Communism should not be comfused with communalism. See also Communalism (South Asia. In many parts of the world communalism is a modern term that describes a broad range of Social movements

Communism  v • d • e  Basic Concepts Marxist philosophy Class struggle Proletarian internationalism Communist party Ideologies Marxism Leninism Maoism Juche Trotskyism Left communism Council communism Anarchist communism Religious communism Eurocommunism Internationals Communist League First International Second International Comintern Fourth International Figures Karl Marx Friedrich Engels Vladimir Lenin Rosa Luxemburg Joseph Stalin Leon Trotsky Mao Zedong Related Subjects Anarchism Anti-capitalism Anti-communism Communist state Communist symbolism Criticisms of communism Democratic centralism Dictatorship of the proletariat History of communism Left-wing politics Luxemburgism New Class New Left Post-Communism Primitive communism Socialism Stalinism Socialist economics Titoism Soviet Union Communism Portal

Communism is a socioeconomic structure that promotes the establishment of a classless, stateless society based on common ownership of the means of production. See also Marxian economics, Marxism Marxist philosophy or Marxist theory are terms which cover work in Philosophy Class struggle is the active expression of Class conflict looked at from any kind of socialist perspective International Socialism redirects here For the journal of the same name see International Socialism (journal Proletarian internationalism is a A Political party described as a communist party includes those that advocate the application of the social principles of Communism through a communist form of Marxism is the political philosophy and practice derived from the work of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. Leninism refers to various related political and economic theories elaborated by Bolshevik revolutionary leader Vladimir Lenin. Maoism, variably and officially known as Mao Zedong Thought ( is a variant of Marxism derived from the teachings of the late Chinese leader The Juche Idea (주체사상 Juche Sasang) is the official state Ideology of North Korea and the Political system based on it Trotskyism is the theory of Marxism as advocated by Leon Trotsky. Left communism is the range of communist viewpoints held by the Communist Left, which opposes the political ideas of the Bolsheviks Council communism is a Far-left movement originating in Germany and the Netherlands in the 1920s Religious communism is a form of Communism centered on religious principles Eurocommunism was a new trend in the 1970s and 1980s within various Western European communist parties to develop a theory and practice of social transformation that The Communist League was the first Marxist international organisation The Second International (1889-1916 was an organization of socialist and labour parties formed in Paris on July 14, 1889. The Comintern ( Com munist Intern ational also known as the Third International) was an international Communist organisation founded in Moscow The Fourth International ( FI) is a communist international organisation working in opposition to both Capitalism and Stalinism. Friedrich Engels (28 November 1820 – 5 August 1895 was a German social scientist and philosopher, who Rosa Luxemburg (Róża Luksemburg 5 March 1870 or 1871 15 January 1919 was a Polish-born Jewish German Marxist theorist, socialist Joseph Stalin ( ნამდვილი გვარი ჯუღაშვილი|Iosif Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili; March 5 1953 was General Secretary of the Communist Party Leon Trotsky ( Russian:, Lev Davidovich Trotsky, also transliterated Leo, Lyev, Trotskii, Trotski, Trotskij Mao Zedong ( 26 December 1893 – 9 September 1976) was a Chinese Military and political leader who led Anarchism is a Political philosophy encompassing theories and attitudes which support the elimination of all compulsory Government, i Anti-capitalism describes a wide variety of movements ideas and attitudes which oppose Capitalism. Anti-communism refers to opposition to Communism. Historically the word "communism" has been used to refer to several types of communal social organization and Communist state is a term used by many Political scientists to describe a Form of government in which the State operates under a one-party system Communist symbolism consists of a series of Symbols that represent (either literally or figuratively a variety of themes associated with communism Criticisms of Communism can be divided in two broad categories Those concerning themselves with the practical aspects of 20th century Communist state and those concerning Democratic centralism is the name given to the principles of internal organization used by Leninist political parties and the term is sometimes used as a synonym for any Leninist The " dictatorship of the proletariat " or workers' state is a term employed by Marxists that refers to what they see as a temporary state between the This article intentionally focuses only on the history of communism as a self-contained self-aware political movement Luxemburgism (also written Luxembourgism) is a specific revolutionary theory within Communism, based on the writings of Rosa Luxemburg. The New Class is a term to describe the privileged Ruling class of Bureaucrats and Communist party functionaries which typically arises in a Stalinist The New Left were the Left-wing movements in different countries in the 1960s and 1970s that unlike the earlier leftist focus on union activism instead adopted a Post-Communism is a name sometimes given to the period of political and economic Transition in former Communist states located in parts of Europe and Primitive communism is A term usually associated with Karl Marx, but most fully elaborated by Friedrich Engels (in The Origin of the Family 1884 and referring Socialism refers to a broad set of economic theories of social organization advocating state or collective ownership and administration of the Means of production and distribution Stalinism is the political regime named after Joseph Stalin, leader of the Soviet Union from 1929–1953 Socialist economics is a broad and sometimes controversial term Titoism is an adaptation of communist ideology named after Josip Broz Tito, leader of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, primarily used to describe The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 Socioeconomics or socio-economics is the study of the relationship between economic activity and Social life. This article is translated from and may fit related articles there better. Stateless Communism is the ideal post-socialist stage of society which Karl Marx predicted would inevitably follow the historical stages of Capitalism A society is a Population of Humans characterized by patterns of relationships between individuals that share a distinctive Culture and Institutions Common ownership is a principle according to which the assets of an enterprise or other organization are held indivisibly rather than in the names of the individual members or Means Of Production is a compilation of Aim 's early 12" and EP releases recorded between 1995 and 1998 ^[1] It is usually considered to be a branch of socialism, a broad group of social and political ideologies, which draws on the various political and intellectual movements with origins in the work of theorists of the Industrial Revolution and the French Revolution^[2], although socialist historians say they are older. Socialism refers to a broad set of economic theories of social organization advocating state or collective ownership and administration of the Means of production and distribution An ideology is a set of beliefs aims and Ideas especially in politics The Industrial Revolution was a period in the late 18th and early 19th centuries when major changes in agriculture manufacturing and transportation had a profound effect on the The French Revolution (1789–1799 was a period of political and social upheaval in the History of France, during which the French governmental structure previously an Communism attempts to offer an alternative to the problems believed to be inherent with capitalist economies and the legacy of imperialism and nationalism. Capitalism has been critiqued from many perspectives during its history Capitalism is the Economic system in which the Means of production are owned by private Persons and operated for Profit and where Imperialism has two meanings one describing an action and the other describing an attitude The term nationalism can refer to an Ideology, a sentiment, a form of Culture, or a Social movement that focuses on the Nation Communism states that the only way to solve these problems would be for the working class, or proletariat, to replace the wealthy bourgeoisie, which is currently the ruling class, in order to establish a peaceful, free society, without classes, or government. The proletariat (from Latin la ''proles'' "offspring" is a term used to identify a lower Social class; a member of such a class is proletarian ^[3] The dominant forms of communism, such as Leninism, Stalinism, Maoism, Trotskyism and Luxemburgism, are based on Marxism, but non-Marxist versions of communism (such as Christian communism and anarchist communism) also exist and are growing in importance since the fall of the Soviet Union. Leninism refers to various related political and economic theories elaborated by Bolshevik revolutionary leader Vladimir Lenin. Stalinism is the political regime named after Joseph Stalin, leader of the Soviet Union from 1929–1953 Maoism, variably and officially known as Mao Zedong Thought ( is a variant of Marxism derived from the teachings of the late Chinese leader Trotskyism is the theory of Marxism as advocated by Leon Trotsky. Luxemburgism (also written Luxembourgism) is a specific revolutionary theory within Communism, based on the writings of Rosa Luxemburg. Marxism is the political philosophy and practice derived from the work of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. Christian Communism is a form of Religious communism centered around Christianity. The Soviet Union 's collapse into independent nations began early in 1985

A tableau in a communist rally in Kerala, India of a young farmer and worker

Terminology

Communism is the idea of a free society with no division or alienation, where humanity is free from oppression and scarcity. Tableau vivant (plural tableaux vivants) is French for "living picture Kerala ( Malayalam: {{Kerala in Malayalam}}; India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country A communist society would have no governments, countries, or class divisions. In Marxism-Leninism, Socialism is the intermediate system between capitalism and communism, when the government is in the process of changing the means of ownership from privatism, to collective ownership. Marxism-Leninism is a Communist ideological stream that emerged as the mainstream tendency amongst the Communist parties in the 1920s as it was adopted Socialism refers to a broad set of economic theories of social organization advocating state or collective ownership and administration of the Means of production and distribution Privatism is a generic term describing any belief that people have a right to the private ownership of certain things ^{[4] [5]}

Marxist Schools of Communism

Self-identified communists hold a variety of views, including Marxism-Leninism, Trotskyism, council communism, Luxemburgism, anarchist communism, Christian communism, and various currents of left communism. Marxism-Leninism is a Communist ideological stream that emerged as the mainstream tendency amongst the Communist parties in the 1920s as it was adopted Trotskyism is the theory of Marxism as advocated by Leon Trotsky. Council communism is a Far-left movement originating in Germany and the Netherlands in the 1920s Luxemburgism (also written Luxembourgism) is a specific revolutionary theory within Communism, based on the writings of Rosa Luxemburg. Christian Communism is a form of Religious communism centered around Christianity. Left communism is the range of communist viewpoints held by the Communist Left, which opposes the political ideas of the Bolsheviks However, the offshoots of the Marxist-Leninist interpretations of Marxism are the most well-known of these and have been a driving force in international relations during most of the 20th century. Marxism-Leninism is a Communist ideological stream that emerged as the mainstream tendency amongst the Communist parties in the 1920s as it was adopted Marxism is the political philosophy and practice derived from the work of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. ^[3]

Marxism

Main article: Marxism

Karl Marx

Like other socialists, Marx and Engels sought an end to capitalism and the systems which they perceived to be responsible for the exploitation of workers. Marxism is the political philosophy and practice derived from the work of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. But whereas earlier socialists often favored longer-term social reform, Marx and Engels believed that popular revolution was all but inevitable, and the only path to socialism. ^[6]

According to the Marxist argument for communism, the main characteristic of human life in class society is alienation; and communism is desirable because it entails the full realization of human freedom. Marx's theory of alienation ( Entfremdung in German) as expressed in the writings of young Karl Marx, refers to the separation of things that naturally ^[7] Marx here follows Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel in conceiving freedom not merely as an absence of restraints but as action with content. ^[8] According to Marx, Communism's outlook on freedom was based on an agent, obstacle, and goal. The agent is the common/working people; the obstacles are class divisions, economic inequalities, unequal life-chances, and false consciousness; and the goal is the fulfillment of human needs including satisfying work, and fair share of the product^[9]. ^[10] They believed that communism allowed people to do what they want, but also put humans in such conditions and such relations with one another that they would not wish to exploit, or have any need to. Whereas for Hegel the unfolding of this ethical life in history is mainly driven by the realm of ideas, for Marx, communism emerged from material forces, particularly the development of the means of production. Means Of Production is a compilation of Aim 's early 12" and EP releases recorded between 1995 and 1998 ^[8]

Marxism holds that a process of class conflict and revolutionary struggle will result in victory for the proletariat and the establishment of a communist society in which private ownership is abolished over time and the means of production and subsistence belong to the community. Class conflict, also class war or class warfare, is both the friction that accompanies social relationships between members or groups of different The proletariat (from Latin la ''proles'' "offspring" is a term used to identify a lower Social class; a member of such a class is proletarian Communist society is the final stage of human history as envisioned by Karl Marx. Marx himself wrote little about life under communism, giving only the most general indication as to what constituted a communist society. It is clear that it entails abundance in which there is little limit to the projects that humans may undertake. In the popular slogan that was adopted by the communist movement, communism was a world in which each gave according to their abilities, and received according to their needs. ' The German Ideology (1845) was one of Marx's few writings to elaborate on the communist future:

"In communist society, where nobody has one exclusive sphere of activity but each can become accomplished in any branch he wishes, society regulates the general production and thus makes it possible for me to do one thing today and another tomorrow, to hunt in the morning, fish in the afternoon, rear cattle in the evening, criticise after dinner, just as I have a mind, without ever becoming hunter, fisherman, herdsman or critic. The German Ideology (1845 was a book written by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels around April or early May 1845. "^[11]

Marx's lasting vision was to add this vision to a theory of how society was moving in a law-governed way toward communism, and, with some tension, a political theory that explained why revolutionary activity was required to bring it about. ^[8]

In the late 19th century the terms "socialism" and "communism" were often used interchangeably. However, Marx and Engels argued that communism would not emerge from capitalism in a fully developed state, but would pass through a "first phase" in which most productive property was owned in common, but with some class differences remaining. The "first phase" would eventually evolve into a "higher phase" in which class differences were eliminated, and a state was no longer needed. Lenin frequently used the term "socialism" to refer to Marx and Engels' supposed "first phase" of communism and used the term "communism" interchangeably with Marx and Engels' "higher phase" of communism. ^[6]

These later aspects, particularly as developed by Lenin, provided the underpinning for the mobilizing features of 20th century Communist parties. Later writers such as Louis Althusser and Nicos Poulantzas modified Marx's vision by allotting a central place to the state in the development of such societies, by arguing for a prolonged transition period of socialism prior to the attainment of full communism. Louis Pierre Althusser (Pronunciation altuˡseʁ ( October 16, 1918 – October 22, 1990) was a Marxist philosopher. Nicos Poulantzas ( Νίκος Πουλαντζάς in Greek (1936-1979 was a Greco - French Marxist political sociologist.

Trotskyism

Main article: Trotskyism

Trotsky reading The Militant. Trotskyism is the theory of Marxism as advocated by Leon Trotsky. Leon Trotsky ( Russian:, Lev Davidovich Trotsky, also transliterated Leo, Lyev, Trotskii, Trotski, Trotskij The Militant is an international communist newsweekly connected to the Socialist Workers Party (SWP and the so called " Pathfinder Tendency

Trotsky and his supporters organized into the Left Opposition, and their platform became known as Trotskyism. Left communism and the Left Opposition are distinct Left communism should not be confused with the Trotskyist tendency described below Trotskyism is the theory of Marxism as advocated by Leon Trotsky. Stalin eventually succeeded in gaining control of the Soviet regime, and their attempts to remove Stalin from power resulted in Trotsky's exile from the Soviet Union in 1929. During Trotsky's exile, world communism fractured into two distinct branches: Marxism-Leninism and Trotskyism. Marxism-Leninism is a Communist ideological stream that emerged as the mainstream tendency amongst the Communist parties in the 1920s as it was adopted Trotskyism is the theory of Marxism as advocated by Leon Trotsky. ^[3] Trotsky later founded the Fourth International, a Trotskyist rival to the Comintern, in 1938. The Fourth International ( FI) is a communist international organisation working in opposition to both Capitalism and Stalinism. The Comintern ( Com munist Intern ational also known as the Third International) was an international Communist organisation founded in Moscow

Trotskyist ideas have continually found a modest echo among political movements in some countries in Latin America and Asia, especially in Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia and Sri Lanka. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Argentina topics. |utc_offset = -2 to -4 |time_zone_DST = BRST |utc_offset_DST = -2 to -5 |cctld The Republic of Bolivia (República de Bolivia) named after Simón Bolívar, is a Landlocked country in central South America. Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka ( Sinhalese:, இலங்கை known as Ceylon before 1972 is an Island Many Trotskyist organizations are also active in more stable, developed countries in North America and Western Europe. Western Europe at its most general meaning means 'all the countries in the West of Europe ' Today, Trotskyists are organized in various international organizations and tendencies.

However, as a whole, Trotsky's theories and attitudes were never accepted in worldwide mainstream Communist circles after Trotsky's expulsion, either within or outside of the Soviet bloc. During the Cold War, the term Communist Bloc (or Soviet Bloc) was used to refer to the Soviet Union and countries it either controlled or that were This remained the case even after the Secret Speech and subsequent events critics claim exposed the fallibility of Stalin. On the Personality Cult and its Consequences (О культе личности и его последствиях commonly known as the Secret Speech or the Joseph Stalin ( ნამდვილი გვარი ჯუღაშვილი|Iosif Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili; March 5 1953 was General Secretary of the Communist Party Today there are areas of the world where Trotskyist movements are rather large. However, Trotskyist movements have never coalesced in a mass movement that has seized state power.

Some criticize Trotskyism as incapable of using concrete analysis on its theories, rather resorting to phrases and abstract notions. ^[12][13][14]

Stalinism

Main article: Stalinism

Stalin propaganda poster, reading: "Beloved Stalin—a fortune of the nation!" Stalin used a strong cult of personality to consolidate power. Stalinism is the political regime named after Joseph Stalin, leader of the Soviet Union from 1929–1953 A cult of personality or personality cult arises when a country's leader uses Mass media to create a heroic public image through unquestioning flattery and praise

Stalinism is a version of socialism adopted by the Soviet Union under Stalin. It shaped the Soviet Union and influenced Communist Parties worldwide. It was heralded as a possibility of building communism via a massive program of industrialization and collectivization. is a process of social and economic change whereby a human group is transformed from a Pre-industrial society into an industrial one Collectivization in the Soviet Union was a policy pursued under Stalin, between 1928 and 1940(much later for areas further away from capital to consolidate individual The rapid development of industry, and above all the victory of the Soviet Union in the Second World War, maintained that vision throughout the world, even around a decade following Stalin's death, when the party adopted a program in which it promised the establishment of communism within thirty years.

However, under Stalin's leadership, some claimed that evidence emerged that dented faith in the possibility of achieving communism within the framework of the Soviet model. Later, growth declined, and rent-seeking and corruption by state officials increased. In Economics, rent seeking occurs when an individual organization or firm seeks to make money by manipulating the economic and/or legal environment rather than by trade and Political corruption is the use of governmental powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain

Under Stalin, the Communist Party of the Soviet Union adopted the theory of "socialism in one country" and claimed that, due to the "aggravation of class struggle under socialism", it was possible, even necessary, to build socialism alone in one country, the USSR. Socialism in One Country was a thesis developed by Nikolai Bukharin in 1925 and adopted as state policy by Joseph Stalin. The theory of aggravation of the class struggle along with the development of socialism was one of the cornerstones of Stalinism in the internal Politics of the

Maoism

Main article: Maoism

This poster shows Mao Zedong as continuing the legacy set by former Communist leaders. Maoism, variably and officially known as Mao Zedong Thought ( is a variant of Marxism derived from the teachings of the late Chinese leader It has been jokingly called "The History of Shaving" ^[15]

Maoism is the Marxist Leninist trend associated with Mao Zedong. Mao Zedong ( 26 December 1893 – 9 September 1976) was a Chinese Military and political leader who led Khrushchev's reforms heightened ideological differences between the People's Republic of China and the Soviet Union, which became increasingly apparent in the 1960s. Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES As the Sino-Soviet Split in the international Communist movement turned toward open hostility, China portrayed itself as a leader of the underdeveloped world against the two superpowers, the United States and the Soviet Union. The Sino-Soviet split was a gradual divergence of diplomatic ties between the People's Republic of China (PRC and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR

Mao Zedong, former chairman of China's Communist Party (1945-1976)

Parties and groups that supported the Communist Party of China (CPC) in their criticism against the new Soviet leadership proclaimed themselves as 'anti-revisionist' and denounced the CPSU and the parties aligned with it as revisionist "capitalist-roaders. Mao Zedong ( 26 December 1893 – 9 September 1976) was a Chinese Military and political leader who led The Communist Party of China ( CPC) ( also known as the Chinese Communist Party ( CCP) is the founding and ruling political party of the The term "revisionism" is also used to refer to other concepts " The Sino-Soviet Split resulted in divisions amongst communist parties around the world. Notably, the Party of Labour of Albania sided with the People's Republic of China. The Party of Labour of Albania ( Partia e Punës e Shqipërisë, PPSh in Albanian was the sole legal Political party in Albania during Effectively, the CPC under Mao's leadership became the rallying forces of a parallel international Communist tendency. The ideology of CPC, Marxism-Leninism-Mao Zedong Thought (generally referred to as 'Maoism'), was adopted by many of these groups.

After the death of Mao and the takeover of Deng Xiaoping, the international Maoist movement diverged. Deng Xiaoping ( 22 August 1904 19 February 1997) was a prominent Chinese Revolutionary, Politician, Pragmatist and Reformer One sector accepted the new leadership in China, a second renounced the new leadership and reaffirmed their commitment to Mao's legacy, and a third renounced Maoism altogether and aligned with the Albanian Party of Labour. The Party of Labour of Albania ( Partia e Punës e Shqipërisë, PPSh in Albanian was the sole legal Political party in Albania during

Pro-Albanian Marxism-Leninism

Another variant of Marxism Leninism appeared after the ideological row between the Communist Party of China and the Party of Labour of Albania in 1978. The Albanians rallied a new separate international tendency. This tendency would demarcate itself by a strict defense of the legacy of Joseph Stalin and fierce criticism of virtually all other Communist groupings. The Albanians were able to win over a large share of the Maoists in Latin America, most notably the Communist Party of Brazil. The Communist Party of Brazil ( Partido Comunista do Brasil, PCdoB is a political party in Brazil. This tendency has occasionally been labeled as 'Hoxhaism' after the Albanian Communist leader Enver Hoxha. (ɛnˈvɛɾ ˈhɔdʒa 16 October 1908 11 April 1985 was the leader of the People's Republic of Albania from the end of World War II until his death in 1985 as the

After the fall of the Communist government in Albania, the pro-Albanian parties are grouped around an international conference and the publication 'Unity and Struggle'. Another important institution for them is the biannual International Anti-Imperialist and Anti-Fascist Youth Camp, which was initiated in 1970s.

Eurocommunism

Communists marching in France on May 1, 2007.

Since the early 1970s, the term Eurocommunism was used to refer to moderate, reformist Communist parties in western Europe. Eurocommunism was a new trend in the 1970s and 1980s within various Western European communist parties to develop a theory and practice of social transformation that These parties did not support the Soviet Union and denounced its inhumane policies. Such parties were politically active and electorally significant in Italy (PCI), France (PCF), and Spain (PCE). Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest The Italian Communist Party (Italian Partito Comunista Italiano, or PCI emerged as the Communist Party of Italy ( Partito Comunista d'Italia) This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. The French Communist Party ( French: Parti communiste français or PCF) is a political party in France which advocates the principles of Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. The Communist Party of Spain ( Partido Comunista de España or PCE) is the third largest national Political party of Spain. ^[6]

Non-Marxist Schools

The dominant forms of communism, such as Leninism, Trotskyism and Luxemburgism, are based on Marxism, but non-Marxist versions of communism (such as Christian communism and anarchist communism) also exist and are growing in importance since the fall of the Soviet Union. Leninism refers to various related political and economic theories elaborated by Bolshevik revolutionary leader Vladimir Lenin. Trotskyism is the theory of Marxism as advocated by Leon Trotsky. Luxemburgism (also written Luxembourgism) is a specific revolutionary theory within Communism, based on the writings of Rosa Luxemburg. Marxism is the political philosophy and practice derived from the work of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. Christian Communism is a form of Religious communism centered around Christianity. The Soviet Union 's collapse into independent nations began early in 1985

Anarcho-communism

Main article: Anarcho-communism

Some of Marx's contemporaries espoused similar ideas, but differed in their views of how to reach to a classless society. Following the split between those associated with Marx and Mikhail Bakunin at the First International, the anarchists formed the International Workers Association. Mikhail Alexandrovich Bakunin ( - July 1 1876) was a well-known Russian Revolutionary and theorist of Collectivist anarchism. Template talkInfobox Union for usage --> The International Workers' Association ( IWA) ( Spanish: ^[16] Anarchists argued that capitalism and the state were inseparable and that one could not be abolished without the other. Anarchist-communists such as Peter Kropotkin theorized an immediate transition to one society with no classes. Anarcho-syndicalism became one of the dominant forms of anarchist organization, arguing that labor unions, as opposed to Communist parties, are the organizations that can change society. Anarcho-syndicalism is a branch of Anarchism which focuses on the labour movement. Consequently, many anarchists have been in opposition to Marxist communism to this day.

Christian Communism

Main article: Christian Communism

Christian Communism is a form of religious communism centered around Christianity. Christian Communism is a form of Religious communism centered around Christianity. It is a theological and political theory based upon the view that the teachings of Jesus Christ compel Christians to support communism as the ideal social system. Christian communists trace the origins of their practice to teachings in the New Testament, such as this one from Acts of the Apostles at chapter 2 and verses 42, 44, and 45:

42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and in fellowship [. The Acts of the Apostles is a book of the Bible, which now stands fifth in the New Testament. . . ] 44 And all that believed were together, and had all things in common; 45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. (King James Version)

History

Main article: History of communism

Early communism

Further information: Primitive communism and Religious communism

Karl Heinrich Marx saw primitive communism as the original, hunter-gatherer state of humankind from which it arose. This article intentionally focuses only on the history of communism as a self-contained self-aware political movement Primitive communism is A term usually associated with Karl Marx, but most fully elaborated by Friedrich Engels (in The Origin of the Family 1884 and referring Religious communism is a form of Communism centered on religious principles Primitive communism is A term usually associated with Karl Marx, but most fully elaborated by Friedrich Engels (in The Origin of the Family 1884 and referring A hunter-gatherer society is one whose primary subsistence method involves the direct procurement of edible plants and animals from the wild Foraging and Hunting For Marx, only after humanity was capable of producing surplus, did private property develop.

In the history of Western thought, certain elements of the idea of a society based on common ownership of property can be traced back to ancient times . ^[6] Examples include the Spartacus slave revolt in Rome. Spartacus (c 109 BC-71 BC according to Roman historians was a Slave who became the leader (or possibly one of several leaders in the unsuccessful slave ^[17]The fifth century Mazdak movement in what is now Iran has been described as "communistic" for challenging the enormous privileges of the noble classes and the clergy, criticizing the institution of private property and for striving for an egalitarian society. Mazdak (in Persian مزدک (died c 524 or 528 was a proto- socialist Persian reformer who gained influence under the reign of the Sassanian For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. ^[18]

At one time or another, various small communist communities existed, generally under the inspiration of Scripture. ^[19] In the medieval Christian church, for example, some monastic communities and religious orders shared their land and other property. Monasticism (from Greek μοναχός, monachos, derived from Greek monos, alone is the religious practice in which one (See religious communism and Christian communism) These groups often believed that concern with private property was a distraction from religious service to God and neighbor. Religious communism is a form of Communism centered on religious principles Christian Communism is a form of Religious communism centered around Christianity. Property is any physical or virtual entity that is owned by an individual ^[6]

Communist thought has also been traced back to the work of 16th century English writer Thomas More. Sir Thomas More (7 February 1478 – 6 July 1535 from 1935 Saint Thomas More, was an English Lawyer, author and statesman who in his lifetime gained In his treatise Utopia (1516), More portrayed a society based on common ownership of property, whose rulers administered it through the application of reason. De Optimo Republicae Statu deque Nova Insula Utopia (translated On the Best State of a Republic and on the New Island of Utopia) or more simply Common ownership is a principle according to which the assets of an enterprise or other organization are held indivisibly rather than in the names of the individual members or ^[6] In the 17th century, communist thought arguably surfaced again in England. In 17th century England, a Puritan religious group known as the Diggers advocated the abolition of private ownership of land. A Puritan of 16th and 17th century England was an associate of any number of religious groups advocating for more "purity" of Worship and Doctrine, The Diggers were an English group begun by Gerrard Winstanley as True Levellers in 1649, who became known as "Diggers" Eduard Bernstein, in his 1895 Cromwell and Communism^[20] argued that several groupings in the English Civil War, especially the Diggers espoused clear communistic, agrarian ideals, and that Oliver Cromwell's attitude to these groups was at best ambivalent and often hostile. Eduard Bernstein ( January 6 1850 December 18 1932) was a German social democratic theoretician and The English Civil War (1642-1651 was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists. The Diggers were an English group begun by Gerrard Winstanley as True Levellers in 1649, who became known as "Diggers" Oliver Cromwell (25 April 1599 Old Style &ndash 3 September 1658 Old Style) was an English military and political leader best known ^[21]

Criticism of the idea of private property continued into the Age of Enlightenment of the 18th century, through such thinkers as Jean Jacques Rousseau in France. The Age of Enlightenment or The Enlightenment is a term used to describe a phase in Western philosophy and cultural life centered upon the eighteenth century ^[6] Later, following the upheaval of the French Revolution, communism emerged as a political doctrine. The French Revolution (1789–1799 was a period of political and social upheaval in the History of France, during which the French governmental structure previously an ^[22] François Noël Babeuf, in particular, espoused the goals of common ownership of land and total economic and political equality among citizens. François-Noël Babeuf ( November 23, 1760 - May 27, 1797) known as Gracchus Babeuf (in tribute to the Roman reformers ^[6]

Various social reformers in the early 19th century founded communities based on common ownership. But unlike many previous communist communities, they replaced the religious emphasis with a rational and philanthropic basis. ^[19] Notable among them were Robert Owen, who founded New Harmony in Indiana (1825), and Charles Fourier, whose followers organized other settlements in the United States such as Brook Farm (1841–47). Robert Owen (14 May 1771 – 17 Nov 1858 born in Newtown, Montgomeryshire, Wales was a social reformer and one of the founders of Socialism François Marie Charles Fourier ( April 7, 1772 - October 10, 1837) was a French Utopian Brook Farm was a transcendentalist Utopian experiment that was put into practice by transcendentalist and former Unitarian minister George Ripley ^[19] Later in the 19th century, Karl Marx described these social reformers as "utopian socialists" to contrast them with his program of "scientific socialism" (a term coined by Friedrich Engels). Utopian socialism is a term used to define the first currents of modern socialist thought Scientific Socialism is the term used by Friedrich Engels to describe the socio-political-economic theory pioneered by Karl Marx. Friedrich Engels (28 November 1820 – 5 August 1895 was a German social scientist and philosopher, who Other writers described by Marx as "utopian socialists" included Saint-Simon. Claude Henri de Rouvroy comte de Saint-Simon, often referred to as Henri de Saint-Simon ( October 17, 1760 &ndash May 19, 1825) was

In its modern form, communism grew out of the socialist movement of 19th century Europe. ^[6] As the Industrial Revolution advanced, socialist critics blamed capitalism for the misery of the proletariat — a new class of urban factory workers who labored under often-hazardous conditions. The Industrial Revolution was a period in the late 18th and early 19th centuries when major changes in agriculture manufacturing and transportation had a profound effect on the The proletariat (from Latin la ''proles'' "offspring" is a term used to identify a lower Social class; a member of such a class is proletarian Foremost among these critics were the German philosopher Karl Marx and his associate Friedrich Engels. In 1848 Marx and Engels offered a new definition of communism and popularized the term in their famous pamphlet The Communist Manifesto. Manifesto of the Communist Party ( often referred to as The Communist Manifesto, was first published on February 21, 1848, and is ^[19] Engels, who lived in Manchester, observed the organization of the Chartist movement (see History of British socialism), while Marx departed from his university comrades to meet the proletariat in France and Germany. For chartism in financial markets see Technical analysis, and for the British socialist journal see Chartist (magazine Chartism was The History of socialism in Great Britain is generally thought to stretch back to the 19th century

Growth of modern communism

Main article: History of Communism

Vladimir Lenin following his return to Petrograd. This article intentionally focuses only on the history of communism as a self-contained self-aware political movement Saint Petersburg ( tr: Sankt-Peterburg,) is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River

In the late 19th century Russian Marxism developed a distinct character. The first major figure of Russian Marxism was Georgi Plekhanov. Georgi Valentinovich Plekhanov (Георгий Валентинович Плеханов ( December 11, 1856 &ndash May 30, 1918; Underlying the work of Plekhanov was the assumption that Russia, less urbanized and industrialized than Western Europe, had many years to go before society would be ready for proletarian revolution to occur, and a transitional period of a bourgeois democratic regime would be required to replace Tsarism with a socialist and later communist society. Tsar csar and tzar redirect here For other uses see Tsar (disambiguation. (EB)

In Russia, the 1917 October Revolution was the first time any party with an avowedly Marxist orientation, in this case the Bolshevik Party, seized state power. The assumption of state power by the Bolsheviks generated a great deal of practical and theoretical debate within the Marxist movement. Marx predicted that socialism and communism would be built upon foundations laid by the most advanced capitalist development. Russia, however, was one of the poorest countries in Europe with an enormous, largely illiterate peasantry and a minority of industrial workers. A peasant is an agricultural worker who subsists by working a small plot of ground Marx had explicitly stated that Russia might be able to skip the stage of bourgeoisie capitalism. ^[23] Other socialists also believed that a Russian revolution could be the precursor of workers' revolutions in the West.

The moderate Mensheviks opposed Lenin's Bolshevik plan for socialist revolution before capitalism was more fully developed. The Mensheviks (Minority (Меньшевик) were a faction of the Russian Revolutionary movement that emerged in 1903 after a dispute between Vladimir The Bolsheviks' successful rise to power was based upon the slogans "peace, bread, and land" and "All power to the Soviets", slogans which tapped the massive public desire for an end to Russian involvement in the First World War, the peasants' demand for land reform, and popular support for the Soviets. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Land reforms (also Agrarian reform, though that can have a broader meaning is an often- controversial alteration in the societal arrangements whereby government A soviet (сове́т, "council" originally was a workers' local council in late Imperial Russia.

The usage of the terms "communism" and "socialism" shifted after 1917, when the Bolsheviks changed their name to the Communist Party and installed a single party regime devoted to the implementation of socialist policies under Leninism. A single-party state, one-party system or single-party system is a type of Party system Government in which a single Political party Leninism refers to various related political and economic theories elaborated by Bolshevik revolutionary leader Vladimir Lenin. The Second International had dissolved in 1916 over national divisions, as the separate national parties that composed it did not maintain a unified front against the war, instead generally supporting their respective nation's role. The Second International (1889-1916 was an organization of socialist and labour parties formed in Paris on July 14, 1889. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Lenin thus created the Third International (Comintern) in 1919 and sent the Twenty-one Conditions, which included democratic centralism, to all European socialist parties willing to adhere. The Comintern ( Com munist Intern ational also known as the Third International) was an international Communist organisation founded in Moscow The Twenty-one Conditions, officially the Conditions of Admission to the Communist International, refer to the conditions given by Lenin to the adhesion of the Democratic centralism is the name given to the principles of internal organization used by Leninist political parties and the term is sometimes used as a synonym for any Leninist In France, for example, the majority of the SFIO socialist party split in 1921 to form the SFIC (French Section of the Communist International). The French Communist Party ( French: Parti communiste français or PCF) is a political party in France which advocates the principles of Henceforth, the term "Communism" was applied to the objective of the parties founded under the umbrella of the Comintern. Their program called for the uniting of workers of the world for revolution, which would be followed by the establishment of a dictatorship of the proletariat as well as the development of a socialist economy. The " dictatorship of the proletariat " or workers' state is a term employed by Marxists that refers to what they see as a temporary state between the Ultimately, if their program held, there would develop a harmonious classless society, with the withering away of the state. World communism has a meaning close in meaning to ‘international communism’ which has usually been equated to the Comintern (Communist International

During the Russian Civil War (1918-1922), the Bolsheviks nationalized all productive property and imposed a policy of war communism, which put factories and railroads under strict government control, collected and rationed food, and introduced some bourgeois management of industry. The Russian Civil War (1917–1923 was a multi-party war that occurred within the former Russian Empire after the Russian provisional government collapsed Nationalization, also spelled nationalisation, is the act of taking an industry or assets into the Public ownership of a national government War communism (or military communism) (Военный коммунизм 1918 - 1921 is the term created by western historians referring to the economic and political system After three years of war and the 1921 Kronstadt rebellion, Lenin declared the New Economic Policy (NEP) in 1921, which was to give a "limited place for a limited time to capitalism. This article is about the historical event known as the Kronstadt rebellion For the Malaysian New Economic Policy see Malaysian New Economic Policy. " The NEP lasted until 1928, when Joseph Stalin achieved party leadership, and the introduction of the first Five Year Plan spelled the end of it. Joseph Stalin ( ნამდვილი გვარი ჯუღაშვილი|Iosif Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili; March 5 1953 was General Secretary of the Communist Party Following the Russian Civil War, the Bolsheviks formed in 1922 the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), or Soviet Union, from the former Russian Empire. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 The Russian Empire ( Pre-reform Russian: Pоссійская Имперія Modern Russian: Российская Империя translit: Rossiyskaya

Following Lenin's democratic centralism, the Communist parties were organized on a hierarchical basis, with active cells of members as the broad base; they were made up only of elite cadres approved by higher members of the party as being reliable and completely subject to party discipline. En cadre is a military expression for a group around whom a unit is formed or a training staff Party discipline is the ability of the Parliamentary group of a Political party to get its members to support the policies of the party leadership ^[24]

A map of countries who declared themselves to be socialist states under the Marxist-Leninist or Maoist definition (in other words, "Communist states") at some point in their history. The map uses present-day borders.

After World War II, Communists consolidated power in Eastern Europe, and in 1949, the Communist Party of China (CPC) led by Mao Zedong established the People's Republic of China, which would later follow its own ideological path of Communist development. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Eastern Europe is a general term that refers to the Geopolitical region encompassing the easternmost part of the European continent. The Communist Party of China ( CPC) ( also known as the Chinese Communist Party ( CCP) is the founding and ruling political party of the Mao Zedong ( 26 December 1893 – 9 September 1976) was a Chinese Military and political leader who led Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES Cuba, North Korea, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Angola, and Mozambique were among the other countries in the Third World that adopted or imposed a pro-Communist government at some point. The Republic of Cuba (ˈkjuːbə or) consists of the island of Cuba (the largest and second-most populous island of the Greater Antilles) Isla de la North Korea is the commonly used short form name for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (or DPRK) a State located in East Asia, Vietnam (ˌviːɛtˈnɑːm Việt Nam) officially Laos (ˈlɑːoʊs or /ˈlaʊs/ officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a Landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma The Kingdom of Cambodia ( formerly known as Kampuchea (, transliterated: Preăh Réachéanachâkr Kâmpŭchea) is a country in South East Angola, officially the Republic of Angola (República de Angola Pronounced ʁɛˈpublikɐ dɨ ɐ̃ˈgɔlɐ Repubilika ya Ngola is a country in south-central Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique (Moçambique or República de Moçambique, ʁɛ'publikɐ d musɐ̃'bik is a country in southeastern Africa Third World is a name given to nations that are generally considered to be underdeveloped economically Although never formally unified as a single political entity, by the early 1980s almost one-third of the world's population lived in Communist states, including the former Soviet Union and People's Republic of China. Communist state is a term used by many Political scientists to describe a Form of government in which the State operates under a one-party system The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES By comparison, the British Empire had ruled up to one-quarter of the world's population at its greatest extent. The British Empire was the largest empire in history and for over a century was the foremost global power. ^[25]

Communist states such as Soviet Union and China succeeded in becoming industrial and technological powers, challenging the capitalists' powers in the arms race and space race and military conflicts. The term arms race, in its original usage describes a competition between two or more parties for real or apparent military supremacy The Space Race was a competition of space exploration between the Soviet Union and the United States, which lasted roughly from 1957 to 1975

Cold War years

USSR postage stamp depicting the communist state launching the first artificial satellite Sputnik 1. Communist state is a term used by many Political scientists to describe a Form of government in which the State operates under a one-party system Sputnik 1 ( "Спутник-1", "Satellite-1" ПС-1 ( PS-1, i

The construction and industry statue on the Green Bridge, Vilnius, a classic example of Cold War socialist realism. Socialist realism is a teleologically -oriented style of realistic art which has as its purpose the furtherance of the goals of Socialism and Communism

By virtue of the Soviet Union's victory in the Second World War in 1945, the Soviet Army had occupied nations in both Eastern Europe and East Asia; as a result, communism as a movement spread to many new countries. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The Red Army ( Russian: Рабоче-Крестьянская Красная Армия R aboche- K rest'yanskaya K rasnaya A rmiya Eastern Europe is a general term that refers to the Geopolitical region encompassing the easternmost part of the European continent. This expansion of communism both in Europe and Asia gave rise to a few different branches of its own, such as Maoism. Maoism, variably and officially known as Mao Zedong Thought ( is a variant of Marxism derived from the teachings of the late Chinese leader

Communism had been vastly strengthened by the winning of many new nations into the sphere of Soviet influence and strength in Eastern Europe. Governments modeled on Soviet Communism took power with Soviet assistance in Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Poland, Hungary and Romania. The state of Bulgaria (България transliterated bg-Latn ''Balgaria'' The country preserves the traditions (in ethnic name language and alphabet of the First Bulgarian Czechoslovakia may also refer to what is now the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The German Democratic Republic ( GDR; Deutsche Demokratische Republik DDR; commonly known in English as East Germany) was a Socialist state Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland Hungary (Magyarország 'mɔɟɔrorsaːg) officially in English the Republic of Hungary ( Magyar Köztársaság, literally Magyar (Hungarian Republic Romania ( dated: Rumania, Roumania A Communist government was also created under Marshal Tito in Yugoslavia, but Tito's independent policies led to the expulsion of Yugoslavia from the Cominform, which had replaced the Comintern. See also Kingdom of Yugoslavia, Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Yugoslavia ( Serbo-Croatian The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia ( Serbo-Croatian, Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian, Slovene, Macedonian: Cominform ( Com munist Inform ation Bureau) is the common name for what was officially referred to as the Information Bureau of the Communist The Comintern ( Com munist Intern ational also known as the Third International) was an international Communist organisation founded in Moscow Titoism, a new branch in the world communist movement, was labeled deviationist. Titoism is an adaptation of communist ideology named after Josip Broz Tito, leader of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, primarily used to describe In Stalinist Communism a deviationism is an expressed belief which is not in accordance with official party doctrine for the time and area Albania also became an independent Communist nation after World War II. This article is about the country in southern Europe For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Albania topics.

By 1950 the Chinese Communists held all of Mainland China, thus controlling the most populous nation in the world. The Communist Party of China ( CPC) ( also known as the Chinese Communist Party ( CCP) is the founding and ruling political party of the Mainland China, Continental China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term synonymous with the area that is under the jurisdiction Other areas where rising Communist strength provoked dissension and in some cases led to actual fighting through conventional and guerrilla warfare include the Korean War, Laos, many nations of the Middle East and Africa, and notably succeeded in the case of the Vietnam War against the military power of the United States and its allies. Guerrilla warfare is the unconventional warfare and combat with which a small group of combatants use mobile tactics (ambushes raids etc The Korean War refers to a period of military conflict between North Korean and South Korean regimes with major hostilities lasting from June 25 1950 until the Laos (ˈlɑːoʊs or /ˈlaʊs/ officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a Landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma The Middle East is a Subcontinent with no clear boundaries often used as a synonym to Near East, in opposition to Far East. The Vietnam War, also known as the Second Indochina War, or the Vietnam Conflict, occurred in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia With varying degrees of success, Communists attempted to unite with nationalist and socialist forces against what they saw as Western imperialism in these poor countries. The term nationalism can refer to an Ideology, a sentiment, a form of Culture, or a Social movement that focuses on the Nation Socialism refers to a broad set of economic theories of social organization advocating state or collective ownership and administration of the Means of production and distribution The term Western world, the West or the Occident ( Latin: occidens -sunset -west as distinct from the Orient) can have multiple meanings Imperialism has two meanings one describing an action and the other describing an attitude

Fear of communism

Main article: Red Scare

A 1947 comic book published by the Catechetical Guild Educational Society warning of the supposed dangers of a Communist takeover. Red Menace redirects here For the 2007 Wildstorm Productions comic book series see Red Menace (comics.

With the exception of Russia's and China's involvement in World War II, communism was seen as a rival, and a threat to western democracies and capitalism for most of the twentieth century. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including ^[6] This rivalry peaked during the cold war, as more and more countries became Communist. The U. S. and the U. S. S. R both developed many powerful weapons during this period, which invoked fear in many people.

Near the beginning of the cold war , on February 9,1950, Senator Joseph McCarthy from Wisconsin accused 205 Americans working in the State Department of being card-carrying Communists . Joseph Raymond McCarthy (November 14 1908 – May 2 1957 was an American politician who served as a Republican U Wisconsin ( or wɪˈskɑnsɨn (French Ouisconsin) is one of the fifty United States of America, located in the north central part of the United States ^[26]

Another reason many people fear Communism is that it is usually atheistic. Marx denounced religion as "the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world,. . . the spirit of a spiritless situation. It is the opium of the people. "^[27] Communism holds religion as a tool used by society to pacify its members. ^[28] Communism was seen as an attack on the freedom of religion, and most religious groups are very strongly opposed to Communism.

These fears spurred aggressive investigations and the red-baiting, blacklisting, jailing and deportation of people suspected of following Communist or other left-wing ideology. Red-baiting is the act of accusing someone or some group of being communist, socialist or in a broader sense of being significantly more Leftist Many famous actors and writers were put on a "blacklist", which meant they would not be hired and would be subject to public disdain.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union

This map shows the states which today are officially run by a Communist party only: People's Republic of China, North Korea, Laos, Vietnam, and Cuba. Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES North Korea is the commonly used short form name for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (or DPRK) a State located in East Asia, Laos (ˈlɑːoʊs or /ˈlaʊs/ officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a Landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma Vietnam (ˌviːɛtˈnɑːm Việt Nam) officially The Republic of Cuba (ˈkjuːbə or) consists of the island of Cuba (the largest and second-most populous island of the Greater Antilles) Isla de la

In 1985, Mikhail Gorbachev became leader of the Soviet Union and relaxed central control, in accordance with reform policies of glasnost (openness) and perestroika (restructuring). Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev ( Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachyov;; born 2 March 1931 in Privolnoye Stavropol Krai) is a Russian politician (Гла́сность)is literally defined as publicity and sometimes figuratively interpreted as "tipping a vase to let someone see into the vase but not the bottom of the vase" (Перестройка) is the Russian term (now used in English for the economic reforms introduced in June 1987 by the Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev The Soviet Union did not intervene as Poland, East Germany, Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria, Romania, and Hungary all abandoned Communist rule by 1990. Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland The German Democratic Republic ( GDR; Deutsche Demokratische Republik DDR; commonly known in English as East Germany) was a Socialist state Czechoslovakia may also refer to what is now the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The state of Bulgaria (България transliterated bg-Latn ''Balgaria'' The country preserves the traditions (in ethnic name language and alphabet of the First Bulgarian Romania ( dated: Rumania, Roumania Hungary (Magyarország 'mɔɟɔrorsaːg) officially in English the Republic of Hungary ( Magyar Köztársaság, literally Magyar (Hungarian Republic In 1991, the Soviet Union itself dissolved.

By the beginning of the 21st century, states controlled by Communist parties under a single-party system include the People's Republic of China, Cuba, Laos, North Korea, and Vietnam. Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES The Republic of Cuba (ˈkjuːbə or) consists of the island of Cuba (the largest and second-most populous island of the Greater Antilles) Isla de la Laos (ˈlɑːoʊs or /ˈlaʊs/ officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a Landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma North Korea is the commonly used short form name for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (or DPRK) a State located in East Asia, Vietnam (ˌviːɛtˈnɑːm Việt Nam) officially Communist parties, or their descendant parties, remain politically important in many countries. President Vladimir Voronin of Moldova is a member of the Party of Communists of the Republic of Moldova, and President Dimitris Christofias of Cyprus is a member of the Progressive Party of Working People, but the countries are not run under single-party rule. Vladimir Nicolae Voronin (Владимир Николаевич Воронин Vladimir Nikolaevich Voronin) (born May 25, 1941) is a Moldovan Moldova, officially the Republic of Moldova ( Republica Moldova) is a Landlocked country in Eastern Europe, located between Romania The Party of Communists of the Republic of Moldova ( Partidul Comuniştilor din Republica Moldova) is a Communist Political party in Moldova, Dimitris Christofias (Δημήτρης Χριστόφιας also "Demetris" is a left-wing Greek Cypriot politician and the current and sixth Cyprus (Κύπρος transliterated: Kýpros,; Kıbrıs officially the Republic of Cyprus (Κυπριακή Δημοκρατία Kypriakī́ Dīmokratía The Progressive Party of Working People ( Greek: Ανορθωτικό Κόμμα Εργαζόμενου Λαού Anorthotikó Kómma Ergazómenou Laoú, AKEL In South Africa, the Communist Party is a partner in the ANC-led government. The Republic of South Africa (also known by other official names) is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa South African Communist Party ( SACP) is a Political party in South Africa. In India, as of 2007, the national government relies on outside support from the communist parties and communists lead the governments of three states, with a combined population of more than 115 million. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. India is a union of states comprising twenty-eight states and seven union territories. In Nepal, communists hold a majority in the parliament. Nepal (नेपाल) is a Landlocked country in South Asia. The Nepalese Constituent Assembly is a body of 601 members formed as a result of an election that was held on April 10, 2008. ^[29]

The People's Republic of China has reassessed many aspects of the Maoist legacy; and the People's Republic of China, Laos, Vietnam, and, to a far lesser degree, Cuba have reduced state control of the economy in order to stimulate growth. The People's Republic of China runs Special Economic Zones dedicated to market-oriented enterprise, free from central government control. A Special Economic Zone ( SEZ) is a geographical region that has economic laws that are more liberal than a country's typical economic laws Several other communist states have also attempted to implement market-based reforms, including Vietnam. Officially, the leadership of the People's Republic of China refers to its policies as "Socialism with Chinese characteristics. This article is about the term itself and its relationships For its implementation and effects see Economy of the People's Republic of China and Chinese economic "

Theories within Marxism as to why communism in Eastern Europe was not achieved after socialist revolutions pointed to such elements as the pressure of external capitalist states, the relative backwardness of the societies in which the revolutions occurred, and the emergence of a bureaucratic stratum or class that arrested or diverted the transition press in its own interests. (Scott and Marshall, 2005) Marxist critics of the Soviet Union, most notably Trotsky, referred to the Soviet system, along with other Communist states, as "degenerated" or "deformed workers' states," arguing that the Soviet system fell far short of Marx's communist ideal and he claimed working class was politically dispossessed. In Trotskyist political theory the term degenerated workers' state has been used since the 1930s to describe the state of the Soviet Union after Stalin 's In Trotskyist political theory deformed workers' states are states where the Bourgeoisie has been overthrown through Social revolution, the industrial Working class is a term used in academic Sociology and in ordinary conversation to describe depending on context and speaker those employed in specific fields or types The ruling stratum of the Soviet Union was held to be a bureaucratic caste, but not a new ruling class, despite their political control. Castes are Hereditary systems of occupation, Endogamy, social culture, Social class, and Political power. They called for a political revolution in the USSR and defended the country against capitalist restoration. A political revolution, in the Trotskyist theory is an upheaval in which the government is replaced or the form of government altered but in which property relations are predominantly Others, like Tony Cliff, advocated the theory of state capitalism, which asserts that the bureaucratic elite acted as a surrogate capitalist class in the heavily centralized and repressive political apparatus. Tony Cliff ( May 20, 1917 – May 9, 2000) was a Trotskyist Revolutionary Activist. State capitalism, in its classic meaning is a private capitalist economy under State control Anarchists who adhere to Participatory economics claim that the Soviet Union became dominated by powerful intellectual elites who in a capitalist system coronate the proletariat’s labor on behalf of the bourgeoisie. Participatory economics, often abbreviated parecon, is a proposed Economic system that uses participatory decision making as an economic mechanism

Non-Marxists, in contrast, have often applied the term to any society ruled by a Communist Party and to any party aspiring to create a society similar to such existing nation-states. In the social sciences, societies ruled by Communist Parties are distinct for their single party control and their socialist economic bases. While anticommunists applied the concept of "totalitarianism" to these societies, many social scientists identified possibilities for independent political activity within them, and stressed their continued evolution up to the point of the dissolution of the Soviet Union and its allies in Eastern Europe during the late 1980s and early 1990s. Anti-communism refers to opposition to Communism. Historically the word "communism" has been used to refer to several types of communal social organization and Totalitarianism (or totalitarian rule) is a concept used to describe Political systems where a State regulates nearly every aspect of public and private ^[30][31]

Today, Marxist revolutionaries are conducting armed insurgencies in India, Philippines, Iran, Turkey, and Colombia. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches Colombia (kəˈlʌmbɪə officially the Republic of Colombia () is a country in northwestern South America.

Criticism of communism

Main article: Criticisms of communism

A diverse array of writers and political activists have published criticism of communism, such as:

• Soviet bloc dissidents Lech Wałęsa, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn and Václav Havel;
• Social theorists Hannah Arendt, Raymond Aron, Ralf Dahrendorf, Seymour Martin Lipset, and Karl Wittfogel;
• Economists Ludwig von Mises, Friedrich Hayek, and Milton Friedman;
• Historians and social scientists Robert Conquest, Stéphane Courtois, Richard Pipes, and R. J. Rummel;
• Anti-Stalinist leftists Ignazio Silone, George Orwell, Saul Alinsky, Richard Wright, Arthur Koestler, and Bernard-Henri Levy;
• Russian-born novelist and philosopher Ayn Rand
• Philosophers Leszek Kołakowski and Karl Popper. Criticisms of Communism can be divided in two broad categories Those concerning themselves with the practical aspects of 20th century Communist state and those concerning Aleksandr Isayevich Solzhenitsyn ( Алекса́ндр Иса́евич Солжени́цын) (December 11 1918 – August 3 2008 was a Russian Novelist Václav Havel, GCB, CC, ( (born October 5, 1936) is a Czech Playwright Writer and Politician Raymond-Claude-Ferdinand Aron ( March 14, 1905 &mdash October 17, 1983) was a French Philosopher, Sociologist and Ralf Gustav Dahrendorf Baron Dahrendorf, KBE (born May 1, 1929) is a German-British Sociologist, Philosopher, Political scientist Seymour Martin Lipset ( March 18, 1922 – December 31, 2006) was an American Political sociologist. Karl August Wittfogel ( 6 September 1896 &ndash 25 May 1988) was a German-American Historian and Sinologist Ludwig Heinrich Edler von Mises (ˈluːtvɪç fɔn ˈmiːzəs ( September 29, 1881 – October 10, 1973) was an Austrian Friedrich August von Hayek CH ( May 8, 1899 March 23, 1992) was an Austrian British Economist Milton Friedman (July 31 1912 November 16 2006 was an American Nobel Laureate Economist and Public intellectual. Dr George Robert Ackworth Conquest (born July 15 1917) British Historian, became a well known writer and researcher on the Soviet Union Stéphane Courtois (born November 25, 1947) is a French Historian. Richard Edgar Pipes (born July 11, 1923) is an American historian who specializes in Russian history, particularly with respect to the history of the Rudolph Joseph Rummel (born October 21, 1932) is Professor emeritus of Political science at the University of Hawaii. The term anti- Stalinist left refers to elements of the political left which have been critical of the policies of Joseph Stalin and of the Political Ignazio Silone ( May 1, 1900 - August 22, 1978) was the pseudonym of Secondo Tranquilli, an Italian author Eric Arthur Blair (25 June 1903 – 21 January 1950 who used the Pseudonym George Orwell, was an English writer Saul David Alinsky ( January 30, 1909, Chicago Illinois - June 12, 1972, Carmel Richard Wright may refer to Richard Wright (musician (1943–2008 also known as Rick Wright founding member of Pink Floyd Richard B Arthur Koestler CBE ( September 5, 1905, Budapest &ndash March 3, 1983, London) was a Bernard-Henri Lévy (born November 5, 1948 in Béni Saf, Algeria) is a French Public intellectual and journalist Ayn Rand (ˈaɪn ˈrænd &ndash March 6 1982 born Alisa Zinov'yevna Rosenbaum (Алиса Зиновьевна Розенбаум was a Russian born American Leszek Kołakowski (born 23 October, 1927 in Radom, Poland) is a distinguished Polish Philosopher and historian of Sir Karl Raimund Popper ( July 28 1902  &ndash September 17 1994) was an Austrian and British Philosopher and a professor

Part of this criticism is on the policies adopted by one-party states ruled by Communist parties (known as "Communist states"). Communist state is a term used by many Political scientists to describe a Form of government in which the State operates under a one-party system Critics are specially focused on their economic performance compared to market based economies. Their human rights records are thought to be responsible for the flight of refugees from communist states, and allegations of responsibility for famines, purges and warfare resulting in deaths far in excess of previous empires, capitalist or Axis regimes. The Black Book of Communism Crimes Terror Repression is a book which describes a history of Repressions both Political and Civilian, by

Some writers, such as Courtois, argue that the actions of Communist states were the inevitable (though sometimes unintentional) result of Marxist principles;^[32] thus, these authors present the events occurring in those countries, particularly under Stalin and Mao, as an argument against Marxism itself. Some critics were former Marxists, such as Wittfogel, who applied Marx's concept of "Oriental despotism" to Communist states such as the Soviet Union, and Silone, Wright, Koestler (among other writers) who contributed essays to the book The God that Failed (the title refers not to the Christian God but to Marxism). In Sociology, Oriental Despotism is a Polemical term used to describe a Despotic form of government that opposes the Western tradition. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 This article is about the 1949 book For the Metallica song see The God That Failed (song; The title was also used for the 2001 book Democracy The God

There have also been more direct criticisms of Marxism, such as criticisms of the labor theory of value or Marx's predictions. Various aspects of Marxist theory have been criticized These criticisms concern both the theory itself and its later interpretations and implementations The labor theories of value (LTV are theories in Economics according to which the values of Commodities are related to the labor needed to Various aspects of Marxist theory have been criticized These criticisms concern both the theory itself and its later interpretations and implementations Nevertheless, Communist parties outside of the Warsaw Pact, such as the Communist parties in Western Europe, Asia, Latin America, and Africa, differed greatly. The Warsaw Pact (see Nomenclature) was an organization of Communist states in Central and Eastern Europe. Thus a criticism that is applicable to one such party is not necessarily applicable to another.

Some free market economists, principally those of the Austrian School, including Ludwig Von Mises, argue that communism and fascism share essential characteristics, and that the latter is a form of socialist dictatorship similar to that of the Soviet Union. Ludwig Heinrich Edler von Mises (ˈluːtvɪç fɔn ˈmiːzəs ( September 29, 1881 – October 10, 1973) was an Austrian Socialism refers to a broad set of economic theories of social organization advocating state or collective ownership and administration of the Means of production and distribution The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 ^[33]

Economic criticisms of communal and or government property are described under criticisms of socialism. Criticisms of Socialism range from disagreements over the efficiency of socialist economic and political models to condemnation of states described by themselves

Capitalization of "Communism"

The capitalized term "Communism" is often used to refer to the political and economic regimes under Communist parties that claimed to embody the dictatorship of the proletariat. Capitalization (or capitalisation &mdash see spelling differences) is writing a word with its first letter as a Majuscule (upper case letter Communist state is a term used by many Political scientists to describe a Form of government in which the State operates under a one-party system A Political party described as a communist party includes those that advocate the application of the social principles of Communism through a communist form of The proletariat (from Latin la ''proles'' "offspring" is a term used to identify a lower Social class; a member of such a class is proletarian ^[3]

See also

• Communism by country
• Communist state
• Anti-communism
• Criticisms of communism
• Post-Communism
• Communization
• The Communist Manifesto
• Ideology
• Economic ideology
• Dekulakization
• Human rights in the Soviet Union

Schools of communism

• Anarchist communism
• Council communism
• De Leonism
• Eurocommunism
• Left communism
• Luxemburgism
• Marxism
• Leninism
• Marxism-Leninism
• Maoism
• Religious communism
• Stalinism
• Titoism
• Trotskyism

Organizations and people

• Communist party
• List of Communist parties
• Karl Marx
• Friedrich Engels
• Vladimir Lenin
• Leon Trotsky
• Mao Zedong
• Rosa Luxembourg

References

Further reading

• Reason in Revolt: Marxism and Modern Science By Alan Woods and Ted Grant
• Forman, James D. , "Communism from Marx's Manifesto to 20th Century Reality", New York, Watts. 1972. ISBN 978-0-531-02571-0
• Books on Communism, Socialism and Trotskyism
• Furet, Francois, Furet, Deborah Kan (Translator), "The Passing of an Illusion: The Idea of Communism in the Twentieth Century", University of Chicago Press, 2000, ISBN 978-0-226-27341-9
• Daniels, Robert Vincent, "A Documentary History of Communism and the World: From Revolution to Collapse", University Press of New England, 1994, ISBN 978-0-87451-678-4
• Marx, Karl and Friedrich Engels, "Communist Manifesto", (Mass Market Paperback - REPRINT), Signet Classics, 1998, ISBN 978-0-451-52710-3
• Dirlik, Arif, "Origins of Chinese Communism", Oxford University Press, 1989, ISBN 978-0-19-505454-5
• Beer, Max, "The General History of Socialism and Social Struggles Volumes 1 & 2", New York, Russel and Russel, Inc. François Furet ( 27 March 1927 – 12 July 1997) was an influential French historian Friedrich Engels (28 November 1820 – 5 August 1895 was a German social scientist and philosopher, who 1957
• Adami, Stefano, 'Communism', in Encyclopedia of Italian Literary Studies, ed. Gaetana Marrone - P. Puppa, Routledge, New York- London, 2006

External links

• In Defense of Marxism
• http://www.broadleft.org/ - Comprehensive list of the leftist parties of the world
• Anarchy Archives Includes the works of anarchist communists.
• Libertarian Communist Library
• Marxists Internet Archive
• Marxist.net
• The Communist League
• The Mu Particle in "Communism", a short etymological essay by Wu Ming. Wu Ming (extended name Wu Ming Foundation is a Pseudonym for a group of Italian authors formed in 2000 from a subset of the Luther Blissett community
• Open Society Archives, the biggest history of communism and cold war archive in the world.
• Islam and Communism