Final answer:
The Soviet Union and China remained separate from global institutions like the IMF for most of the 20th century, emphasizing an ideological and economic divide.
Step-by-step explanation:
For most of the 20th century, the nations that remained separate from global institutions like the International Monetary Fund (IMF) were the Soviet Union and China. These countries operated outside the Western-dominated international financial order that had developed after World War II.
The Bretton Woods Conference had established the IMF and the World Bank with the intention of creating economic stability and rebuilding Europe; however, the Soviet Union withdrew in 1948, emphasizing an ideological and economic divide. China was under different leadership until the late 20th century and did not join these institutions until it started to open up and reform economically.