Communism v Marxism

[Servia]

How to explain the difference between Communism and Marxism?

[RedWorker]

Marxism is:

(a) a method to study social phenomena
(b) the ideology associated with Marx and Engels

Communism is:

(a) the society built around the mode of production structured upon the common ownership of the means of production as envisioned in the schema of historical materialism
(b) the movement to establish this society
(c) the ideology of this movement

[Creative Destruction]

Marxism is a methodology for understanding history and capitalism; communism is a society that has transcended capitalism, where there is no class, no state and where production and distribution is based on need, rather than profit.

[CollectivRed]

Marxism:
A materialist worldview that focuses on social relations and class antagonisms arising from the property relations/economic structures of society. It also uses a dialectical view of social transformation and historical development. Its main features generally include the following: dialectical materialist philosophy, critique of political economy, and socialist/communist politics (though I don't think academic Marxists are very into revolutionary politics).

Communism:
This refers to the revolutionary movement of the working class (as seen by Marx and Engels), which aims for an end to the capitalist system and all exploitive social relations through proletarian revolution. Thus, its ultimate goal is the abolition of private property and the establishment of a global communist society (characterized by common property and social ownership of the means of production, absence of class, money, and the state). Communism is also supposed to mean the highest stage of socialist development, and socialist society being brought about through a transitional period. This transitional period is often called the "dictatorship of the proletariat," or a "workers' state." This means rule by the working class itself, controlling the state through direct and indirect methods, taking over the means of production, asserting its class rule, and working towards a socialist society (which really happens globally, though there are some communists who believe it is possibly to build socialism in a single nation, though I personally don't believe that is possible).

[Servia]

What's the difference between socialism and the dictatorship of the proletariat?

[Creative Destruction]

What's the difference between socialism and the dictatorship of the proletariat?

The dictatorship of the proletariat is the period of revolutionary transformation. The law of value -- the law that defines capitalism -- has not been fully dispensed with yet, but is in the process of doing so. It still has a class system (the proletariat are suppressing the bourgeoisie.) Once it has been done away with, then socialism takes its place.

Another way to think about it is this: socialism is a stateless, classless society where production is based on need. Dictatorship of the proletariat still has a class system (there is still antagonism between the proletariat and the bourgeoisie.) Once the law of value has been transcended, then that means capitalism is transcended, thus classes and the state have been transcended.

[Servia]

And then the difference between communism and socialism is?
Also, what about people who call themselves Marxists, what do they mean by that?

Thanks

[RedWorker]

Historical materialist derivation from real life conditions resulted in the conclusion that capitalism creates the preconditions for the following: Dictatorship of the proletariat -> Lower stage communism -> Upper stage communism.

Avoid the word 'socialism'. Lenin used it to mean lower stage communism, Stalinists used it to mean their stupid state capitalist system, and certain communists claim that 'socialism' is synonymous to 'communism'; this is only a small sample of the broad set of meanings.

[Creative Destruction]

And then the difference between communism and socialism is?
Also, what about people who call themselves Marxists, what do they mean by that?

Thanks

I'm one of the communists that RedWorker refers to who uses it synonymous, but it follows the same argument that Marx & Engels use themselves. They do not make any distinctions between socialism and communism. I do not think we should be avoiding that usage.

People who use Marx's methodology, or some revision based on that methodology, call themselves Marxists.

[Chomskyan]

Marxism is a philosophical analysis of society, politics, economy, etc. Communism is a political ideology generally a synonym for Leninism, although it also applies to Left Communism and Anarchist Communism. Communism is also a classless, stateless and moneyless society envisioned by Karl Marx & co.

[RedWorker]

I'm one of the communists that RedWorker refers to who uses it synonymous, but it follows the same argument that Marx & Engels use themselves. They do not make any distinctions between socialism and communism. I do not think we should be avoiding that usage.

With 'socialism', Marx & Engels referred to movements, to ideologies. e.g. scientific socialism, utopian socialism, bourgeois socialism. They never used it to refer to a mode of production or form of organization of society.

[Servia]

This may sound like a silly question but could you call yourself a Marxist but not a communist?

[Comrade #138672]

Marxism can be thought of as a specific form of scientific socialism, a mode of analyzing society in a way that contributes to scientific socialism. Communism is a classless stateless society, that is able to satisfy everyone's needs.


This may sound like a silly question but could you call yourself a Marxist but not a communist?Not really. It makes no sense to accept the science that stresses the need for socialism, while at the same time dismissing it.

(Socialism and communism are used interchangeably here.)

[Chomskyan]

This may sound like a silly question but could you call yourself a Marxist but not a communist?

Since Marxism is a philosophical outlook, it's certainly possible.