What is Communism?

Modern communism was first proposed by German philosophers Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels in “The Communist Manifesto”. They envisioned the working class, the proletariat, overthrowing wealthy employers and restructuring society.

A core principle of communism is the concept of a classless society. Communist governments actively sought to eliminate class distinctions, resulting in bland clothing, similar cars, and regulated salaries to ensure approximate equal earnings for all.

In a true communist nation, there is no private ownership of property. All property and businesses are owned by the national government, meaning all workers are employed by the state, which controls all means of production and distribution.

Marx and Engels' ideas gained popularity in the late 19th century. In 1917, Bolsheviks in Russia initiated a revolution, leading to the creation of the Soviet Union. After World War II, many Eastern European nations and later Asian nations like China and North Korea also adopted communism. During the Cold War, a quarter of the world's population lived under communist rule.