What is Communism?
Before reading on, answer question #1 below.
1. Think back to our study of the Gilded Age. Think back to the free enterprise system and
our discussion of capitalism. What is capitalism? What aspects of capitalism have we
studied this year? What aspects of capitalism affect you today?
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We have studied that the suffix “ism” almost always means a belief in the root word that
precedes it. So, in a simple sense, communism is merely a belief in community. However, the
ideology of communism is a bit more complex than that.
The theory of communism dates back to 1848, when two German philosophers, Karl Marx and
Friedrich Engels, published The Manifesto of the Communist Party. Today this work is
commonly refereed to as The Communist Manifesto. This pamphlet describes the struggle
between the proletariat and the bourgeoisie. The proletariat means the wage earners, the
farmers and industrial workers in a capitalist society. Members of the proletariat have little
money and own almost no land – in fact, the only meaningful “possession” of the proletariat is
their labor-power – their ability to work. In contrast, the bourgeoisie are the middle and upper
class citizens who own most of society’s wealth and means of production, meaning land, raw
materials, factories, and businesses.
The Communist Manifesto criticized the capitalist system in which the proletariat labor, work,
and produce yet live in poverty while the bourgeoisie enjoy wealth without actually “working” or
“producing” anything. To understand communist ideas, think back to the novel Uprising and
compare the lives of Bella and Yetta to those of Jane and the owners of the factory.
Instead of a capitalist economic system, Marx and Engels advocated a turn to communism.
They explained communism as an economic system in which there is no profit-based economy
and no ownership of private property. In a communist society, everyone – the community –
shares ownership of the means of production and land. Under communism, there is no private
property and no private businesses or corporations. Communism also abolishes money and the
concept of social classes. Whatever you may think of such a system, imagine how the concept of
communism might appeal to the working classes of an industrial society.
The Communist Manifesto urged the proletariat to rebel against the bourgeoisie. Such a
revolution would overthrow the system of capitalism. The Communist Manifesto predicted an
eventual global revolution in which the workers of the world would join together in an uprising
against the upper classes. Imagine how threatening such a rebellion would be to the middle and
upper classes of society.
The final lines of The Manifesto of the Communist Party read:
Communists … openly declare that their ends can be attained only by the forcible
overthrow of all existing social conditions. Let the ruling classes tremble at a
Communistic revolution. The proletarians have nothing to lose but their chains. They
have a world to win. Working Men of All Countries Unite!
This language is commonly simplified and misquoted as “Workers of the World, Unite. You
have nothing to lose but your chains!”
2. In your own words, define the terms below and give an example to illustrate each. You may
use examples from history or from the present day.
• capitalism
• proletariat
• bourgeoisie
• means of production
3. In your own words, what is communism? How does communism compare to capitalism?
4. What type of people would be most likely to support the system of communism?
5. What type of people would be most likely to fear the system of communism?
6. Between communism and capitalism, which system do you prefer? Why? Explain your
reasons. Which system do you think your parents prefer? Why? Explain your reasons.
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The Second Russian Revolution (The October Revolution)
In February of 1917, a democratic government overthrew the Czar and took control of Russia.
This government, however, was short-lived. Just eight months later, a new government with a
new ideology staged a second revolution in Russia. The Bolsheviks were the group responsible
for this October Revolution.
The Bolsheviks were a revolutionary party, committed to the communist ideas of Karl Marx.
They believed that the working classes would, at some point, liberate themselves from the
economic and political control of the ruling classes. Once they had achieved this, a genuine
society based on equality could be established. In their view, this process was bound to take
place, sooner or later.
The Bolsheviks were formed and led by the Vladimir Ilyich Ulianov – known simply as Lenin.
In 1917, Lenin decided that the conditions in Russia were ripe for revolution. At this time,
Russia had been fighting in World War I for over three years. Russia had suffered over 8 million
casualties, including over 3 million deaths, without achieving any gains against Germany.
During the February Revolution, which overthrew the Czar, the Bolsheviks were still relatively
weak. Yet, as the year progressed the Bolsheviks gained popularity. Despite Russia’s democratic
government, the citizens were still fighting and dying in a war that seemed without end. Also,
Russia was experiencing an economic crisis and a food shortage. Yes, Russians had democracy,
but they were suffering, struggling, and starving.
The Bolsheviks slogan was “Peace! Bread! Land!” Lenin promised an end to war, an end to
famine, and power to the peasants. Armed with this battle cry, the Bolsheviks staged an uprising
against Russia’s democratic government. In short time, Russia became the world’s first
communist country. Within months, Russia signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk in which it
withdrew from WW I and gave up land to Germany. By 1922, however, Russia expanded and
changed its name to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics or U.S.S.R.
7. Why was Russia’s democratic government so unpopular with the people?
8. Why were the Bolsheviks so popular with the people?