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'''Communism''' is an economic system, social organization, and political movement advocating the absence of personal ownership and supporting a communal society. As a political movement, communism seeks to establish a classless society by prohibiting personal economic growth. It is frequently (incorrectly) equated with a [[socialist]] economy in which the public, whether the state or other group, owns everything and the wealth is divided fairly among the citizens. As an economic system, communism is possible under a variety of political systems including democracy, autocracy, and monarchy.

'''Communism''' is an economic system, social organization, and political movement. While it calls for the absence of personal ownership and claims to supporte a communal society in the abstract, the practical reality of communism is strikingly different.  

 

As a political movement, communism advocates the establishment of a classless society.

It officially prohibits personal economic growth, but allows a well-connected political elite to amass power and wealth (see [[Ruling class).  

 

It generally advocates a [[socialist]] economy in which the public, whether the state or other group, owns the [[means of production]] and in which the wealth of the nation is divided fairly among the citizens. Yet in communist countries party members (there is only one Party) have special stores in which ordinary people cannot shop, stores which are immune to the perennial shortages which the lower class must endure (see [[queuing]]).  

The term communism has taken on several meanings and is often used to describe Marxism, the doctrine developed by [[Karl Marx]], and the variations of Marxism, such as those developed by [[Vladimir Ilyich Lenin| Vladimir Lenin]], Joseph Stalin, and Mao Zedong. Marxism advocates the overthrow of capitalism by a revolution of the proletariat, the social group which does not control the means of production. The goal of Marxism is to create a society that is completely classless, including economic and political classes, which would result in an anarchist society. The difference between Marxism and communist-anarchism is the Marxist belief that a dictatorship of the proletariat is needed before transitioning to true communism. A socialist state would be created which would supervise the economy and unions to ensure the proletariat have the ability to sustain communism. True communism follows the dismantling of the socialist state.

The term communism has taken on several meanings and is often used to describe Marxism, the doctrine developed by [[Karl Marx]], and the variations of Marxism, such as those developed by [[Vladimir Ilyich Lenin| Vladimir Lenin]], Joseph Stalin, and Mao Zedong. Marxism advocates the overthrow of capitalism by a revolution of the proletariat, the social group which does not control the means of production. The goal of Marxism is to create a society that is completely classless, including economic and political classes, which would result in an anarchist society. The difference between Marxism and communist-anarchism is the Marxist belief that a dictatorship of the proletariat is needed before transitioning to true communism. A socialist state would be created which would supervise the economy and unions to ensure the proletariat have the ability to sustain communism. True communism follows the dismantling of the socialist state.