Communism is a political and economic ideology that positions itself in opposition to liberal democracy and capitalism, advocating instead for a classless system in which the means of production are owned communally and private property is nonexistent or severely curtailed.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Communism is an economic ideology that advocates for a classless society in which all property and wealth are communally-owned, instead of by individuals.
The communist ideology was developed by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels and is the opposite of a capitalist one, which relies on democracy and production of capital to form a society.
Prominent examples of communism were the Soviet Union and China. While the former collapsed in 1991, the latter has drastically revised its economic system to include elements of capitalism.
Understanding Communism
"Communism" is an umbrella term that encompasses a range of ideologies. The term's modern usage originated with Victor d'Hupay, an 18th-century French aristocrat who advocated living in "communes" in which all property would be shared, and "all may benefit from everybody's work." The idea was hardly new even at that time, however: the Book of Acts describes first-century Christian communities holding property in common according to a system known as koinonia, which inspired later religious groups such as the 17th-century English "Diggers" to reject private ownership.
