There are many varying ideologies, both political and non-political, in countries throughout the world. An ideology is a certain set of social movement rules, ethics, principles, ideals, etc.
Different ideologies are followed by different people based on their personal opinions and beliefs.
Key Takeaways
- Communism is a political ideology that advocates for the abolition of private property and a classless society.
- Liberalism is a political philosophy emphasizing individual liberty, free markets, and representative democracy.
- While both ideologies have their roots in the Enlightenment, they have very different ideas about the role of government and the economy.
Communism vs Liberalism
The difference between Communism and Liberalism is that Communism does not identify individual freedom but rather signifies equality for all people. On the other hand, Liberalism signifies individual freedom. Unlike Liberalism, Communism results in a classless society of people where no individual is considered superior or inferior to the other.
Communism is a political ideology based on equality for all. The objective is to establish a communist society with common ownership and people are not divided based on wealth and class.
Communism is a distinct form of socialism. Liberalism is a political ideology based on liberty.
Liberalism supports individual rights, including civil and human rights, freedom of speech, freedom to follow any religion, etc. Liberalism is a modern phenomenon that gained recognition.
In the 17th century, people were now more aware of individual acknowledgement in society.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | Communism | Liberalism |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Value | Equality for all. | Individual freedom. |
| Economy | Collective ownership. | Private property. |
| Culture | Unified rights and similar nationwide cultures. | A plurality of rights and interests. |
| Enactment | It is enacted as the result of a revolution. | It is enacted as the result of democratic elections. |
| Countries | China, North Korea, and Cuba are a few communist nations. | Switzerland, the UK, and New Zealand are a few liberal countries. |
What is Communism?
Communism is a political ideology that aims to establish a society with no distinguishable class of people, where all property and wealth are owned collectively by communists.
And not by any individual among the citizens. This ideology is based on equality for all people in society. Communism is a distinct form of socialism.
Historically, communism was first recognized globally in 1917 during Russia’s October Revolution. This was when the first communist government was enacted in a nation.
Following the pattern, Communism was forcefully established in many nations. However, today, only a few nations are controlled by communist parties.
Under the ideology of communism, there are no individual rights, and everyone is to contribute to the welfare of the society for the common good only and not for profit.
Products are equally shared among the people, based on the requirements and not on their level of contribution to the work. This results in a classless unified society, with no superior or inferior to the other.
The establishment of communism can only be done by the destruction of capitalism. Hence, the actions of communists have been criticized globally.
According to critics, communism leads to poor economic performance and violation of human rights.
What is Liberalism?
Liberalism is a political ideology that aims to protect individual rights, including civil and human rights. Freedom of speech, freedom to follow any religion, etc.
Liberalism is also an intellectual tradition followed by people. The idea of liberalism was unified globally by John Locke, an English philosopher.
John Locke is regarded as the father of modern liberalism. Historically, liberalism was first recognized in the 17th century.
The idea of liberalism influenced several revolutionary reforms throughout the world, including the rise of secularism, constitutionalism, and nationalism. The first liberal government was in the UK.
Under the ideology of liberalism, people have individual rights, and everyone is free to work privately on their own. Follow different religions and beliefs.
The resources and money earned by people are solely based on the work they do. As a result, liberal societies are diversified with people based on economy, class, religion, etc.
Furthermore, liberalism results in a plurality of cultures and rights in society. The establishment of liberalism is based on democratic elections, where every citizen has the right to vote.
Liberalism is appraised and criticized for its ideologies as it identifies every individual’s freedom, but it also creates an unhealthy social division based on wealth.
Main Differences Between Communism and Liberalism
- Communism promotes equality, whereas Liberalism promotes individual freedom and rights.
- Communist states are a result of revolutions, whereas Democratic elections form liberal societies.
- Communism results in a classless society where no individual is considered above or below the other. On the other hand, Liberalism divides society based on social status and economic wealth.
- There are now only a few communist nations, whereas liberal nations are large in number.
- Communist nations are dependent on the government for the economy, whereas liberation nations depend mostly on the private sector.
Last Updated : 13 July, 2023
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Emma Smith holds an MA degree in English from Irvine Valley College. She has been a Journalist since 2002, writing articles on the English language, Sports, and Law. Read more about me on her bio page.
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