Glossary

Communism

A system, or the ideology behind it, aiming for a classless society with common ownership of property, historically led by one-party states.

Also called: communist, Marxism-Leninism

Communism is an ideology that calls for the abolition of private ownership of the means of production and the creation of a classless, stateless society in which goods are held in common. In practice, the word describes the one-party governments that ruled the Soviet Union, China, Cuba and other states under Marxist-Leninist doctrine.

Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels set out the theory in The Communist Manifesto (1848), predicting that workers would overthrow capitalism. Vladimir Lenin added the idea of a vanguard party leading a revolution, and communist parties took power in Russia in 1917 and elsewhere after World War II. These states practiced central planning and suppression of political opposition. Estimates of deaths from famine, purges and repression under communist regimes run into the tens of millions.

The Cold War shaped American politics, and anti-communism was a unifying force for the modern conservative movement. Defenders of the ideal argue that the regimes betrayed it; most scholars treat the states as the real test. Some conservatives use "communism" or "socialism" to describe policies they oppose, which critics say blurs distinctions. China still has a communist party-led state with a market-oriented economy. See socialism and marxism.

Last reviewed November 8, 2026

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Related terms

Socialism An economic and political system in which the means of production are owned or controlled collectively or by the state rather than privately. Marxism The body of social and economic theory derived from Karl Marx, centered on class conflict and the replacement of capitalism. Collectivism The view that the group, whether class, nation or community, takes priority over the individual in setting values and policies. Equality of outcome The idea that policy should aim to produce similar results, such as incomes or representation, across individuals or groups. Democratic socialism A form of socialism that pursues collective ownership or extensive public provision through elections and democratic institutions.