Definitions for communist and Marxist terms.

I was involved in a communist party before they kicked me out be being a “reformist”. I still have friends who are communists, and we agree on some things but disagree on others. I have noticed a massive amount of people talking about communism and Marxism who don’t know what the terms they are using mean . I want to provide the definition of a few of these terms.

Means of production: the means by which goods are produced. Ex: Factories, farms, mines.

Commanding heights of the economy: Industries the facilitate control over the economy, or are necessary to national defence. Ex: Finance sector, Railways and transportation infrastructure, Defence sector, key natural resources.

Socialism: A society under which the means of production are controlled by the workers, and the commanding heights are controlled by the state.

The state: A monopoly on violence which exists to protect the interests of an economic class.

Bourgeoisie: *The Owners Of The Means Of Production Under Capitalism*. Not just “rich people” although there is overlap most of the time.

The working class: Those who must sell their labour for a wage to survive.

The “Dictatorship of the Bourgeoisie“: The state under capitalism exists to defend the interests of the bourgeoisie, and is thus a dictatorship of the bourgeoisie even in bourgeois democracies according to Marx.

The “Dictatorship of the Proletariat“: A state which is used to ”oppress” the overthrown bourgeoisie and protect the interests of the working class according to Marx. Frequently misunderstood.

Communism: A hypothetical society without a state where the means of production are collectively owned by all of society. Hypothetical as a communist society has never existed. The words “Communist State“ are an oxymoron, as by definition, a communist society does not exist as long as there is a state. Even if the state is led by communists.

Workers State: A state that exists to defend the interests of the working class, according the Marx and Lenin. What people often incorrectly call a “communist state”.

Please ask any questions you have.