In this blog post, we take an in-depth look at whether communism is a realistic ideal of equality or a fantasy that ignores human nature.
Communism is a political ideology and movement that focuses on creating a society where property and resources are owned by a non-class society rather than by individuals or civil society. This fundamentally aims to create a society where resources owned and managed by individuals in a capitalist system are instead owned by the state or community, enabling everyone to share resources equally. Unlike capitalism, it prioritizes the interests of society as a whole over those of individuals, thereby eliminating economic inequality and pursuing ultimate equality. Communism sought to resolve the limitations of capitalism, namely the problem of a small number of capitalists monopolizing wealth and the majority of workers not receiving fair compensation for their labor.
This is a practice that emphasizes common ownership of all resources within a country. In other words, communism dreams of a society where everyone shares resources and wealth without class distinctions, and aims for a system where resources are distributed fairly according to each person’s abilities and labor. In such a society, there are no longer class distinctions between capitalists and workers, and an environment is created where everyone can live equally. This is an effort toward ultimate equality and an attempt to create a world without class or ability differences.
However, contrary to expectations that it would open up infinite possibilities for human society and its development, communism has not been successfully implemented in reality. Although it is an attractive theory in theory, communism has encountered various problems in the real world due to human nature and complex social factors. In particular, communism can lead to a decline in individual creativity and motivation, and a system in which the state controls everything can increase the likelihood of corruption and dictatorship.
This blog post will focus on Karl Marx, who provided the foundation for communist ideology, and his theories. In 1848, Karl Marx and his colleague Friedrich Engels wrote “The Communist Manifesto,” which outlined the basic ideology of communism. This declaration provided a theoretical framework for addressing the economic inequality and suffering of the working class that had expanded due to the Industrial Revolution. Karl Marx argued that capitalism inherently exploits the working class and insisted that workers must revolt to reclaim their rights.
In 1917, following the October Revolution, the Bolsheviks seized state power, leading to the establishment of the Soviet Union under the leadership of Vladimir Lenin and Leon Trotsky. At this point, Marx’s theories were realized in real politics for the first time, but the results were far from the ideal society he had envisioned.
The Soviet Union initially claimed to have established a workers’ state, but in reality, it quickly degenerated into a dictatorial and centralized system. This was particularly evident in the aftermath of World War I, when Russia was ranked among the poorest countries in the world, and the majority of the population struggled to survive. One of the reasons why communist theory, which pursues an ideal society, is difficult to apply in reality is human nature.
George Orwell’s “Animal Farm” satirically captures this well. In a communist society, all animals are supposed to be equal, but over time, some animals become more equal than others. This work warns that the concentration of power and corruption can occur even in a communist system, strongly suggesting the influence of human nature on social systems.
The advantages of communism are complete peace and unity within the country and the absence of class differences between people. In theory, everyone is treated equally, resources are distributed equally, and social status or wealth does not determine a person’s value. In such a system, greed and exploitation disappear, and an environment is created where everyone can contribute fairly according to their abilities.
In addition, a society that prioritizes the interests of the community over individual efforts can reduce unnecessary competition and conflict. However, communism also has obvious disadvantages. Individual creativity and innovation can be suppressed, and if everyone is given equal rewards, there is a high possibility that the motivation to work hard will disappear. In such a system, there is a risk of dictatorial rule, and historically, this tendency has often been seen.
In particular, under Stalin’s leadership, the Soviet Union developed a powerful centralized power structure, and many people suffered under forced labor and oppressive rule. This led to criticism that communism can restrict human nature and freedom.
In conclusion, communism is ideal, but there are many challenges and difficulties in its implementation. While it theoretically aims for an equal and just society, the complexity of human nature and social structures makes it difficult to achieve this goal in practice. Nevertheless, communism continues to hold an important historical position as an alternative way of thinking about the limitations of capitalism. If we can strive more for one another rather than for ourselves, communism may one day become a reality rather than an ideal.
