Modern socialists would like to distance themselves from communism because of its bad reputation and often claim that communism is unrelated to socialism or at best tenuously related, but this is not the case.

Numerous people have come to this site and complained about its logo because it contains a communist symbol, which according to them, has barely anything to do with socialism, or perhaps nothing at all.

Let’s see indeed what are the differences between socialism and communism…

From the Encyclopedia Britanica’s online entry on communism:

the political and economic doctrine that aims to replace private property and a profit-based economy with public ownership and communal control of at least the major means of production (e.g., mines, mills, and factories) and the natural resources of a society. Communism is thus a form of socialism—a higher and more advanced form, according to its advocates. Exactly how communism differs from socialism has long been a matter of debate, but the distinction rests largely on the communists’ adherence to the revolutionary socialism of Karl Marx.

(I added the bolding.)

Communism is thus a form of socialism, and its distinction rests mostly on its revolutionary tactics.

Let’s see what Britanica has to say about Karl Marx, the father of communism:

revolutionary, sociologist, historian, and economist. He published (with Friedrich Engels) Manifest der Kommunistischen Partei (1848), commonly known as The Communist Manifesto, the most celebrated pamphlet in the history of the socialist movement. He also was the author of the movement’s most important book, Das Kapital. These writings and others by Marx and Engels form the basis of the body of thought and belief known as Marxism.

(Again, I added the bolding.)

So the Communist Manifesto is “the most celebrated pamphlet in the history of the socialist movement.” If communism were only scantly related to socialism, Karl Marx would have pulled off quite an impossible feat writing a pamphlet on communism to become the most celebrated among those who believe something very different.

Modern socialists distance themselves from the revolutionary and dictatorial aspects of communism, but in fact, people who still support communism today do the same, claiming that what happened in the Soviet Union was not true communism.

In terms of implementation, all forms of socialism, communism included, seek to enact (1) strict government control and ownership of industry and (2) redistribution of wealth.

And they all fail due to exactly the same things, (1) their inability to efficiently and properly manage and allocate common resources and (2) their inherent disincentive for achievement.

In conclusion, communism and socialism work toward achieving the same ends. Only their methods of achieving those ends are different. Communism uses revolution, while socialism uses evolution, manipulating the system into accepting it over time.