Communism
Explore communism — the revolutionary ideology that sought to abolish private property and class distinctions, implemented from Russia to China.
Communism, as a political movement, sought to realize Marx's vision of a classless, stateless society through revolutionary overthrow of the capitalist system. In practice, communist states were defined by one-party rule, central economic planning, state ownership of industry, and the suppression of political dissent — a reality that often diverged dramatically from the utopian ideals.
Lenin adapted Marxism to Russian conditions, arguing that a disciplined 'vanguard party' could lead the revolution on behalf of the working class. The Soviet model — one-party dictatorship, forced industrialization, collectivized agriculture — became the template for communist states worldwide. Stalin's brutal implementation killed millions but transformed the Soviet Union into an industrial and military superpower.
By the mid-20th century, communism had spread to China (1949), Eastern Europe (postwar Soviet occupation), Cuba (1959), Vietnam, and numerous developing nations. The Cold War between communist and capitalist blocs defined global politics for four decades. Communist regimes achieved rapid industrialization and universal education but at enormous human cost — political repression, forced labor, famines, and the suppression of individual freedom. The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 discredited the Soviet model, though communist parties continue to rule in China, Vietnam, Cuba, and elsewhere.