Communism, political and economic doctrine that aims to replace private property and a profit-based economy with public ownership and communal control of at least the major means of production (e.g., mines, mills, and factories) and the natural Resources of a Society. Communism is thus a form of Socialism—a higher and more advanced form, according to its advocates. Exactly how communism differs from socialism has long been a matter of debate, but the distinction rests largely on the communists’ adherence to the revolutionary socialism of Karl Marx.
Like most writers of the 19th century, Marx tended to use the terms communism and socialism interchangeably. In his Critique of the Gotha Programme (1875), however, Marx identified two phases of communism that would follow the predicted overthrow of capitalism: the first would be a transitional system in which the working class would control the government and economy yet still find it necessary to pay people according to how long, hard, or well they worked, and the second would be fully realized communism—a society without class divisions or government, in which the production and distribution of goods would be based upon the principle “From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.” Marx’s followers, especially the Russian revolutionary Vladimir Ilich Lenin, took up this distinction.
In State and Revolution (1917), Lenin asserted that socialism corresponds to Marx’s first phase of communist society and communism proper to the second. Lenin and the Bolshevik wing of the Russian Social-Democratic Workers’ Party reinforced this distinction in 1918, the year after they seized power in Russia, by taking the name All-Russian Communist Party. Since then, communism has been largely, if not exclusively, identified with the form of political and economic organization developed in the Soviet Union and adopted subsequently in the People’s Republic of China and other countries ruled by communist parties.
For much of the 20th century, in fact, about one-third of the world’s Population lived under communist regimes. These regimes were characterized by the rule of a single party that tolerated no opposition and little dissent. In place of a Capitalist Economy, in which individuals compete for profits, moreover, party leaders established a command economy in which the state controlled property and its bureaucrats determined wages, prices, and production goals. The inefficiency of these economies played a large part in the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, and the remaining communist countries (excepting North Korea) are now allowing greater economic competition while holding fast to one-party rule. Whether they will succeed in this endeavour remains to be seen. Succeed or fail, however, communism is clearly not the world-shaking force it was in the 20th century.
Background
Although the term communism did not come into use until the 1840s—it is derived from the Latin communis, meaning “shared” or “common”—visions of a society that may be considered communist appeared as long ago as the 4th century BCE. In the ideal state described in Plato’s Republic, the governing class of guardians devotes itself to serving the interests of the whole community. Because private ownership of goods would corrupt their owners by encouraging selfishness, Plato argued, the guardians must live as a large family that Shares common ownership not only of material goods but also of spouses and children.
Other early visions of communism drew their inspiration from religion. The first Christians practiced a simple kind of communism—as described in Acts 4:32–37, for example—both as a form of solidarity and as a way of renouncing worldly possessions. Similar Motives later inspired the formation of monastic orders in which monks took vows of POVERTY and promised to share their few worldly goods with each other and with the poor. The English humanist Sir Thomas More extended this monastic communism in Utopia (1516), which describes an imaginary society in which Money is abolished and people share meals, houses, and other goods in common.
Marxian Communism
Karl Marx was born in the German Rhineland to middle-class parents of Jewish descent who had abandoned their religion in an attempt to assimilate into an anti-Semitic society. The young Marx studied philosophy at the University of Berlin and received a doctorate from the University of Jena in 1841, but he was unable, because of his Jewish ancestry and his liberal political views, to secure a teaching position. He then turned to journalism, where his investigations disclosed what he perceived as systematic injustice and Corruption at all levels of German society. Convinced that German (and, more broadly, European) society could not be reformed from within but instead had to be remade from the ground up, Marx became a political radical. His views soon brought him to the attention of the police, and, fearing arrest and imprisonment, he left for Paris. There he renewed an acquaintance with his countryman Friedrich Engels, who became his friend and coauthor in a collaboration that was to last nearly 40 years.
Marx and Engels maintained that the poverty, disease, and early death that afflicted the proletariat (the industrial working class) were endemic to capitalism: they were systemic and structural problems that could be resolved only by replacing capitalism with communism. Under this alternative system, the major means of industrial production—such as mines, mills, factories, and railroads—would be publicly owned and operated for the benefit of all. Marx and Engels presented this critique of capitalism and a brief sketch of a possible future communist society in Manifesto of the Communist Party (1848), which they wrote at the commission of a small group of radicals called the Communist League.
Marx, meanwhile, had begun to lay the theoretical and (he believed) scientific foundations of communism, first in The German Ideology (written 1845–46, published 1932) and later in Das Kapital (1867; Capital). His theory has three main aspects: first, a materialist conception of history; second, a critique of capitalism and its inner workings; and third, an account of the revolutionary overthrow of capitalism and its eventual replacement by communism.
Revolution and communism
Marx believed that capitalism is a volatile economic system that will suffer a series of ever-worsening crises—recessions and depressions—that will produce greater Unemployment, lower wages, and increasing misery among the industrial proletariat. These crises will convince the proletariat that its interests as a class are implacably opposed to those of the ruling bourgeoisie. Armed with revolutionary class consciousness, the proletariat will seize the major means of production along with the institutions of state power—police, courts, prisons, and so on—and establish a socialist state that Marx called “the revolutionary Dictatorship of the proletariat.” The proletariat will thus rule in its own class interest, as the bourgeoisie did before, in order to prevent a counterrevolution by the displaced bourgeoisie. Once this threat disappears, however, the need for the state will also disappear. Thus, the interim state will wither away and be replaced by a classless communist society.
Marx’s vision of communist society is remarkably (and perhaps intentionally) vague. Unlike earlier “utopian socialists,” whom Marx and Engels derided as unscientific and impractical—including Henri de Saint-Simon, Charles Fourier, and Robert Owen—Marx did not produce detailed blueprints for a future society. Some features that he did describe, such as public Education and a graduated Income tax, are now commonplace. Other features, such as public ownership of the major means of production and distribution of goods and Services according to the principle “From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs,” remain as radical as they were in Marx’s time. But for the most part, Marx believed that the institutions of a future communist society should be designed and decided democratically by the people living in it; it was not his task, he said, to “write recipes for the kitchens of the future.” Yet, though Marx was reluctant to write such recipes, many of his followers were not. Among them was his friend and coauthor, Friedrich Engels.,
Communism is a political and economic system that seeks to create a classless society in which the major means of production, such as mines and factories, are owned and controlled by the public.
The history of communism can be traced back to the early 19th century, when the philosopher Karl Marx developed his theory of communism. Marx argued that the history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles. He believed that the working class, or proletariat, would eventually overthrow the capitalist class, or bourgeoisie, and establish a communist society.
The first communist state was established in Russia in 1917, following the Russian Revolution. The Soviet Union, as it was known, was a one-party state ruled by the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, but there are still a number of communist states in the world today, including China, Cuba, and Vietnam.
Communism has been criticized for a number of reasons. Critics argue that communism is a totalitarian system that denies individual freedom. They also argue that communism is inefficient and leads to economic stagnation.
However, defenders of communism argue that it is a system that can create a more just and equitable society. They argue that communism is the only system that can truly liberate the working class from exploitation.
The future of communism is uncertain. The collapse of the Soviet Union was a major setback for communism, but the system remains in place in a number of countries. It is possible that communism will continue to exist in some form, but it is also possible that it will eventually be replaced by other systems.
Here are some additional details on each of the subtopics:
Communism
Communism is a political and economic system that seeks to create a classless society in which the major means of production, such as mines and factories, are owned and controlled by the public.History of communism
The history of communism can be traced back to the early 19th century, when the philosopher Karl Marx developed his theory of communism. Marx argued that the history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles. He believed that the working class, or proletariat, would eventually overthrow the capitalist class, or bourgeoisie, and establish a communist society.
The first communist state was established in Russia in 1917, following the Russian Revolution. The Soviet Union, as it was known, was a one-party state ruled by the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, but there are still a number of communist states in the world today, including China, Cuba, and Vietnam.
Theories of communism
There are a number of different theories of communism, but they all share some common features. These include the belief in a classless society, the public ownership of the means of production, and the central planning of the economy.Communist parties
Communist parties are Political Parties that advocate for the establishment of a communist society. They are typically organized on a hierarchical basis, with a central committee that sets policy and directs the activities of the party.Communist states
Communist states are countries that are ruled by communist parties. They typically have a one-party system, with the communist party as the only legal political party. The economy of a communist state is typically centrally planned, with the government controlling the production and distribution of goods and services.Communism in the world
There are a number of communist states in the world today, including China, Cuba, and Vietnam. There are also a number of communist parties in countries that are not communist states. These parties typically work to promote communism through political activism and education.Criticism of communism
Communism has been criticized for a number of reasons. Critics argue that communism is a totalitarian system that denies individual freedom. They also argue that communism is inefficient and leads to economic stagnation.Defense of communism
Defenders of communism argue that it is a system that can create a more just and equitable society. They argue that communism is the only system that can truly liberate the working class from exploitation.The future of communism
The future of communism is uncertain. The collapse of the Soviet Union was a major setback for communism, but the system remains in place in a number of countries. It is possible that communism will continue to exist in some form, but it is also possible that it will eventually be replaced by other systems.
What is a political philosophy?
A political philosophy is a theory about the nature of government and the best form of government. Political philosophers have different views on what government should do, how it should be organized, and who should be in charge.
What are some of the most common political philosophies?
Some of the most common political philosophies include communism, socialism, Democracy, and libertarianism. Communism is a system in which the government owns and controls all property and resources. Socialism is a system in which the government owns and controls some property and resources, but there is also a private sector. Democracy is a system in which the people have a say in how they are governed. Libertarianism is a system in which the government has very little power and people are free to do whatever they want.
What are some of the key differences between these political philosophies?
One of the key differences between communism and socialism is that in communism, the government owns and controls all property and resources, while in socialism, the government owns and controls some property and resources, but there is also a private sector. Another key difference is that in democracy, the people have a say in how they are governed, while in libertarianism, the government has very little power and people are free to do whatever they want.
What are some of the pros and cons of each political philosophy?
There are pros and cons to each political philosophy. Some of the pros of communism include that it can lead to a more equal society, as everyone has access to the same resources. Some of the cons of communism include that it can be very inefficient, as the government is not always good at managing resources. Some of the pros of socialism include that it can provide a safety net for people who are struggling, and that it can lead to a more equitable society. Some of the cons of socialism include that it can be inefficient, as the government is not always good at managing resources. Some of the pros of democracy include that it gives people a say in how they are governed, and that it can lead to a more stable society. Some of the cons of democracy include that it can be slow and inefficient, and that it can be difficult to get things done. Some of the pros of libertarianism include that it gives people more freedom, and that it can lead to a more prosperous society. Some of the cons of libertarianism include that it can lead to inequality, as not everyone has the same opportunities.
What is the role of government in a political philosophy?
The role of government in a political philosophy varies depending on the philosophy. In communism, the government owns and controls all property and resources, and it is responsible for providing for the needs of the people. In socialism, the government owns and controls some property and resources, but there is also a private sector. The government is responsible for providing for the needs of the people, but it also allows for some private ownership and control of property. In democracy, the government is elected by the people and is responsible for making laws and policies. The government is also responsible for providing for the needs of the people, but it does so in a way that respects the rights of the people. In libertarianism, the government has very little power and is responsible for protecting the rights of the people. The government does not provide for the needs of the people, but it does allow for private ownership and control of property.
What is the role of the individual in a political philosophy?
The role of the individual in a political philosophy varies depending on the philosophy. In communism, the individual is expected to work for the good of the collective. In socialism, the individual is expected to work for the good of society, but they also have some freedom to pursue their own interests. In democracy, the individual is expected to participate in government and to respect the rights of others. In libertarianism, the individual is expected to be self-sufficient and to respect the rights of others.
Sure, here are some MCQs without mentioning the topic Communism- Political Philosphy:
Which of the following is not a characteristic of a communist society?
(A) A classless society
(B) A stateless society
(C) A moneyless society
(D) A society in which everyone is equalWhich of the following is the most important principle of communism?
(A) From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs
(B) The means of production should be owned by the state
(C) The state should wither away
(D) The proletariat should overthrow the bourgeoisieWhich of the following was the first country to adopt communism?
(A) Russia
(B) China
(C) Cuba
(D) VietnamWhich of the following was the leader of the Soviet Union from 1924 to 1953?
(A) Vladimir Lenin
(B) Joseph Stalin
(C) Nikita Khrushchev
(D) Leonid BrezhnevWhich of the following was the leader of China from 1949 to 1976?
(A) Mao Zedong
(B) Deng Xiaoping
(C) Jiang Zemin
(D) Hu JintaoWhich of the following was the leader of Cuba from 1959 to 2008?
(A) Fidel Castro
(B) Raúl Castro
(C) José MartÃ
(D) Che GuevaraWhich of the following was the leader of Vietnam from 1954 to 1969?
(A) Ho Chi Minh
(B) Võ Nguyên Giáp
(C) Lê Duẩn
(D) TrÆ°á»ng ChinhWhich of the following is not a criticism of communism?
(A) Communism is inefficient
(B) Communism is oppressive
(C) Communism is utopian
(D) Communism is not compatible with human natureWhich of the following is a goal of communism?
(A) To create a classless society
(B) To create a stateless society
(C) To create a moneyless society
(D) All of the aboveWhich of the following is not a characteristic of a communist economy?
(A) The means of production are owned by the state
(B) There is no private property
(C) There is no money
(D) There is no free market
I hope these MCQs are helpful!