The Basics of Socialism and Communism Essay -- Government History Soci

The Basics of Socialism and Communism The radical political essay, Communist Manifesto- written by the German revolutionary philosopher Karl Marx, addresses numerous sociological problems of the 1800’s. In it, Marx basically calls for a proletariat, or working class, revolt and the installation of communism. Communism, also known as â€Å"scientific socialism†, like the latter name points out, is derived from socialism. These two complicated theories both yield a government that as autonomous political system has the responsibility to govern its country with the people's best interest as the priority. The Communist Manifesto and these ideas, however, can be best understood with an explanation of socialism and communism. Socialism, which preceded communism, began in the late 1700’s and early 1800’s. Utopian socialists such as Charles Fourier, Robert Owen, and Charles Dana were some of the founders of socialist thought. These visionaries had notions that human society could be organized into ideal communities of all the different occupations, including capitalists in some cases. They thought these communities would be stable and self-sustaining.[i] In addition, socialism calls for â€Å"state ownership and control of the fundamental means of production and distribution of wealth, to be achieved by reconstruction of the existing capitalist or other political system of a country through peaceful, democratic, and parliamentary means.†[ii] It also promotes protecting public welfare with the national government. One of the significant differences between socialism and communism is that along with state corporation ownership, socialism allows and encourages smaller business es to be owned privately. The ultimate goal of... ...s well. Notes [i] Bruno Leone. Socialism: Opposing Viewpoints, (Minneapolis: Greenhaven Press, 1978), 6. [ii] Michael Harrington. Socialism: Past and Future. (New York: Arcade Publishing, 1989), 51. [iii] Leone, Socialism, 19. [iv] Bruno Leone. Communism: Opposing Viewpoints, (Minneapolis: Greenhaven Press, 1978), 2-3. [v] Karl Marx, â€Å"The Communist Manifesto,† The Avalon Project of Yale Law School, (11 March 2002). [vi] Marx, â€Å"The Communist Manifesto.† [vii] Leone, Socialism, 6. [viii] Andrew Linklater. Beyond Realism and Marxism. (New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1990), 113. [ix] Harrington, 39. [x] Leone, Communism, 63. [xi] Harrington, 230-234.