At a glance
Communism seeks a society without social classes and private ownership of the means of production; traditions differ sharply over how to get there.
Core principles
- Common ownership of productive resources
- Class equality
- Critique of capitalism
- Collective control of economic life
Origins & development
Communist movements expanded from nineteenth-century socialist debates and later split over revolution, party organization and the experience of states claiming the label.
Economic outlook
Communism rejects capitalist ownership of productive assets. Proposed arrangements range from decentralized communal control to centrally planned state economies.
Society & government
Views on civil liberties, religion and democracy differ among communist schools and between stated goals and governments that claimed communist legitimacy.
Variations & related traditions
Marxism-Leninism, council communism, Eurocommunism and libertarian communism differ on the role of parties, states and elections.
Debates & criticisms
Debates include concentration of power in party states, economic coordination, and whether historical governments matched communist ideals.