In a perfect world, everyone would have food and shelter, and a true utopian society

would be devoid of sexism, racism and other forms of oppression. But for most of the
world's population, this perfect society just isn't possible. Communism is one proposed
solution to these problems.

Most people know what communism is at its most basic level. Simply put, communism is
the idea that everyone in a given society receives equal shares of the benefits derived
from labor. Communism is designed to allow the poor to rise up and attain financial and
social status equal to that of the middle-class landowners. In order for everyone to
achieve equality, wealth is redistributed so that the members of the upper class are
brought down to the same financial and social level as the middle class. Communism also
requires that all means of production be controlled by the state. In other words, no one
can own his or her own business or produce his or her own goods because the state owns
everything.

According to the philosopher Frederick Engels' "Principles of Communism," the

plan for ultimate financial and social equality is built on the principle that the
system should spread around the world until all countries are on board [source:
Engels]. This central goal has caused capitalist nations to keep their guards up,
fearing that communist economic practices might spread to their countries.

Communism is an ideological and a social political movement. Its aim is to set up a better
version of society. One that will have everyone own everything but controlled by the
government. This society would be based on the common ownership of the means of production
and would not rely on social classes, or money.[1][2]

The Communist Manifesto

According to communist writers and thinkers, the goal of communism is to create a stateless,
classless society. Communist thinkers believe this can happen if the people take away the
power of the bourgeoisie (the ruling class, who own the means of production) and establish
worker control of the means of production.
Communism is not anti-individualist. However, it does say that decisions should be good for the
population as a whole, instead of just being good for only some part of people in the country.
Since 1992, there have been five nations remaining governed officially by communist
ideologies. Four of these follow different forms of Marxism-Leninism - Vietnam, China, Cuba
and Laos. The fifth, North Korea, now officially follows Juche communism, but also called itself
Marxist-Leninist before 1991. Many other nations abandoned Marxism around that time since
it's failed execution resulted in corruption of ideals and led to authoritarianism, mass poverty
and violent civil conflict.
2. Communism, political and economic doctrine that aims to replace private property and a profit-
based economy with public ownership and communal control of at least the major means of
production (e.g., mines, mills, and factories) and the natural resources of a society. Communism
is thus a form of socialism—a higher and more advanced form, according to its advocates.
Exactly how communism differs from socialism has long been a matter of debate, but the
distinction rests largely on the communists’ adherence to the revolutionary socialism of Karl Marx.