Communism

 Communism - An economic system and political philosophy advocating social ownership

Communism is an ideology and a theory that sees the trajectory of human history as a n inevitable progression from inequality to equality, via resolution. The goal of this progression is a classless, stateless society in which people willingly contribute toward the wellbeing of all. This contribution will involve holding both human and natural resources to be common goods. Distributing the products of work according to need will ensure that status, envy, greed and even war pass away and harmony will ensure.

Karl Max and Freidrich Engels are jointly credited with authorship of the Communist Manifesto, the pamplet in which the theory was first outlined. Its publication sparked a massive political reaction, although the ideal of an egalitarian society with all resources held in common ownership has existed through out recorded history. Heavily influenced by the philosophical work of George Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, communism offered both an explanation of inequality and a battle plan.

It is impossible to imagine how differently human history would have unfolded if communism had not radicalized political theory. The "Communist Threat" set ideological battle lines between liberal, industrialized, capitalist nations of the "First World" and authoritarian, semi-industrialized, socialist nations of the "Second World". Some argue that it even crystallized its fiercest detractors toward fascism. Nevertheless, the ideology  maintains a firm grip, not least because there will always be those who sense in the aims of communism and abiding hunger for a fairer world.