Communism. The word that struck fear in the U.S. during the 1950s and 60s, with many believing we were going to be attacked by a communist country, or that we were being infiltrated by communists in Hollywood.
Communism is a social and economic system where all property is collectively owned by a “classless” society. It was started by two German philosophers, Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, when their book Communist Manifesto was published in 1848. Perhaps it was their way of protesting the strict class system at the time, where the upper classes owned most of the land and controlled most of the resources. Marx and Engels envisioned common ownership of all land and capital, and the production and distribution of goods would be based upon the principle “From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.”
By the 20th century, about one-third of the world’s population lived under communist regimes. These countries were ruled by a single party that tolerated no opposition. Rather than having common ownership, the state controlled all property and determined wages, prices, and production goals. Countries today with some form of a communist government include North Korea, Cuba, Russia, and China. Russia and China have allowed more capitalism in recent years, but are holding onto one-party rule and restrictions on freedom of speech and the press. All hail Putin.