What is communism?

Communism is a political system existing in the Soviet Union in 1917 – 1991 and in the eastern Europe since the end of  the 2^nd World War to approximately 1990.  At present the only communist countries are China (since 1945), Cuba (since 1962), North Korea and Vietnam.

Communism is a type of totalitarianism.  It has the following characteristics: a massive repression system run by a well established secret police forces, an official and far-reaching system for denunciatory activities, single party rule, censorship, imposition of an official (“the only correct”) state ideology and appearance of newspeak.

Communism didn’t lead to improve any aspect of life of it’s citizens. Because of it the ideology (Marxism – Leninism) was the only legitimization of  communism. The ideology was described as science theory and called scientific communism. The origin of communism was shown as unavoidable historical process. Scientific communism was proving, that communism is final stadium of society’s development. Note, that communist ideology was only camouflage that helped introducing terror and controlling people. The ideology of equality and justice increased many people living in democratic countries accepted and supported communism.

Communists referred to previous workers’ movements and Marx’s and Engels’s philosophy. Thus we can speak of other meaning of word “communism”. However those meanings (listed below) are closely connected with communist propaganda.

1. Communism as a social movement.

In 1947 year Carl Marx founded Communist Union. However the first “real” communist party – Bolshevik Party (the one that ruled in Soviet Russia) originated few dozens of years later. Bolshevik Party was the most important of all communist parties, the head of the third International. 

2. Communism as ideology.

Communist ideology had it’s basis in Marxism – Leninism. The ideology postulated equality, abolition of rulers and government, abandon of private property, justice. The communist society was believed to originate on a way of revolution. The revolution was believed to lead to transition stage between communist and capitalist country, the stage of proletariat rule called dictatorship of the proletariat.

3. Communism as a form of organization of society (in Marxist theory)

At the time, when society ruled by proletariat would be enough rich, at the time when capitalist class would no longer exist, society was believed to transform in communist one – egalitarian and justify. In that society would exist an order build on basis of intellect. According to Marxists communist society is the supreme, classless organization of society, following unavoidable breakdown of capitalist system.

At the same time communism rejects conception of freedom, law and democracy, existing in countries having democracy as a political system, proving their class origins.

Made by Ania Zaremba, Vincent Yau and Kevin Jones