The Myth of True Communism: Why It’s Never Existed

 

It may come as a surprise, but in the history of the modern world, no country has ever been truly communist. While nations like China and North Korea have labeled themselves as communist, they do not fully meet the definition. So, what exactly is communism, and how does it relate to socialism?

At their core, both communism and socialism aim to reduce worker exploitation and eliminate economic class divisions. However, there are many variations of these ideologies, such as Stalinism, Leninism, Trotskyism, and Maoism—all rooted in Marxist thought but applied differently.

Karl Marx, the philosopher and economist who co-wrote The Communist Manifesto, argued that capitalism inherently exploits workers. He believed that those who own the means of production—whom he called the bourgeoisie—gain wealth at the expense of workers, or the proletariat. His vision for correcting this inequality involved transitioning society to socialism, where the state controls the means of production on behalf of the people. This system ensures that workers contribute to the economy as much as they can and share equally in its benefits. Many capitalist societies already implement socialist ideas in the form of public healthcare, schools, and emergency services funded by taxes.

According to Marx, socialism is merely a stepping stone to communism—a stateless, classless, and moneyless society where all property is collectively owned. Under true communism, there is no private ownership, and people work based on their abilities while receiving only what they need. However, no country has ever fully achieved this stage.

Despite being labeled as communist, countries such as the former Soviet Union, Venezuela, Vietnam, and North Korea have actually operated under socialist models, where the government exerts control over employment and the economy. Even the Soviet Union’s official name—the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR)—reflects this reality. The reason these countries never transition into true communism largely comes down to power and corruption. Leaders often refuse to relinquish control, preventing the society from evolving into a stateless, people-run system.

However, socialist principles have been successfully integrated into capitalist economies, as seen in countries like Sweden and Canada, where government oversight helps provide social welfare without stifling economic freedom. The greatest barrier to communism is not just economic structure but human nature—particularly the tendency of those in power to prioritize control over the collective good.

So, which countries have been labeled as communist, and do they live up to the name? Find out in the next video. Thanks for watching NowThis World! Don’t forget to like and subscribe for more content.