Marxism–Leninism is a communist/authoritarian socialist philosophy with a... complex history. It's the idea that most people think of when they hear the word 'communism'.
History
Precursors
First Phase (1917 - 1941)
Second Phase (1941 - 1959)
Third Phase (1959 - 1973)
Fourth Phase (1973 - 1989)
This period saw the rapid rise of Marxist-Leninist governments in Africa and Asia, with the power of Marxist-Leninism peaking in August and September 1983 when Marxist-Leninists had full control of 30 governments. Public support for Marxist-Leninism also peaked around this time as numerous terrorist and revolutionary groups formed to try and overthrow their governments, with very little success.
During this period, the first two collapses of Marxist-Leninist governments in history occurred. In 1983, the US invaded Grenada after taking advantage of an internal power struggle, and in 1987 the US, France and Libya worked together to oust the Marxist-Leninist government of Burkina Faso. This would become a dark foreshadowing of what is to come.
Fifth Phase (1989 - 1992)
The fifth phase signaled the collapse of the majority of Marxist-Leninist governments and the continuation of the abandoning of command economies in favour of market economies which coincided with a global revolutionary wave against authoritarianism and the rise of neoliberalism and representative democracy.
The only Marxist-Leninist governments to have survived the fifth phase are in China, Vietnam, Cuba, North Korea and Laos.
Sixth Phase (1992 - Present)
With the majority of Marxist-Leninist governments gone, the remaining five have managed to survive until the present day, with all engaging in market reforms except North Korea. Most of the world's Marxist-Leninist groups either fell apart, dismantled themselves, or switched to libertarian socialism or social democracy.
Marxist-Leninist Concepts
Aggravation of Class Struggle under Socialism
Anti-Fascism
Anti-Imperialism
Central Planning
Collective Leadership
Collectivization
Commanding Heights of the Economy
Democratic Centralism
Dialectical Logic
Dialectical Materialism
Labour Aristocracy
Atheism
Feminism
One-Party State
Orthodox Marxism
People's Democracy
Popular Front
Internationalism
Self-Criticism
Social Fascism
Socialism in One Country
Socialist Patriotism
Theory of Productive Forces
Third Period
Vanguardism
Wars of National Liberation
Guevarism
Ho Chi Minh Thought
Hoxhaism
Husakism
Kadarism
Khrushchevism
Maoism
Titoism
Stalinism
Marxist-Leninism in Practice
Marxist-Leninist Countries
- Afghanistan (1978 - 1992)
- Albania (1946 - 1992)
- Angola (1975 - 1992)
- Benin (1975 - 1990)
- Bulgaria (1946 - 1990)
- Burkina Faso (1983 - 1987)
- Cambodia (1975 - 1991)
- China (1949 - Present)
- Congo (1969 - 1992)
- Cuba (1959 - Present)
- Czechoslovakia (1948 - 1990)
- East Germany (1949 - 1990)
- Ethiopia (1974 - 1991)
- Grenada (1979 - 1983)
- Hungary (1949 - 1989)
- Laos (1975 - Present)
- Mongolia (1924 - 1992)
- Mozambique (1975 - 1990)
- Nicaragua (1979 - 1990)
- North Korea (1948 - 1992)
- Poland (1945 - 1989)
- Romania (1947 - 1989)
- Somalia (1969 - 1991)
- USSR (1922 - 1991)
- Vietnam (1945 - Present)
- Yemen (1967 - 1990)
- Yugoslavia (1943 - 1992)
Marxist-Leninist Groups
Legal and Active
- Australian Communist Party
- Communist Alliance (Australia)
- Communist Party of Australia
- Communist Party of Australia (Marxist–Leninist)
Legal and Defunct
Illegal and Active
- Organization of Iranian People's Fedai Guerrillas (Iran), 1963 - 1980
Illegal and Defunct
- Japanese Red Army (Japan), 1971 - 1998
- Red Army Faction (Germany), 1970 - 1995
Data on Marxist-Leninism
- Marxist-Leninist regimes last 36.4 years on average, 15.5 years in Africa, 47.3 years in Asia, 46.3 years in Europe and 25 years in Latin America.
- Marxist-Leninist regimes consistently oppose elections, freedom of media and often result in above average amounts of environmental destruction and shortages of consumer goods. However, they tend to develop good educational and healthcare systems and expand women's rights.