continuity in its values. It did never have external influence in its life style because of the presence of mountains and deserts, which made it isolated. Aggressions from outside were repulsed and the invaders who could not be driven away, were absorbed. China was influenced by Buddhism. The monks coming from India left an indelible impression on the Chinese life pattern. The realism has always been dominant in China. Western influence in the modern era is well marked. Communism, a materialistic ideology, has totally changed the ancient way of life, but the cultural identity in the form of regimentation in thought, state sovereignty and authority is still existent.

In spite of its development in many fields of human life, it is still primarily a rural society depending on agriculture. The concept of social superiority is on the top in Chinese people.

Next: Cultural Realms