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Communism: Its Origins and World Impact Essay

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Communism, a Basic Human Perspective!

To this day people who were ruled by communist government still feel the pain and results from it. Communism can be seen as a theory and a system of both political and social organization that has had a great impact on the world through most of the twentieth century. Let us begin by defining what communism is, where it all began, who were some of the key people that played a major role in communism, and when it fell apart.

There are many different definitions of communism. Miskelly and Noce defined it as "A political, economic and social theory that promotes common ownership of property for the use of all citizens, all profits are to be equally distributed and prices on goods and services are …show more content…

It all began with Plato (369 to 421 BC), who introduced the concept of an ideal city in his republic. People would not be corrupted by money and power but would prevail in wisdom, reason and justice. At the time Plato brought about his ideal city, he was rejecting the foundation of Athenian democracy that existed in his day. (Melchert 151) Plato believed that there were only a few who were fit to rule but everyone is fit to govern. He also believed that there existed a parallel between the internal structures of the soul and the structure of the community. Plato believed that men and women differed in their capacities and abilities. He grouped them into three different classes. The first class was the laborers, carpenters, merchants and the farmers, who were sought to be the productive part of the community. The second class consisted of those who were adventurous, strong, and brave and in love with danger; Plato believed that they were suited to serve in the army and navy. In the third class it was those who were intelligent, rational, self-controlled, and in love with wisdom. This group was seen as those who were best fit to make the decisions for the community. (Melchert 151)

Although Plato was one of the first who brought about communism the ideal of no one owning any private property continued into the 18th century. It was Karl Marx and Friedrich Engel's that began the theoretical foundation for the communist revolutions of the 20th

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