Communism Definition: The Theory, the History and the Word

Communism definition in theory

The classic theory, set out in a pamphlet published in 1848 by two German thinkers, argued that history is shaped by struggle between social classes. In an industrial economy, they said, the struggle is between owners of capital and the workers who sell their labor.

The theory predicted that workers would take control of production, pass through a transitional stage often called socialism, and finally reach communism. Key features of that final stage were to be:

• No privately owned factories, land or other productive property.
• No social classes.
• No money-based markets for basic goods.
• Each person contributing according to ability and receiving according to need.
• The gradual "withering away" of the state.

Communist meaning: the person, the adjective, the capital C

A communist is someone who supports communism. As an adjective, communist describes ideas, governments or movements linked to it: a communist government, communist ideology.

Writers often use a capital C, Communist, for members or policies of an organized communist party, and a small c for the general idea. In casual speech, people sometimes use communist loosely as an insult for anyone on the left. Careful writing keeps the term for its actual meaning.

Communism in history

In the twentieth century, communist parties came to power in a number of countries, beginning with the revolution in Russia in 1917. The Soviet Union, formed in 1922, lasted until 1991. China has been governed by its communist party since 1949. Others included Cuba, Vietnam, North Korea and much of Eastern Europe after the Second World War.

These states usually had a single ruling party, central planning of the economy and state ownership of major industries. None reached the stateless, classless society of the theory; most described themselves as building socialism on the way there. Since the late twentieth century, some, such as China and Vietnam, have introduced large market sectors while keeping single-party rule.

Why people disagree about communism

Supporters of communist ideas point to goals such as ending poverty and exploitation, equal access to education and health care, and rapid industrialization and literacy gains in some countries. Many argue that the twentieth-century states betrayed the original theory.

Critics point to famines, political repression, labor camps, censorship and economic shortages under several communist governments, and argue these problems follow from concentrating economic and political power in one party. They also argue central planning cannot match markets for efficiency or innovation.

Historians and economists continue to study these records. A neutral approach is to separate three things: the theory, the policies of specific governments, and how the term serves as a label in current debate.

Communism, socialism and capitalism

In practice most economies today are mixed. See also oligarchy, tyranny and democracy for other words about who holds power.

Examples in sentences

• Our history unit covers the rise and fall of communism in Eastern Europe.
• Her grandparents lived under a communist government before moving abroad.
• The debate club argued whether communism could work in a small, voluntary community.
• The documentary explained how communist economies used five-year plans.

Origin of the word

Communism comes from French communisme, used around 1840, from commun, common, and ultimately Latin communis. English recorded communism in 1843 and communist slightly earlier, in 1841. Early uses described plans for communities sharing property. For further political vocabulary, see our hub of civic and political words.