Communism vs. Marxist Leninism

Attribute	Communism	Marxist Leninism
Founder	Karl Marx	Vladimir Lenin
Goal	Classless society	Dictatorship of the proletariat
Role of the state	Withers away in the end	Dictatorship of the proletariat
Economic system	Communal ownership of the means of production	State-controlled economy
Internationalism	Global revolution	Socialism in one country

Definition and Origins

Communism is a political and economic ideology that advocates for a classless society where the means of production are owned collectively. It aims to create a society where wealth and resources are distributed equally among all members. The origins of communism can be traced back to the works of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels in the 19th century. Marxist Leninism, on the other hand, is a political theory that builds upon the ideas of Marx and Lenin, emphasizing the need for a vanguard party to lead the working class in the revolution. It was developed by Vladimir Lenin in the early 20th century as a way to implement communism in Russia.

Role of the State

In communism, the state is expected to wither away as the society transitions to a classless system. The ultimate goal is to have a stateless society where individuals govern themselves. Marxist Leninism, however, sees the state as a necessary tool to achieve communism. Lenin believed that a strong centralized state was needed to guide the working class in the revolution and to protect the gains of the proletariat from counter-revolutionary forces. This led to the establishment of a one-party state in countries that adopted Marxist Leninism as their guiding ideology.

Economic System

Both communism and Marxist Leninism advocate for a planned economy where the means of production are owned collectively. In a communist society, resources are distributed based on need rather than profit. This means that everyone has access to the basic necessities of life without the need for money. Marxist Leninism, on the other hand, emphasizes the role of the state in planning and directing the economy. The state controls the means of production and allocates resources according to the needs of the society as determined by the vanguard party.

Role of the Vanguard Party

One of the key differences between communism and Marxist Leninism is the role of the vanguard party. In communism, there is no need for a vanguard party as the working class is expected to lead the revolution and govern themselves. Marx believed that the proletariat would naturally rise up against the bourgeoisie and establish a classless society. In contrast, Marxist Leninism argues that a vanguard party composed of professional revolutionaries is necessary to guide the working class in the revolution. This party acts as the vanguard of the proletariat, leading the way towards communism.

Internationalism vs. Socialism in One Country

Communism is inherently internationalist, advocating for the overthrow of capitalism on a global scale. Marx believed that the working class had no country and that the revolution should be a worldwide phenomenon. In contrast, Marxist Leninism introduced the concept of "socialism in one country," arguing that it was possible for a single country to build socialism and communism on its own. This idea was put into practice in the Soviet Union under Stalin, who focused on building socialism within the borders of the USSR rather than spreading the revolution internationally.

Conclusion

In conclusion, communism and Marxist Leninism share many similarities in their goals of creating a classless society where resources are owned collectively. However, they differ in their approach to achieving this goal, particularly in the role of the state, the vanguard party, and the international spread of the revolution. While communism aims for a stateless society governed by the working class, Marxist Leninism sees the state as a necessary tool to guide the revolution and build socialism. Both ideologies have had a significant impact on the course of history, shaping the political landscape of the 20th century.