is marxism the same thing as communism 
marxism is a philosophy while communism is a system of government based on marxist principles marx envisioned a society in which workers owned the means of production in real world communism governments own the means of production the bottom linemarxism is the social and economic theory developed by karl marx in the 19th century marxian economics describes the capitalist system of production as inherently unfair to the workers who represent most of the population marx s social theories connected these flaws of capitalism with a growing class conflict between labor and business owners ultimately leading to a revolution that would empower the working class and create communal ownership of the means of production his theories have been tested in the real world the communist experiment in the soviet union ended in 1991 it continues to be tested in china which is creating a hybrid social and economic system that marx might not recognize 