World communism
Encyclopedia
World communism, also known as international communism or global communism, is the terminal stage of development of the (future) history of communism in Marxist theory. It has also usually been equated to the Comintern
(Communist International). This is the meaning that typically and historically has been meant by opponents of communism
. World communism is closely related and connected to stateless communism
.
Marxist theory may treat world communism as utopian, but it is the transition to world communism that attracts attention. World communism is to be achieved by world revolution
, according to a theory that was popular in the period 1917 to around 1933 (at least). World communism is incompatible with the existence of nation-states, so according to an older theory there will be an abolition of the state preceding world communism.
Abolition of the state is not incompatible with world revolution, but is not in itself a distinctively Marxist doctrine. It was held by various socialist and anarchist thinkers of the nineteenth century. An apparent alternative is a theory going back to Karl Marx
, speaking of the “withering away of the state”.
The crux here is a text of Friedrich Engels
, from his Anti-Dühring
. It is often cited as "The state is not 'abolished,' it withers away.” This is from the pioneer work of historical materialism
, a formulation of Marx’s idea of a materialist conception of history. The withering away of the state is a graphic formulation, that has passed into cliché. The translation (Engels was writing in German) is also given as: “The state is not "abolished". It dies out.” Reference to the whole passage shows that this happens only after the proletariat has seized the means of production. There has been a revolution.
The schematic is therefore revolution, transitional period, utopian period.
For Lenin the transitional period, which for Engels was reduced to a single act, has become extended and “obviously lengthy”.. In the same place he argues strongly that Marx’s conception of communist society is not utopian, but takes into account the heritage of what came before.
This gives, at least roughly, the position on world communism as the Comintern was set up in 1919: world revolution is necessary for the setting up of world communism, but not immediately or clearly sufficient.
Comintern
The Communist International, abbreviated as Comintern, also known as the Third International, was an international communist organization initiated in Moscow during March 1919...
(Communist International). This is the meaning that typically and historically has been meant by opponents of communism
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
. World communism is closely related and connected to stateless communism
Stateless communism
Stateless communism, also known as pure communism, is the post-capitalist stage of society which Karl Marx predicted would inevitably result from the development of the productive forces...
.
Marxist theory may treat world communism as utopian, but it is the transition to world communism that attracts attention. World communism is to be achieved by world revolution
World revolution
World revolution is the Marxist concept of overthrowing capitalism in all countries through the conscious revolutionary action of the organized working class...
, according to a theory that was popular in the period 1917 to around 1933 (at least). World communism is incompatible with the existence of nation-states, so according to an older theory there will be an abolition of the state preceding world communism.
Abolition of the state is not incompatible with world revolution, but is not in itself a distinctively Marxist doctrine. It was held by various socialist and anarchist thinkers of the nineteenth century. An apparent alternative is a theory going back to Karl Marx
Karl Marx
Karl Heinrich Marx was a German philosopher, economist, sociologist, historian, journalist, and revolutionary socialist. His ideas played a significant role in the development of social science and the socialist political movement...
, speaking of the “withering away of the state”.
The crux here is a text of Friedrich Engels
Friedrich Engels
Friedrich Engels was a German industrialist, social scientist, author, political theorist, philosopher, and father of Marxist theory, alongside Karl Marx. In 1845 he published The Condition of the Working Class in England, based on personal observations and research...
, from his Anti-Dühring
Anti-Dühring
Herrn Eugen Dührings Umwälzung der Wissenschaft, commonly known as Anti-Dühring, is a book written in German by Friedrich Engels, published in 1878. It had previously been serialised in a periodical. There were two further editions in German in the lifetime of Engels...
. It is often cited as "The state is not 'abolished,' it withers away.” This is from the pioneer work of historical materialism
Historical materialism
Historical materialism is a methodological approach to the study of society, economics, and history, first articulated by Karl Marx as "the materialist conception of history". Historical materialism looks for the causes of developments and changes in human society in the means by which humans...
, a formulation of Marx’s idea of a materialist conception of history. The withering away of the state is a graphic formulation, that has passed into cliché. The translation (Engels was writing in German) is also given as: “The state is not "abolished". It dies out.” Reference to the whole passage shows that this happens only after the proletariat has seized the means of production. There has been a revolution.
The schematic is therefore revolution, transitional period, utopian period.
For Lenin the transitional period, which for Engels was reduced to a single act, has become extended and “obviously lengthy”.. In the same place he argues strongly that Marx’s conception of communist society is not utopian, but takes into account the heritage of what came before.
This gives, at least roughly, the position on world communism as the Comintern was set up in 1919: world revolution is necessary for the setting up of world communism, but not immediately or clearly sufficient.
See also
- Proletarian internationalismProletarian internationalismProletarian internationalism, sometimes referred to as international socialism, is a Marxist social class concept based on the view that capitalism is now a global system, and therefore the working class must act as a global class if it is to defeat it...
- Workers of the world, unite!Workers of the world, unite!The political slogan Workers of the world, unite! is one of the most famous rallying cries of communism, found in The Communist Manifesto , by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels...
- World revolutionWorld revolutionWorld revolution is the Marxist concept of overthrowing capitalism in all countries through the conscious revolutionary action of the organized working class...