komunismus

Komunismus is a political and economic ideology that seeks communal ownership of the means of production and a classless society in which goods are distributed according to need. Originating in 19th-century socialist thought, it was articulated most prominently by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels as a critique of capitalism. They argued that capitalism produces exploitation and crises, and that a revolutionary transformation would replace private property with common ownership, leading through socialism to a final stage in which the state withers away and a stateless, moneyless society emerges. In many interpretations, the state is seen as a transitional instrument—the dictatorship of the proletariat—that would progressively fade as class distinctions disappear.

Several currents have developed within communism. Marxism-Leninism, Maoism and other variants adapted the core ideas to different historical contexts, emphasizing organized leadership, centralized planning, and party control as steps toward achieving socialist goals. In practice, many 20th-century states identified with a form of Marxism-Leninism, though the exact arrangements and outcomes varied widely.

Historically, communist ideas helped fuel revolutions and the formation of socialist states in the Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, China, Cuba, Vietnam and elsewhere. They influenced international politics, decolonization movements, and debates about development, sovereignty, and human rights. Critics point to economic inefficiencies, shortages, political repression, and the concentration of power in single-party systems, while supporters cite achievements in literacy, healthcare, industrialization and social welfare.

In the post–Cold War era, many former communist states reformed toward mixed economies, while some communist parties remain active in government in various countries, often within broader democratic frameworks.