Defining Communism and Socialism. To better understand the slippery distinctions between communism and socialism, let's trace the history of both terms. Communism. Communism traces its roots to "The Communist Manifesto," an 1848 pamphlet by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. read more
Communism and socialism are economic and political structures that promote equality and seek to eliminate social classes. The two are interchangeable in some ways, but different in others. In a communist society, the working class owns everything, and everyone works toward the same communal goal. read more