Socialism is defined as a “modern doctrine and is Western in origin, emerging with the development of industrial capitalism at the start of the nineteenth century,” and it “denotes a broad system of ideas.” Marxism is regarded as a “materialistic conception of history which seeks to explain the development of all societies and make predictions about future social change” [Source]. The philosophy of Marxism precedes socialism as a society will become socialist after removing capitalist tendencies.
The difference between Socialist and Marxist is that socialists emphasize the unity of society while Marxists note that world trends and other factors are constantly influencing society and nature. For socialists, society is built on unity, but Marxists argue that society is a mixed bag and it is just interdependent.
Under socialism, there should be equality and the abolition of the privatization of enterprises. But Marxism does allude to revolutionary transformation. According to socialists, society relies on certain values, including “redistribution of wealth to get rid of inequality, cooperative production to get rid of selfish competitors and new patterns of work and education to promote the growth of well-rounded individuals.” On the other hand, Marxism “provides a scientific explanation of nature and society and hence, was a powerful instrument for revolutionary transformation.”
What is the difference between Marxism, Socialism, and Communism?
The philosophy of Marxism is accredited for prophesying the birth of socialism and communism. It explains a transformation of society from socialism and ends up being a communist one. Marxism focuses on the friction between capitalists and the workers, with the working forces finally overthrowing the capitalist system.
After this happens, socialism is the next stage whereby society is under a state or government put in place through democratic means. Communism is the end product of this transformation process. Marxism states that a society is dynamic and is ever-changing, with socialism relying on government control to lead the people appropriately, while communism believes that equality is the way to go, so it comes into play after a state or government fails to break social stratifications.
What is the Main difference between Communism and Socialism?
Communism is a “philosophy based on the equitable distribution of wealth among a nation’s citizens and common ownership of all property” [Source], where areas socialism “is a political and economic theory of social organization which advocates that the means of production, distribution, and exchange should be owned or regulated by the community as a whole” [Source].
When it comes to communism, there is no private property ideology because the property is communally owned, with everyone receiving a portion after consideration of what they need. Under socialism, people can own property to generate wealth being owned by a government that was elected through democratic methods.
To achieve communism, there is a need for a violent revolution between workers against the middle and upper classes, and the workers will topple off an unwanted system. This is different from socialism, whereby people insist on democratic processes and not necessarily overthrow a government.
Socialism carries the idea that people ought to be compensated based on their percentage contribution to the economy [Source]. Communism states a person gets a return “From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.”
Socialism vs. Capitalism
Socialism and capitalism are economic systems used worldwide. The main difference between these two is the extent to which a government controls a country’s economy [Source]. ThoughtCo. Noted that socialism is “an economic and political system under which the means of production are publicly owned. Production and consumer prices are controlled by the government to best meet the needs of the people”, while Capitalism is “an economic system under which the means of production are privately owned. Production and consumer prices are based on a free-market ‘supply and demand.’
Also, socialism tends to have high taxes, which might affect the growth of any economy. Capitalism allows income inequality, creates stratification, and supports social classes.
Difference between Marxism and Capitalism
Under capitalism, means of production are owned by private individuals, income determined by free markets force, prices determined by supply and demand, healthcare provided by the private sector, and limited taxes based on individual income.
Capitalism is an “economic system whereby private individuals own and control means of production.” Marxism is an “economic, political, and social concept that critically checks the impact of capitalism on labor, productivity, and economic development” [Source]. Capitalists rely on the private sector running things, but Marxists project that a private sector will change to a public sector entity. Classes of rich and poor people are very visible under capitalism. For Marxists, these classes are likely to be abolished through efforts to bring equality. Individual growth is a core focus for capitalists but Marxism place societal and economic growth over individual growth.
Individual freedom and a private ownership structure form the basis of capitalism, while Marxists propagate socialism and communism type of a society with no private ownership.
What is Socialism in simple terms?
In simple terms, socialism is a political and economic system whereby property and the means of production are under the authority of a state or government. This controlling authority is usually elected into place democratically. When a state owns these entities, they are seen as commonly owned [Source].
Difference between Marxism and Communism
Communism is an “ideology that is based on common ownership while the absence of social classes, money, and the states [Source]. Marxism is an “ideology by Karl Max that is a social, political, and fiscal theory that focuses on struggles between capitalist and working-class.” Communism aims to establish a communist society in which there is common ownership of means of production. It can be seen as another form of socialism. With Marxism, people are equal and get the same respect.
Some analysts posit that Marxism is the theory, and communism can be considered the “practical implementation of Marxism” [Source]. Marxism is useful when building a state, and communism comes in a stateless society with equality, and everyone is treated equally.
The philosophy of Marxism argues that a society will go under transition to socialism and eventually land at communism. Such transition requires a revolution as prescribed by communist terms. Marxism and communism influence each other, with Marxism projecting communism, and communism’s existence depends on Marxism.
