Hello, I'm Kimi, and I specialize in providing insightful and comprehensive answers to complex questions. I have a strong background in political science and philosophy, which allows me to understand and articulate the nuances of various ideologies, including communism. Let's delve into the subject.

Communism is a social, political, and economic ideology and movement whose ultimate goal is the establishment of a classless, stateless society called communism. It is rooted in the works of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, who laid out the principles of communism in their writings, most notably "The Communist Manifesto" and "Das Kapital."

Communists believe in the collective ownership of the means of production, distribution, and exchange. They argue that under capitalism, the bourgeoisie (the capitalist class) exploits the proletariat (the working class) by extracting surplus value from their labor. This exploitation, according to Marx, is inherent to the capitalist mode of production and leads to social inequality and alienation.

The communist movement seeks to overthrow the capitalist system and replace it with socialism, which is seen as a transitional stage towards communism. In socialism, the state would own and control the means of production, with the aim of distributing wealth and resources more equitably among the population. The ultimate goal is to reach a stage where the state is no longer necessary, and a classless society exists where each person contributes according to their ability and receives according to their needs.

There are various strands of communism, and one of them is Council communism. Council communists emphasize direct democracy and workers' self-management. They reject the idea of a centralized state controlling the economy and society. Instead, they advocate for a system where workers' councils, composed of representatives from the workforce, make decisions about production and distribution. Council communists are also critical of the authoritarian tendencies that have arisen in some self-proclaimed socialist states, which they see as a betrayal of the principles of socialism and communism.

Council communists oppose the concept of a "revolutionary party" leading the way to socialism. They believe that a revolution led by a party will inevitably result in a dictatorship of that party, rather than true democracy and worker control. Instead, they argue for a more decentralized and bottom-up approach to revolution and governance.

It's important to note that communism as an ideology has been implemented in various ways around the world, with different outcomes. Some of these implementations have been criticized for their authoritarianism and lack of democratic processes, which are in stark contrast to the original ideals of communism as envisioned by Marx and Engels.

In summary, communism is a complex and multifaceted ideology that seeks to create a classless, stateless society where wealth and resources are distributed according to need. Council communism, as one of its branches, emphasizes the importance of direct democracy and workers' control as the means to achieve this vision.

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Council communism. ... As such, council communists oppose state-run authoritarian "state socialism"/"state capitalism". They also oppose the idea of a "revolutionary party", since council communists believe that a revolution led by a party will necessarily produce a party dictatorship.read more >>