communism - Dictionary definition and pronunciation - Yahoo! Education

Definition of communism


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com·mu·nism  audio  (kmy-nzm) KEY 

NOUN:
  1. A theoretical economic system characterized by the collective ownership of property and by the organization of labor for the common advantage of all members.
  2. Communism
    1. A system of government in which the state plans and controls the economy and a single, often authoritarian party holds power, claiming to make progress toward a higher social order in which all goods are equally shared by the people.
    2. The Marxist-Leninist version of Communist doctrine that advocates the overthrow of capitalism by the revolution of the proletariat.

ETYMOLOGY:
French communisme, from commun, common, from Old French, from Latin commnis ; see commune2


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