Communism and its founder Karl Marx had envisaged a better human order, but communism turned out to be an inhuman ideology, let’s understand why?
Communism, was established in the early 19th century by Karl Marx & Frederich Engels.
The ideology envisages the establishment of a better human order and society but concentrating all resources in the hands of the state and engaging in socialist policies.
“For according to his wants, to each according to his needs”, was the mantra of communism.
Communism envisages such an order by overthrowing the state.
The state in question is a liberal-capitalist state characterized by the presence of bourgeois individuals.
The ideology, in its principle of historical materialism argues that human history has been various phases-primitive communism, slavery, feudalism, capitalist and finally communism.
Communism, further in the theory of dialectical materialism states that capitalism is the antithesis and the thesis is communism, out of that will develop a synthesis.
What will be the new thesis?
A classless, stateless society.
But how will such a society be achieved?
By the means of ‘dictatorship of the proletariat’.
The state will be used as a conduit to ensure that it finally withers away.
Marx and Engels in The Communist Manifesto (1848) argued that communism will be the pinnacle of human evolution.
But communism is an inhuman ideology, the reasons are:-
Violent Revolution
Any ideology which envisages violent revolution to be the vehicle to bring about any transformation is innately inhuman.
Communism visualised the overthrow & dismantling of the capitalist order in every country by violent means.
The ideology has violence in its interstices.
It argues that human lives lost for the sake of a better human order is essential for the betterment of humankind.
In the Eighteen Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte, Marx advocated this means in the “smash thesis” of the state.
Foundationally Flawed
Communism argues that every individual will be well of in a completely equal society.
But such a vision, at least economically, will be impossible.
Why will an academic after years of hardwork agree to a salary that is payable to a factory worker?
Communism, by concentrating the resources and institutions in the hands of the state stifles individual initiative which works purely on incentive.
If I am not assured of profit, why should I work hard and for whom? the state who doesn’t guarantee a meaningful life for me?
Genocidal Ideology
The most potent reason for the inhumane nature and global denunciation of communism is due to its genocidal mentality.
‘Enemies of the state’ such as industrialists, rich peasants, academicians, technocrats etc must be exterminated for the revolution to be successful.
Lenin, during the Russian civil war and after that exterminated the ‘kulaks’ or rich peasants. The death toll was over a million.
What to say of Stalin, he is one of the biggest mass murderers in history.
Steven Pinker in The Blank Slate-The Modern Denial of Human Nature states that Stalin in his purges and gulag around four-five million people perished.
The death toll was equally high in the Mao years of China, especially during the years of the Hundred Flowers Campaign and Cultural Revolution.
Some ten million people died in those years, thanks to Mao induced famines.
Khmer Rouge regime wiped out almost a quarter of Cambodia’s people.
Conclusion
No doubt that people across the world have rejected communism, but when the students and some states of India understand that communist ideology is a parasitic one?
Therefore, communism-an inhuman ideology.