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Communism: Marx and Engels | ISC Class 11 Political Science

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Political ScienceISC Class 11 · Political Ideologies

Communism: Dialectical Materialism, Class Struggle and the Classless Society (ISC Class 11 Political Science)

Updated 17 October 2026 · Fact-checked

Communism, set out by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels in The Communist Manifesto (1848), explains history through dialectical materialism and class struggle, predicts a workers' revolution and a transitional dictatorship of the proletariat, and aims at a stateless, classless society where the state withers away.

Understand Communism: Dialectical Materialism, Class Struggle and the Classless Society

Meaning. Marx (1818-1883) and Engels (1820-1895): The Communist Manifesto (1848); Marx's Capital (volume one, 1867). Aim: abolish private ownership of the means of production and create a classless society with common property; also called scientific socialism.

Dialectical materialism. Dialectics from Hegel: change comes from conflict of opposites (thesis, antithesis, synthesis). Materialism: unlike Hegel, Marx held matter and economic conditions primary, turning Hegel "right side up". Historical materialism: the economic base (forces and relations of production) shapes the superstructure (law, politics, religion, culture). Stages: primitive communism, slavery, feudalism, capitalism, socialism, communism.

Class struggle. The Manifesto: "The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles." Two main classes (owners and non-owners of the means of production: slave-owners and slaves, lords and serfs, capitalists and workers). Interests are opposed and the state is an instrument of the ruling class. Under capitalism the bourgeoisie exploits the proletariat; surplus value is the difference between value workers produce and the wage. Capitalism produces its own grave-diggers as workers concentrate in factories and crises recur. The struggle ends in revolution; the Manifesto ends "Workers of all countries, unite!"

Dictatorship of the proletariat. After the revolution workers capture state power (the stage called socialism), crush the old capitalist class and make the means of production social property; it is rule by the majority over a small minority; distribution "from each according to his ability, to each according to his work".

Stateless, classless society. With no classes the state is no longer needed and, in Engels's phrase, withers away. Communism: distribution "from each according to his ability, to each according to his needs"; abundance; the division between mental and manual work ends. In practice communist parties took power in Russia (1917) and China (1949), but the dictatorship of the proletariat became one-party rule and the state did not wither away.

Communism: Dialectical Materialism, Class Struggle and the Classless Society: key facts

Four features
  • Dialectical materialism
  • Class struggle
  • Dictatorship of the proletariat
  • Stateless, classless society
Dialectic
  • Thesis
  • Antithesis
  • Synthesis
Stages of history
  • Primitive communism
  • Slavery
  • Feudalism
  • Capitalism
  • Socialism
  • Communism
Distribution
Socialism: according to work | Communism: according to needs

How to answer Communism: Dialectical Materialism, Class Struggle and the Classless Society questions

Syllabus questions ask for the four features (4 marks) and a contrast with liberalism (4 to 8 marks).

  1. 1Name the founders and the Manifesto.
  2. 2Explain each of the four features in two or three lines.
  3. 3Give the stages and the distribution principles.
  4. 4End with the contrast on individual, property, state, democracy and change.

Communism: Dialectical Materialism, Class Struggle and the Classless Society in real life

The idea, met in an everyday situation. Answer the question in your own words, then compare with the model answer. The one-line hook is what to remember.

Profit and wages

Suppose workers in a factory produce goods worth 100 units a day but are paid 60 units in wages.

Find the surplus value in Marx's terms.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. Surplus value = 100 - 60 = 40 units.
  2. It is taken by the owner as profit.

Answer: 40 units.

Memory hook: Value produced minus wages.

Withering away

Suppose a state keeps law and police only as long as classes conflict, and in theory fades when they disappear.

Which Marxist stage and phrase fit?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. The final stage, communism.
  2. Engels said the state would wither away.

Answer: Communism; the state withers away.

Memory hook: No classes, no state.

Tricks to remember Communism: Dialectical Materialism, Class Struggle and the Classless Society

Short memory aids. Say each one aloud once, then use it on a question the same day.

  • DCDS

    Dialectical materialism, Class struggle, Dictatorship, Stateless society.

    Use it when: Four features.

  • Ability then work, ability then needs

    Socialism: by work; communism: by needs.

    Use it when: Distribution.

Communism: Dialectical Materialism, Class Struggle and the Classless Society: solved examples

Ordered from board level to HOTS. Try each one before you open the solution.

Example 1: Founders · 1 mark · MCQBoard level

The Communist Manifesto (1848) was written by:
(a) Marx and Engels
(b) Lenin and Stalin
(c) Hegel and Marx
(d) Locke and Mill

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. German thinkers.

Answer: (a) Marx and Engels.

Example 2: Class struggle · 3 marks · Short answerBoard level

State what Marx meant by bourgeoisie, proletariat and surplus value.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. Bourgeoisie: capitalists who own the means of production.
  2. Proletariat: wage workers.
  3. Surplus value: value workers produce beyond their wages, taken as profit.

Answer: Owners, wage workers and the profit taken from unpaid value.

Example 3: Dialectical materialism · 4 marks · Long answerHarder board level

Explain dialectical materialism and how Marx applied it to society.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. Dialectics: change through conflict of opposites (thesis, antithesis, synthesis) from Hegel.
  2. Materialism: matter and economic conditions are primary, not ideas.
  3. Historical materialism: economic base shapes the superstructure.
  4. Stages of history from primitive communism to communism.

Answer: Conflict of opposites driven by material conditions; base shapes superstructure; successive stages.

Example 4: Dictatorship and classless society · 4 marks · Long answerHarder board level

Explain the dictatorship of the proletariat and the stateless, classless society.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. Workers capture state power after the revolution.
  2. The state crushes the old capitalist class and abolishes private ownership of the means of production.
  3. Distribution is according to work in this stage.
  4. With no classes the state withers away and distribution follows needs.

Answer: A transitional workers' state leads to a stateless, classless communism.

Example 5: Compare with liberalism · 5 marks · Case-basedHOTS / competency

Case: A student compares liberalism and communism on the individual, property, the state, democracy and the method of change. (a) State the liberal view of each. (b) State the communist view of each. (c) Name one gap between theory and practice for communism.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. (a) Liberalism: individual first; private property; limited state; multi-party democracy; reform.
  2. (b) Communism: class over individual; common ownership of production; state as class instrument that withers away; rule of the proletariat; revolution.
  3. (c) The dictatorship of the proletariat became one-party rule and the state did not wither away.

Answer: (a) Individual, property, limited state, democracy, reform (b) class, common ownership, withering state, proletarian rule, revolution (c) one-party rule.

Where students lose marks in Communism: Dialectical Materialism, Class Struggle and the Classless Society

The slips examiners see most often, and what to write instead.

  • Mistake: Confusing socialism and communism stages

    Distribution principles swapped.

    Do this: Socialism: according to work; communism: according to needs.

    Usually costs: 1 mark.

  • Mistake: Treating dictatorship as rule of one man

    Meaning missed.

    Do this: It means rule by one class, the majority over a minority.

    Usually costs: 2 marks.

  • Mistake: No criticism or practice note

    One-sided.

    Do this: Add the gap between theory and practice.

    Usually costs: 1 mark.

Exam tips

  • Learn the four features with one line each.
  • Quote the Manifesto lines accurately.
  • Contrast with liberalism on five points.
  • Attribute claims to Marx and Engels.

Practice questions on Communism: Dialectical Materialism, Class Struggle and the Classless Society

Write each answer on paper first. Open the hint only if you are stuck, and the answer only when you have finished.

  1. Q1 · 1 mark · MCQBoard level

    The first stage of history in Marx's scheme is:
    (a) slavery
    (b) primitive communism
    (c) feudalism
    (d) capitalism

    Hint

    Before classes.

    Answer

    (b) Primitive communism.

  2. Q2 · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level

    Explain what Marx meant by the economic base and the superstructure.

    Hint

    Production shapes law and culture.

    Answer

    The base is the forces and relations of production; the superstructure is law, politics, religion and culture, which are shaped by the base.

  3. Q3 · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level

    Marx lived 1818-1883 and Engels 1820-1895; the Manifesto appeared in 1848 and Capital in 1867. Find the ages of each in 1848 and the years between the two works.

    Hint

    Subtract.

    Answer

    Marx: 1848 - 1818 = 30; Engels: 1848 - 1820 = 28; between the works 1867 - 1848 = 19 years.

  4. Q4 · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level

    Explain how Marx thought capitalism would produce its own gravediggers.

    Hint

    Concentrated workers.

    Answer

    Workers are concentrated in factories, grow poorer and more conscious of their exploitation, and recurring crises weaken the system.

  5. Q5 · 4 marks · Case-basedHOTS / competency

    Case: A critic says the Soviet state never withered away. (a) State Marx and Engels's prediction. (b) State what happened in practice according to the chapter. (c) Name two countries where communist parties took power.

    Hint

    Theory and practice.

    Answer

    (a) The state would wither away in a classless society. (b) The dictatorship of the proletariat became one-party rule. (c) Russia (1917) and China (1949).

Test your recall

Answer in your head or on paper first, then open the card. Pulling an answer out of memory makes it stick far better than re-reading.

  1. 1.Founders?Show answer

    Marx and Engels.

  2. 2.Manifesto year?Show answer

    1848.

  3. 3.Capital volume one?Show answer

    1867.

  4. 4.Surplus value is?Show answer

    Value produced beyond wages.

  5. 5.Engels's phrase?Show answer

    The state withers away.

Communism: Dialectical Materialism, Class Struggle and the Classless Society: frequently asked questions

Why is it called scientific socialism?

Marx claimed to have found laws of historical development.

Who is the bourgeoisie?

The capitalist class.

Did the state wither away?

Not in practice in countries governed by communist parties.