Communism is an economic theory and totalitarian ideology and model of government that advocates abolition of class and private property, to be replaced with collective ownership of capital. It was developed by Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels, Vladimir Lenin, and several other variants. It is associated with the political left and opposed to capitalism.

Communist states are one-party authoritarian states that use central planning as their economic policy. The most influential Communist state was the soviet-union. Current nominally Communist states (which adhere to the ideology to varying degrees) include cuba, the People's Republic of china, north-korea, and vietnam.

See also

• marxism, for questions about the political theory of Marx (as opposed to its implementation by Communist states)
• leninism
• totalitarianism
• socialism
• economics