Sunday Emmanuel

@sundayemmanuel · 29 Oct 2021

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What is communism

Communism may be defined as an economic system and a system of government in which the means of production and distribution are controlled by the state (government). Communism is the highest stage of socialism. Individual ownership of property is completely abolished in a communist state. The state owns everything and the resources are distributed to the citizens according to their needs and ability. The theory and principles of communism enunciated by Karl Marx and Lenin are embodied in the book titled"communist manifestos". No country has attained the level of communism but countries like the Soviet Union, China, Poland, Cuba, etc who are practicing advanced socialism are aspiring to reach a communist stage.


Characteristics of communism

• Total ownership of means of production and distribution by the state
• Centrally planned economy
• Distribution of resources to citizens according to their needs and ability
• The use of force in achieving the communist goal
• The police and army are regarded as agents of the capitalist, thus, they must wither away also
• Compulsory confiscation of private properties without compensation
  
  
  
  Principles of communism
  The dictatorship of the Communist Party: only a one-party system is allowed. There would be the emergence of a single-party dictatorship. Opposition is not allowed
  
  
  Capitalism as exploitative: the foundation of communism is the belief that the concentration of property in private hands is exploitative.
  
  
  Redistribution of property: communism strongly believe that there must be an equitable redistribution of wealth in such a way that there will be no class in the society. All property in private hands will be acquired without compensation.
  
  Class struggle and revolution: communism is based on the class struggle within the society. There are two classes: the bourgeoisie-those who own the means of production and exploit the workers whom they employ to operate these means of production.
  And the proletariat-those who operate but do not own the means of production. Communism believes that revolution is the way out of social inequality and the only method of social transformation.