Communism vs Socialism

In a way, communism is an extreme form of socialism. Many countries have dominant socialist political parties but very few are truly communist. In fact, most countries - including staunch capitalist bastions like the U.S. and U.K. - have government programs that borrow from socialist principles. "Socialism" is sometimes used interchangeably with "communism" but the two philosophies have some stark differences. Most notably, while communism is a political system, socialism is primarily an economic system that can exist in various forms under a wide range of political systems.

Comparison chart Communism Socialism

Philosophy:

From each according to his ability,

to each according to his needs.

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consumption is made possible by

advances in technology that allow

for super-abundance.

From each according to his ability, to

each according to his contribution.

Emphasis on profit being distributed

among the society or workforce in

addition to receiving a wage.

Ideas:

Human societies have always been

divided into warring classes. The

Industrial Revolution has enriched

the wealthy and impoverished the

poor. The workers must overthrow

the bourgeois.

All people should be given an equal

opportunity to succeed. Workers

should have most say in their factory's

management. The free market suffers

from problems like tragedy of the

commons. Government regulation is

necessary.

Economic

System:

Wealth redistributed so that

everyone in society is given equal

shares of the benefits derived from

labor. All means of production are

controlled by the state.

Wealth redistributed so that everyone

in society is given somewhat equal

shares of the benefits derived from

labor, but people can earn more if they

work harder. Means of production are

controlled by the workers themselves.

Economic

Coordination:

Government controls all business,

as well as business decisions.

Planned-Socialism relies principally

on planning to determine investment

and production decisions. Planning

may be centralized or decentralized.

Market-socialism relies on markets for

allocating capital to different socially-

owned enterprises.

Definition:

A theory or system of social

organization based on the holding

of all property in common, with

actual ownership ascribed to the

community or state.

A theory or system of social

organization based on the holding of

most property in common, with actual

ownership ascribed to the workers.

Communism Socialism

Political

Movements:

Leninism, Trotskyism, Marxism-

Leninism, Maoism, Left-

Communism.

Democratic Socialism, Communism,

Libertarian Socialism, Anarchism,

Syndicalism.

Key elements: An enhanced form of the principle

of "Production for use".

Economic activity and production

especially are adjusted to meet human

needs and economic demands.

"Production for use": useful goods and

services are produced specifically for

their usefulness.

Political

System:

No leader, directed directly by the

people. This has never been

actually practiced, and has just

used a one-party system.

Multiple parties, but the ruling party

usually goes by the name "Socialist".

Social

Structure:

All class distinctions are

eliminated. Class distinctions are diminished.

Religion: Abolished. Freedom of religion

Key

Proponents:

Karl Marx, Fredrich Engels,

Vladimir Lenin, Leon Trotsky.

Robert Owen, Pierre Leroux, Karl

Marx, Fredrick Engels, John Stuart

Mill, Albert Einstein, George Bernard

Shaw, Leo Tolstoy, Emma Goldman.

Free Choice:

In real communism, where a leader

does not exist, everything is

chosen freely.In those that have

been practiced though, all choices,

including education, religion,

employment and marriage, are

controlled by the state.

All choices, including education,

religion, employment and marriage,

are up to the individual. All health care

and education is provided free to

everybody.

Ownership

structure:

The means of production are

commonly-owned, meaning no

entity or individual owns

productive property. Importance is

ascribed to "usership" over

"ownership".

The means of production are socially-

owned with the surplus value produced

accruing to either all of society (in

Public-ownership models) or to all the

employee-members of the enterprise

(in Cooperative-ownership models).

Way of Change:

Government in a Communist-state

is the agent of change rather than

any market or desire on the part of

consumers. Change by government

can be swift or slow, depending on

change in ideology or even whim.

Workers in a Socialist-state are the

agent of change rather than any market

or desire on the part of consumers.

Change by the workers can be swift or

slow, depending on change in ideology

or even whim.

Private

Property: Abolished.

Two kinds of property, private

property, such as land, houses,

clothing, etc. owned by the individual.

Public property, factories, and means

of production owned by the state but

with worker control.

Communism Socialism

Discrimination: In theory, all members of the state

are considered equal.

The people are considered equal, laws

are made when necessary to protect

people from discrimination.

Means of

control:

Proletariat engages in violent

rebellion.

Proletariat engages in taking charge of

the factories and means of production.

Variations: Include Marxism, Leninism,

Stalinism and Maoism.

Libertarian-socialism, and anarcho-

socialism, anarcho-syndicalism.

Economic differences between socialists and communists

In a Socialist economy, the means of producing and distributing goods is owned collectively or by a centralized government that often plans and controls the economy. On the other hand, in a communist society, there is no centralized government - there is a collective ownership of property and the organization of labor for the common advantage of all members.

For a Capitalist society to transition, the first step is Socialism. From a capitalist system, it is easier to achieve the Socialist ideal where production is distributed according to people's deeds (quantity and quality of work done). For Communism (to distribute production according to needs), it is necessary to first have production so high that there is enough for everyone's needs. In an ideal Communist society, people work not because they have to but because they want to and out of a sense of responsibility.

Political differences

Socialism rejects a class-based society. But socialists believe that it is possible to make the transition from capitalism to socialism without a basic change in the character of the state. They hold this view because they do not think of the capitalist state as essentially an institution for the dictatorship of the capitalist class, but rather as a perfectly good piece of machinery which can be used in the interest of whichever class gets command of it. No need, then, for the working class in power to smash the old capitalist state apparatus and set up its own—the march to socialism can be made step by step within the framework of the democratic forms of the capitalist state. Socialism is primarily an economic system so it exists in varying degrees and forms in a wide variety of political systems.

On the other hand, communists believe that as soon as the working class and its allies are in a position to do so they must make a basic change in the character of the state; they must replace capitalist dictatorship over the working class with workers’ dictatorship over the capitalist class as the first step in the process by which the existence of capitalists as a class (but not as individuals) is ended and a classless society is eventually ushered in.

What is the difference between socialism and

communism? Socialism and communism are alike in that both are systems of production for use based on

public ownership of the means of production and centralized planning. Socialism grows

directly out of capitalism; it is the first form of the new society. Communism is a further

development or "higher stage" of socialism.

From each according to his ability, to each according to his deeds (socialism). From each

according to his ability, to each according to his needs (communism).

The socialist principle of distribution according to deeds— that is, for quality and quantity of

work performed, is immediately possible and practical. On the other hand, the communist

principle of distribution according to needs is not immediately possible and practical—it is an

ultimate goal.

Obviously, before it can be achieved, production must reach undreamed of heights—to satisfy

everyone’s needs there must be the greatest of plenty of everything. In addition, there must

have developed a change in the attitude of people toward work—instead of working because

they have to, people will work because they want to, both out of a sense of responsibility to

society and because work satisfies a felt need in their own lives.

Socialism is the first step in the process of developing the productive forces to achieve

abundance and changing the mental and spiritual outlook of the people. It is the necessary

transition stage from capitalism to communism.

It must not be assumed, from the distinction between socialism and communism, that the

political parties all over the world which call themselves Socialist advocate socialism, while

those which call themselves Communist advocate communism. That is not the case. Since the

immediate successor to capitalism can only be socialism, the Communist parties,-like the

Socialist parties, have as their goal the establishment of socialism.

Are there, then, no differences between the Socialist and Communist parties? Yes, there are.

The Communists believe that as soon as the working class and its allies are in a position to do

so they must make a basic change in the character of the state; they must replace capitalist

dictatorship over the working class with workers’ dictatorship over the capitalist class as the

first step in the process by which the existence of capitalists as a class (but not as individuals)

is ended and a classless society is eventually ushered in. Socialism cannot be built merely by

taking over and using the old capitalist machinery of government; the workers must destroy

the old and set up their own new state apparatus. The workers’ state must give the old ruling

class no opportunity to organize a counter-revolution; it must use its armed strength to crush

capitalist resistance when it arises.

The Socialists, on the other hand, believe that it is possible to make the transition from

capitalism to socialism without a basic change in the character of the state. They hold this

view because they do not think of the capitalist state as essentially an institution for the

dictatorship of the capitalist class, but rather as a perfectly good piece of machinery which

can be used in the interest of whichever class gets command of it. No need, then, for the

working class in power to smash the old capitalist state apparatus and set up its own—the

march to socialism can be made step by step within the framework of the democratic forms

of the capitalist state.

The attitude of both parties toward the Soviet Union grows directly out of their approach to

this problem. Generally speaking, Communist parties praise the Soviet Union; Socialist parties

denounce it in varying degrees. For the Communists, the Soviet Union merits the applause of

all true believers in socialism because it has transformed the socialist dream into a reality; for

the Socialists, the Soviet Union deserves only condemnation because it has not built socialism

at all—at least not the socialism they dreamed of.

Instead of wanting to take away people’s private property, socialists want more people to

have more private property than ever before.

There are two kinds of private property. There is property which is personal in nature,

consumer’s goods, used for private enjoyment. Then there is the kind of private property

which is not personal in nature, property in the means of production. This kind of property is

not used for private enjoyment, but to produce the consumer’s goods which are.

Socialism does not mean taking away the first kind of private property, e.g. your suit of

clothes; it does mean taking away the second kind of private property, e.g. your factory for

making suits of clothes. It means taking away private property in the means of production

from the few so that there will be much more private property in the means of consumption

for the many. That part of the wealth which is produced by workers and taken from them in

the form of profits would be theirs, under socialism, to buy more private property, more suits

of clothes, more furniture, more food, more tickets to the movies.

More private property for use and enjoyment. No private property for oppression and

exploitation. That’s socialism.

Huberman and Sweezy, "Introduction to Socialism," Monthly Review