In the recent past, most of the countries, especially in the USA, were facing the challenges of a capitalist society. The debate of how a society should approach the economy and its uses has been on since civilization began. To get rid of this society and challenges, Karl Marx gave birth to an ideology known as the Theory of Marxism, to promote communism in the country. The ideology was further known as Marxism.
Marxism
Marxism is a social, political, and economic philosophy that originates through Karl Marx‘s work (German philosopher of 19th century). Originally, it consists of three related ideas: a theory of history, philosophical anthropology, and an economic and political program. It mainly focuses on the struggle between capitalists and the working classes. It determines the effects of capitalism on labor, productivity, and economic development. Basically, the theory was to remove inequality among the capitalists and the workers.
Communism
Communism is a social, political, economic, and philosophical ideology whose basic goal is to establish a communist society. It emphasizes a classless society where all the wealth and property are owned communally, not privately. Moreover, it is a range of ideologies and includes several points of focus. It is a specific form of socialism. This system promotes equality among the individuals to live with equal wealth in society.
Socialism
Socialism is a social, political, and economic philosophy that is based on common/public ownership of the means of production. The goal of this theory is to develop a society with equality of wisdom and property. Thus, getting rid of a capitalist society. In this type of economy, the control of means of production lies with the government. Furthermore, it states that the means of making, moving, and promoting wealth should be owned and controlled by the workers, not by the groups of private owners.
Marxism vs. Communism vs. Socialism
Communism and Socialism are the two types of theoretical government that are born from Marxism. However, they vary slightly.
Marxism vs. Communism
A political ideology that is ground on Karl Marx’s ideas is known as Marxism. Also, it is the framework on which a state is developed. It is a way to view the world as a system of analysis. The philosophy of Marxism states the transformation of society into Socialism, and then to Communism. However, it is a theory. The birth of this concept does not depend on Communism.
On the other hand, a political system that has the basis of Marxist ideology is Communism. It is also a stateless society where every person is considered and treated with equality. It may be a form of government, a political movement, or a condition of society. Like Marxism, Communism also has a philosophy in the transformation of society. But, it believes in the transformation through the revolutions.
Difference between Marxism and Socialism
Marxism is a materialistic concept of history that believes to explain the development of society and make predictions about the social changes in the future. Further, it believes that the material world, nature, and society are the constantly moving elements. The concept of Marxism considers that the whole world is a unit, and all things are interconnected and interdependent. It provides a scientific detail or explanation of nature and society. Hence, it was a powerful instrument for revolutionary transformation.
Socialism is a broad system of ideas and a modern doctrine, which emerges with the development of industrial capitalism at the beginning of the nineteenth century. It emphasizes the organic unity of society and believes in the abolition and equality of private enterprises. There are certain values on which the society envisages by socialists: redistribution of wealth to promote equality, cooperative production to remove selfish competitors, and new patterns of work and education to promote the growth of individuals.
Communism vs. Socialism
Communism and socialism are mostly similar to each other. Communism is often a part of the economic and political ideologies of Karl Marx’s theory. On the other hand, socialism believes to get rid of capitalist society and further the establishment of a classless society. The objectives of both the concepts are same. The only difference lies in their ideologies.
Conclusion
Karl Marx believes to develop a society with no inequality between the capitalists and the workers. The main target of creating the theory of Marxism was to promote a classless society. Marxism is an ideology to create such a society, and communism is a system at a social and political level to get rid of capitalist society. Marxism is a school that is based on Marx’s ideology, which regarded socialism as a stage for communism.
There have been different ideologies across time that sets rules and ideals on how a society should function. However, it is on the onus of the people to derive from different ideologies and look for what suits society best.
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