(a) Define Communism (b) Outline four features of Communism

(a) Definition of Communism

Communism is a political and economic ideology, associated with Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, which advocates a classless society in which the means of production, distribution and exchange are collectively owned by the community or state rather than by private individuals, and in which goods are distributed according to need. It aims at the abolition of private property and the eventual withering away of the state.

(b) Four features of Communism

1. Common ownership of the means of production: Land, factories, and other productive resources are owned collectively by the state on behalf of the people, not by private individuals.
2. Classless society: Communism seeks to abolish social classes so that there are no exploiters and exploited, and all citizens are treated as equals.
3. Central economic planning: The economy is planned and controlled by the state, which decides what to produce, how much, and how it is distributed, replacing the free market.
4. Distribution according to need: The guiding principle is "from each according to his ability, to each according to his need," so that wealth is shared to meet the needs of all citizens.
5. Abolition of private property: Private ownership of productive property is abolished, and the profit motive is discouraged in favour of collective welfare.