Maoism vs. Communism — What's the Difference?

Communism, as a political and economic ideology, envisions a classless, stateless society where the means of production are owned collectively. This theory is most closely associated with Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, who argued that societal change would come through class struggle, culminating in a proletarian revolution. Maoism, on the other hand, is a variant of Marxism-Leninism adapted by Mao Zedong, emphasizing the role of the peasantry, cultural revolution, and continuous revolution to achieve and maintain a socialist state.

While traditional communism emphasizes industrial workers (proletariat) as the main force behind the revolution, Maoism diverges by highlighting the peasantry's central role in achieving revolutionary goals, especially relevant in the predominantly agrarian Chinese context. Maoism introduces the concept of a "people's war," utilizing guerrilla warfare tactics by the rural peasantry against imperialist forces and domestic oppressors.

Maoism also stresses the importance of the Cultural Revolution, a movement to preserve Chinese communism by purging remnants of capitalist and traditional elements from Chinese society, and to re-impose Maoist thought as the dominant ideology. In contrast, traditional communism does not specify such methods for maintaining a communist society, focusing more broadly on workers' control over production and the abolition of private property.

The international impact of Maoism has been significant, inspiring revolutionary movements in countries like Nepal, Peru, and India, where rural conditions are similar to those in China during Mao's rise to power. Conversely, communism, in its more general form, has influenced a wide range of countries across the world, each adapting the ideology to their specific historical and social conditions.