Communism
SLMS/10
The Communist Manifesto
Marxism: The Theory
•Karl Marx co-authored The Communist Manifesto with Friedrich
Engels. Both men were German,
and Engels’ father owned a textile
factory where he observed the
abuses of industrialization first hand.
•The Communist Manifesto provided the basis of Marxism -- the philosophy behind
communism.
•Marxism is the philosophical basis of communism -- the theory, so to speak.
•Marx believed there were two classes of
people in industrial society -- the HAVES
and the HAVE-NOTS. The HAVES were the
bourgeoisie or owners, the ones who became rich off of other people’s labor. The
HAVE-NOTS were the proletariat or workers who did the labor but received little in
return.
•According to Marx, there
would be a world-wide revolution, and the bourgeoisie
will be overthrown. The
workers would seize control of all the factories and other means of production.
•Workers would own things “collectively”, or
together. There would be no private property & no private ownership. Private ownership created differences and jealousies.
•People would be “paid” according to their
needs — not their abilities. So the trash collector with 10 kids would be
paid more than the single doctor
because his needs were greater.
•Everyone would be of the same
class & would have the same money, so
crime & conflict would disappear. Marx believed crime was caused by the jealousy
and frustration that was created by private
ownership (some people owned things, and
some people didn’t). This also created class
conflict. True Marxism is classless.
•Government, along with the rest of society,
would be run by the people — the proletariat. The government would exist to meet the
needs of the proletariat, and not the needs
of business.
Communism: The Reality
•Communism is the political system that
was put in place in the name of Marxism. It
doesn’t really resemble the theory very
much at all.
•Communist societies were not
“classless”, but had an upper
class of the ruling elite, and
then the rest of everyone. Members of the
Communist Party who ran the government
became the upper class.
•Communist governments were usually
harsh & repressive and run by a dictator
with a small group of ruling elite.
•Economically
Economically,
Economically the government owned and
controlled of all of the Means of Production.
They set the prices of goods, and decided
the quantity of goods produced. There was
no competition. This is known as a
Command Economy, since the government commands all aspects of it.
•There are philosophical problems in
Marxism — namely the fact that it ignores
the human need for incentives. If people
were paid according to their need, what was
the incentive to spend 8-10 extra years in
school to become a doctor when you could
get the same money as a trash collector?
Global History
Communism
1. Who were Marx and Engels?
Name _____________________________________
8. According to Marx, what would be the social impact of these economic ideas?
2. What was their contribution to history?
9. What was Marx’s political vision?
3. What is Marxism?
10. What is communism?
4. According to Marx, how was society divided?
11. Compare Marxism and Communism.
Marxism
5. What did Marx predict would happen?
6. How did Marx envision ownership?
7. How did he believe salaries should be determined?
Communism
Society
Political
Economy
12. What are the philosophical problems
within Marxism?
Global History
Communism Key
Name _____________________________________
1. Who were Marx and Engels?
8. According to Marx, what would be the soKarl Marx co-authored The Communist Mani- cial impact of these economic ideas?
festo with Friedrich Engels.
Everyone would be of the same class &
would have the same money, so crime &
2. What was their contribution to history?
conflict would disappear. True Marxism is
The Communist Manifesto provided the basis classless.
of Marxism -- the philosophy behind commu9. What was Marx’s political vision?
nism.
Government, along with the rest of society,
3. What is Marxism?
would be run by the people — the proletariat.
Marxism is the philosophical basis of communism -- the theory, so to speak.
10. What is communism?
Communism is the political system that was
4. According to Marx, how was society diput in place in the name of Marxism. It doesvided?
n’t really resemble the theory much at all.
Marx believed there were two classes of people in industrial society -- the HAVES and
11. Compare Marxism and Communism.
the HAVE-NOTS. The HAVES were owners
Marxism
Communism
and the HAVE-NOTS were workers.
5. What did Marx predict would happen?
There would be a world-wide revolution, and
the bourgeoisie will be overthrown. The
workers would seize control of all the factories and other means of production.
6. How did Marx envision ownership?
Workers would own things “collectively”, or
together. There would be no private property
& no private ownership.
7. How did he believe salaries should be determined?
People would be “paid” according to their
needs — not their abilities. So the trash collector with 10 kids would be paid more than
the single doctor because his needs were
greater.
Classless, all are
equal.
Society
Upper class of the
ruling elite, and
then the rest of
everyone in the
lower class
Government run by Government was
the people
harsh & repressive,
usually a dictatorPolitical
ship
Economy
Everything owned
by all people, people
paid according to
their needs
Command economy
with government
controlling all
means of production
12. What are the philosophical problems
within Marxism?
The fact that it ignores the human need for
incentives.
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