Communism is a theory that seeks to eliminate class differences and promote equality through the common ownership of resources. However, due to human nature and practical factors, it has not been successful in practice. In this article, we’ll analyze the pros and cons of communism and explain the difference between theory and reality with historical examples.
Communism is a political ideology and movement that focuses primarily on the idea of creating a society where property and resources are owned by a non-class society rather than by individuals and civil society. It essentially means that resources that are owned and managed by individuals in a capitalist system are owned by the state or community, creating a society where resources are shared equally among all people. Unlike capitalism, it prioritizes the interests of the society as a whole over the interests of individuals, thereby eliminating economic inequality and striving for ultimate equality. Communism sought to address the limitations of capitalism: a small number of capitalists monopolizing wealth and the majority of workers not receiving a fair price for their labor.
It is a practice that emphasizes common ownership of all resources within a country. In other words, communism envisions a society in which resources and wealth are shared by all without class distinction, and are distributed fairly according to each person’s ability and labor. In such a society, there would no longer be a class distinction between capitalists and workers, and everyone would be able to live equally. It’s a striving for ultimate equality, an attempt to create a world without class or ability differences.
However, contrary to the expectation that this theory would open up endless possibilities for human society and its development, it has not been successfully implemented in practice. While appealing as an idealized theory, human nature and complex social factors have caused communism to face many problems in the real world. In particular, individual creativity and motivation can be reduced in communist societies, and corruption and dictatorship are more likely to occur in a system where the state controls everything.
In this blog post, we’ll focus on Karl Marx and his theories that provided the foundation for communist thought. In 1848, Karl Marx and his colleague Friedrich Engels wrote the Communist Manifesto, which laid out the basic ideology of communism. The manifesto provided a theoretical framework for addressing the economic inequality and suffering of the working class that was growing at the time due to the Industrial Revolution. Karl Marx argued that capitalism was structured to inevitably exploit the working class, and emphasized the need for workers to revolutionize in order to gain their rights.
In 1917, after the October Revolution, the Bolsheviks seized state power, which led to the creation of the Soviet Union, led by Vladimir Lenin and Leon Trotsky. At this point, Marx’s theories were realized in real-world politics for the first time, but the result was far from the ideal society he wanted. The Soviet Union initially claimed to be a workers’ state, but in reality, it quickly degenerated into an autocratic and centralized system. This was especially true in the aftermath of World War I, when Russia was ranked as one of the poorest countries in the world, with the majority of people struggling to meet even basic survival needs.
One of the reasons why communist theory seeks to create an ideal society but is difficult to implement in practice is human nature. George Orwell’s “Animal Farm” satirizes this very well. In a communist society, all animals are supposed to be equal, but the irony is that over time, some animals become more equal than others. The work warns that concentration of power and corruption can also occur in communist systems, strongly suggesting the influence of human nature on social systems.
The advantages of communism are complete peace and unity within the country and the absence of class differences between people. In theory, everyone is treated the same, resources are shared equally, and social status or wealth does not define a person’s worth. In such a system, greed and exploitation are eliminated, and everyone is encouraged to contribute equitably according to their abilities. In addition, a society that prioritizes the good of the community over individual effort can reduce unnecessary competition and conflict.
However, communism also has its obvious downsides. Individual creativity and innovation can be stifled, and when everyone is rewarded equally, there is little incentive to work harder. There is also a risk of dictatorial rule in such a system, and this has often been the case throughout history. In particular, the Soviet Union, led by Stalin, created a strong centralized power structure, and many people suffered under forced labor and oppressive rule. This has led to criticism that communism can limit human nature and freedom.
In conclusion, communism is an ideal, but there are many challenges and difficulties with its feasibility. In theory, it aims for an equal and just society, but the complexities of human nature and social structures make it difficult to achieve in practice. Nevertheless, communism still holds an important place in history as an alternative way of thinking about the limitations of capitalism. If we can work more for each other and less for ourselves, communism has the potential to become a reality rather than an ideal.
