According to the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, communism is a system of government based on Marxist philosophy and the idea that all property should belong to everyone.

When we talk about communism, we usually talk about Marx's utopia. His book, The Communist Manifesto, describes his vision of a future society in which everyone is equal and all property is shared. However, this utopia is hardly attainable. Communism requires a worldwide revolution to make this vision a reality.

Societies that hold all their property in common are often described as a communist. The name communism is a synthesis of many ideologies and political systems. In modern usage, communism refers to a social system in which property is shared and everyone benefits from each other's labor. The word communism has deep roots in the Book of Acts, which describes first-century Christian communities that held property in common.

Marx, Aristotle, and Plato all discussed communism in their writings. Marx popularized the ideas of communism. His ideal society would guarantee economic equality and reject private ownership because private ownership encouraged greed. Marx blamed the Industrial Revolution and capitalism for the ills of society, arguing that factories had encouraged the development of a working class. But how does Marx define communism? 

In this article, you will learn about the various facets of communism and we'll explore the history of communism and its evolution. So, if you're interested in learning more about how communism can change society, read this article!

Five Common Features of Communism

A communist country's economy is centralized and controlled from above, rather than decentralized. This allows citizens to work together in harmony without stepping on each other's toes. In addition, citizens are expected to follow the government's economic plans and rules, resulting in strong social communities. Resources are shared equally and the government sets the prices and wages, and the majority of citizens are given jobs. Elections for public offices are uncontested, and the ruling party is in control of the government and the courts. Consequently, there are no guarantees of political or civil rights.

Public ownership of the means of production is another common feature of communism. In communist systems, all means of production are owned by the government. This implies that private property is illegal, as private businesses are not allowed. As a result, the economy of a communist state does not allow citizens to own any property, including homes and businesses. While this might seem like an inconvenient feature for an economy centered on individual ownership, there are a few other similarities between a communist and a free-market economy.

Lenin's theory of vanguardism argues that close-knit elites are necessary to usher in higher stages of evolution. However, in the Soviet Union, this theory was never tested in reality. In 1917, an uprising toppled the czar of Russia and triggered a civil war. The Bolsheviks, led by Vladimir Lenin, gained power and established the Soviet Union on the former Imperial Russian territory. During this period, millions of people died.

Its Evolution

Although the term communism was first used in the 1840s, visions of communist societies date back as far as Plato's Republic. Plato's ideal society features a guardian class that rules the community and promotes communal service. Ownership of material goods corrupts its owners, and he advocates large family living arrangements. In addition, he believes that the possession of wealth should be shared among all members of society, including spouses and children.

Marx's vision of communism included the creation of a global movement to inspire working-class revolutions throughout the capitalist world. However, the book was not published until 1848, after the new urban working class had begun to protest against the upper classes' luxury and apathetic living conditions. The ideas of communism appealed to revolutionaries as those revolutionary movements collapsed. And although communism was not successful in achieving its goals, the ideas of its founder, Karl Marx, helped to inspire other socialist movements.

Mao Zedong's dialogue with Khrushchev exposed the Communist Virus' global strategy. Mao Zedong suggested infiltrating countries with communist bacteria, and Khrushchev echoed this suggestion. Today, countries suffering from the Communism Virus are beginning a global counter-attack to rid the world of this poisonous system. This war may be a sign of a much larger trend for the future.

In addition to the Chinese Communist Party's use of scientific and technological means to monitor ordinary citizens, the CCP has expanded its material and financial resources and exported its totalitarian model and corruption infiltration to the rest of the world. Although Western nations once believed that the Chinese Communist Party would evolve to embrace universal values, this was not the case. Its policies and strategies regressed and it entered the Cold War with the rest of the world.

Its Impact

If you are wondering about the influence of Communism on our world, you have come to the right place. A New York University political scientist Joshua Tucker argues that communist thought is still having an impact on the world today. He shows how the USSR, the Soviet Union, and the Communist Party's political platform helped shape the world we know today. But did Communism have an impact on our world? And how can we know that?

The socialist economic model imposed by Stalin forced the government to own all factories, mines, and farms. People could no longer run profit-making businesses, and production levels were dictated by economic planners. In addition to controlling production levels and prices, the communist government imposed harsh punishments on those who disobeyed their system. The result was that consumers' lives were made worse by a shortage of heavy industry and a high cost of consumer goods. Even though the government guaranteed the "right to work," it often meant doing dirty jobs for low pay.

The impact on ecology is perhaps one of the most striking consequences of communism. This ideology is associated with authoritarianism, re-education camps, and control over society's machinery. The regime also had little tolerance for dissent, and criticizing communist policies was viewed as bourgeois or kulak. The result was the destruction of the environment. The Soviet Union sabotaged forests, lakes, and rivers.

During the Cold War, the United States and the Soviet Union fought each other. While they did not directly clash, the U.S. did support the communist guerrillas in Vietnam. These countries, however, are not governed by communism today. The fall of communism can be attributed to the absence of profit incentives among citizens, the failure of central planning, and the concentration of power among a small number of people. 

Marxist Communism

Marxist communism, as the name suggests, advocates the rule of a large, industrial proletariat. But this does not necessarily mean that such societies are inherently evil. While Marx believed that the workers' revolution would have to be based on a large industrial proletariat, Mao's theory argued that a small agricultural peasant nation could also lead to a revolutionary society. In pursuing his political aims, Mao eschewed many of the core concepts of Marx's theory.

In the Manifesto of the Communist Party (1848), Marx and Engels outlined their vision of a new society. They claimed that capitalism caused poverty, disease, and early death in humans. To solve these problems, they proposed a society in which major means of production would be publicly owned and operated. The Manifesto of the Communist Party was commissioned by a small group of radicals, the Communist League. The work of the two men lasted for forty years.

Marx also recognized capitalism as a necessary stage in human development. It was essential for humankind to advance through scientific and technological advances. This increased aggregate wealth and extended humankind's power over nature. However, he considered the distribution of wealth to be unjust. Capitalists reap profits while the proletariat is thrown into poverty. Marx proposed a labor theory of value that held that the worth of a commodity was dependent on how much labor was used to produce it.

Marx also argued that capitalism had been a cyclical system. Despite its apparent stability, Marx believed capitalism would undergo a series of crises that eventually lead to the overthrow of the ruling class. This would result in an escalating degree of inequality, lower wages, and greater misery for the industrial proletariat. Eventually, the proletariat would take control of major means of production and institutions of state power. In the long run, this system would be replaced by a socialist state, which Marx called a revolutionary dictatorship of the proletariat.

Socialism

Socialism is a form of government based on the idea that the public should own the means of production, thereby lowering inequality and improving the quality of life for everyone. Its founders embraced several socialist ideals. But how did socialism develop? By examining its history and its influence on current politics, it's possible to learn a bit more about the origins of socialism.

Socialists disagree over the political and legal apparatus. Some believe that workers' councils should be the basis of a socialist state; others advocate direct democracy or the widespread use of referendums. In addition, some advocate a legislative body constituted of people elected in a representative democracy. And still, others believe that a combination of these principles is the most effective way to achieve a socialist society. Whichever method is used, the key to success is the implementation of the socialist economic theory.

Unlike socialism, communism doesn't eliminate private property. All property is owned by the community, and each person receives a certain percentage according to their needs. Socialism also has a strong central government that controls every aspect of economic production and provides necessities for its citizens. However, individuals still own some property, and in this system, industrial production is communally owned, and a democratically elected government is in charge of it.

Early socialists favored social leveling in an attempt to create a meritocratic society. Count Henri de Saint-Simon, a French socialist, advocated the ranking of people based on their ability to work. His philosophy focused on administrative efficiency and scientific advancement, and he believed science was the key to progress. But Marx's principles were radically different than those of the modern socialists.

State-Owned Enterprises

In countries with communist governments, state-owned enterprises (SOEs) represent the government in the commercial arena by selling physical resources to companies and trading entities. These enterprises operate in any country but are especially common in China, the United States, New Zealand, and South Africa. State-owned enterprises are a form of a public corporation. However, their existence must be questioned. In the United States, many SOEs are owned by the government, while others are privately held.

While communist states tended to favor public ownership, many countries in developing countries have also undergone privatization. The reversal of public ownership has been as widespread in developing countries as in developed countries. Privatizations have taken a variety of forms, ranging from the direct sale of SOEs to share auctions and the distribution of ownership shares to Russian citizens. In many cases, the SOEs have been sold outright to domestic and foreign interests.

A common misconception about the relationship between capitalism and communism is that both require capital. Capitalism, in contrast, rewards individual effort, while communism focuses on social reforms and redistribution of wealth through democratic processes. While communism and capitalism are often associated, they can coexist. There are many benefits to both models, and they are not mutually exclusive. For example, both models can coexist with a free-market capitalist economy.

The success of grass-roots capitalism encouraged local officials to circumvent government regulations and laws. By the mid-1980s, half a million capitalists were running private enterprises. In addition, Deng Xiaoping and other reform-minded leaders eventually accepted capitalist methods. The result was the creation of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in many Eastern cities. Despite the economic reforms, the SOEs have a mixed record. In many cases, the government continues to subsidize SOEs, but they continue to lose money.

Classless Society

Communists believe that society is classless. However, this idea has many implications. Some see communism as the ultimate form of socialism, while others see socialism as a phase between capitalism and communism. In any case, communism is a classless society. It is a society in which all people are equally valued. Marx's theory has been cited by many, including Lenin, Adorno, and Trotsky.

The first manifestation of class struggle was in monogamy, in which most men were enslaved by the male ruling class, while most women were forced into a slave-like status through prostitution. In this way, women were also enslaved before the advent of class society. Ultimately, class consciousness has a strong impact on the formation of a society, as it establishes the superiority of the male and the degradation of the female. In communism, however, all people are equally equal, if not equal.

To achieve a classless society, the proletariat must overthrow the existing bourgeoisie. This means that the proletariat must control the entire State apparatus, and this is the essence of all forms of the dictatorship of the proletariat. Without this, it is impossible to overthrow the bourgeoisie, overthrow the capitalist-ruled government, and create a society with no classes, exploitation, or inequality.

Communists believe that the revolution is not about gaining power but about eliminating all forms of exploitation and building a classless society. To achieve this, members of the Communist Party should possess the greatest courage, be able to carry out all political tasks without hesitation and strive to combine theory and practice. If this is accomplished, communism will be a classless society!

Social Welfare

The debate over reforming the welfare state is taking place in an unfavorable context. The post-communist experience has cast public confidence in the welfare state into the background and a lack of jobs has led to mass persistent unemployment and labor shortages. Changes in health and demographic characteristics are also reflected. While most citizens expected more support from the welfare state in a democratic regime, the reality is far different.

The social welfare system leaves citizens defenseless in several critical areas. Instead of the politburo making decisions on things like medical care, it's the squabbling of political parties that makes such decisions. Even decisions about elderly income are subject to the relative strength of various bureaucrats and lobbies. That's why Principle 3 seeks to give more power to the citizens.

The main goal of communism is a system that is free from economic and social inequality. Its economy is run by a central government, and all citizens must work to receive benefits. If they don't, they will face sanctions. This system also enables strong social communities, as laws govern the allocation of resources and responsibility. People are required to contribute to the economy to receive benefits, thereby building stronger social communities.

A new study has raised the question of whether or not social welfare is communism. The government has the responsibility to ensure that all citizens have basic health care and education. The study, however, does not propose abolishing these obligations but merely identifying them. While these leaves open the question of whether state control of the welfare sector means that the state must provide them. But this does not mean that state control equates to communism, but it does make the state responsible for the provision of these basic services.