FAQ - Revision history

Wisconcom: /* What is communism? */

2026-07-10T00:43:50Z

What is communism?

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	===What is communism?===		===What is communism?===
	<blockquote>		<blockquote>
	"Communism is for us not a state of affairs which is to be established, an ideal to which reality [will] have to adjust itself. We call communism the real movement which abolishes the present state of things. The conditions of this movement result from the premises now in existence."<ref>~~—Karl~~ Marx. The German Ideology</ref>		"Communism is for us not a state of affairs which is to be established, an ideal to which reality [will] have to adjust itself. We call communism the real movement which abolishes the present state of things. The conditions of this movement result from the premises now in existence."<ref>Karl Marx. The German Ideology</ref>
	</blockquote>		</blockquote>

	For Marx, communism is the movement to overthrow capital. Its politics are firmly rooted in the current conditions of capitalism. It is '''not''' a society schematic, nor is it an 'ideal to be achieved'.		For Marx, communism is the movement to overthrow capital. Its politics are firmly rooted in the current conditions of capitalism. It is '''not''' a society schematic, nor is it an 'ideal to be achieved'.

	===What is Marxism?===		===What is Marxism?===
	Marxism is a ''framework'', a science to be studied, rather than something you believe in. In other words, you ''do'' Marxism by analyzing things in the framework of dialectical and historical materialism. There is Marxist communism, which encompasses a set of political ideologies which base themselves off readings of Marxist theory.		Marxism is a ''framework'', a science to be studied, rather than something you believe in. In other words, you ''do'' Marxism by analyzing things in the framework of dialectical and historical materialism. There is Marxist communism, which encompasses a set of political ideologies which base themselves off readings of Marxist theory.

Wisconcom: /* Isn't communism relegated to history? */ Added section.

2026-04-29T00:48:16Z

Isn't communism relegated to history?: Added section.

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	===Isn't communism relegated to history?===		===Isn't communism relegated to history?===
			Not at all. As long as the struggle against fascism, exploitation, and injustice continues, communism is as relevant as ever for the international working class.

	== About Leftypedia ==		== About Leftypedia ==
	=== What is the Purpose of Leftypedia? ===		=== What is the Purpose of Leftypedia? ===

Wisconcom: /* Weren't all communist countries totalitarian/authoritarian? */ Started work on section.

2026-04-29T00:46:29Z

Weren't all communist countries totalitarian/authoritarian?: Started work on section.

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	===Weren't all communist countries totalitarian/authoritarian?===		===Weren't all communist countries totalitarian/authoritarian?===
			"Totalitarianism" and "authoritarianism" are politically loaded terms, and have been favored by anti-communist media and academic figures to compare communism with fascism, when in truth fascism is much more an extension of a liberal capitalist society. Many of the "freedoms" liberal countries offer are hallow and really only enjoyed by the wealthy. Things such as "freedom of the press" and "freedom of speech" are most able to be utilized by those who can afford a stake in corporate media — media which will prioritize the narrative of billionaires over the common individual.

			Socialism, on the contrary, has been able to make these freedoms truly "free."

	===Isn't communism relegated to history?===		===Isn't communism relegated to history?===

Wisconcom: /* Isn't communism a failed system? */

2026-04-29T00:41:17Z

Isn't communism a failed system?

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	What does "failed" mean in this context? Ultimately, the socialist states of the 20th century did not attain communism, but they did make significant socioeconomic advancements such as large-scale industrialization and the dissolution of all traces of backwardness and feudalism. In this sense, socialism succeeded in delivering benefit to the masses under it.		What does "failed" mean in this context? Ultimately, the socialist states of the 20th century did not attain communism, but they did make significant socioeconomic advancements such as large-scale industrialization and the dissolution of all traces of backwardness and feudalism. In this sense, socialism succeeded in delivering benefit to the masses under it.

			The reasons for the dissolution of the Eastern Bloc in the late 1980s and '90s are not as simple as "they were communist." Different leftist tendencies have differing reasoning for why this event happened, but many will agree it was not the fault of the socialist system itself, but a ''deviation'' from it.

	===Weren't all communist countries totalitarian/authoritarian?===		===Weren't all communist countries totalitarian/authoritarian?===

Wisconcom: /* Isn't communism a failed system? */ Added section.

2026-04-29T00:38:43Z

Isn't communism a failed system?: Added section.

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:38, 29 April 2026
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	===Isn't communism a failed system?===		===Isn't communism a failed system?===
			Many will point to the dissolution of the Soviet Union as proof communism "failed." This view, however, does not reflect the fact that these countries never attained communism, or the ''higher'' stage of socialism. Instead, these countries were in what Marxist–Leninists would describe as a transitional stage between capitalism and communism known as socialism.

			What does "failed" mean in this context? Ultimately, the socialist states of the 20th century did not attain communism, but they did make significant socioeconomic advancements such as large-scale industrialization and the dissolution of all traces of backwardness and feudalism. In this sense, socialism succeeded in delivering benefit to the masses under it.

	===Weren't all communist countries totalitarian/authoritarian?===		===Weren't all communist countries totalitarian/authoritarian?===

Wisconcom: /* What is Marxism? */ Added section.

2026-04-29T00:34:49Z

What is Marxism?: Added section.

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	For Marx, communism is the movement to overthrow capital. Its politics are firmly rooted in the current conditions of capitalism. It is '''not''' a society schematic, nor is it an 'ideal to be achieved'.		For Marx, communism is the movement to overthrow capital. Its politics are firmly rooted in the current conditions of capitalism. It is '''not''' a society schematic, nor is it an 'ideal to be achieved'.
	===What is Marxism?===		===What is Marxism?===
			Marxism is a ''framework'', a science to be studied, rather than something you believe in. In other words, you ''do'' Marxism by analyzing things in the framework of dialectical and historical materialism. There is Marxist communism, which encompasses a set of political ideologies which base themselves off readings of Marxist theory.

	===Isn't communism a failed system?===		===Isn't communism a failed system?===

Wisconcom: /* What politics is Leftypedia associated with? */ Removed reference to "tankieism".

2026-04-29T00:32:42Z

What politics is Leftypedia associated with?: Removed reference to "tankieism".

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	=== What politics is Leftypedia associated with? ===		=== What politics is Leftypedia associated with? ===

	Leftypedia is a wiki documenting various strands of leftism (such as Marxist communism, anarchism, and democratic socialism) and related theory. ~~It is generally critical~~ of ~~hard-line "tankieism"~~, ~~allowing contributions from its perspective as long as they hold up to a high standard~~.		Leftypedia is a wiki documenting various strands of leftism (such as Marxist communism, anarchism, and democratic socialism) and related theory. Our editors come from a diverse selection of tendencies, and we do not focus on having this project be an outlet for any one tendency in particular.

	==References==		==References==
	{{Reflist}}		{{Reflist}}
	[[Category:Rhetoric]]		[[Category:Rhetoric]]

Wisconcom at 00:30, 29 April 2026

2026-04-29T00:30:51Z

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	The following is an '''FAQ''' by the [[Leftypedia]] editor team on topics relevant to [[Marxism\|Marxist]] [[communism]].		The following is an '''FAQ''' by the [[Leftypedia]] editor team on topics relevant to [[Marxism\|Marxist]] [[communism]].
			==About communism==
	===What is communism?===		===What is communism?===
	<blockquote>		<blockquote>

Wisconcom: Imported sections.

2026-04-29T00:29:27Z

Imported sections.

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 ===Isn't communism relegated to history?===
 ==References==
 {{Reflist}}
 [[Category:Rhetoric]]

Wisconcom: Imported section.

2026-04-29T00:28:49Z

Imported section.

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:28, 29 April 2026
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	===What is communism?===		===What is communism?===
			<blockquote>
			"Communism is for us not a state of affairs which is to be established, an ideal to which reality [will] have to adjust itself. We call communism the real movement which abolishes the present state of things. The conditions of this movement result from the premises now in existence."<ref>—Karl Marx. The German Ideology</ref>
			</blockquote>

			For Marx, communism is the movement to overthrow capital. Its politics are firmly rooted in the current conditions of capitalism. It is '''not''' a society schematic, nor is it an 'ideal to be achieved'.
	===What is Marxism?===		===What is Marxism?===

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	===Isn't communism relegated to history?===		===Isn't communism relegated to history?===

			==References==
			{{Reflist}}
	[[Category:Rhetoric]]		[[Category:Rhetoric]]