Communist state facts for kids
A communist state is a country where the government says it follows the ideas of communism. But in reality, it often follows a specific set of ideas called Marxism–Leninism. In these countries, there is usually only one main political party, which is the communist party. This party guides how the country is run.
It's a bit tricky because a truly communist society is supposed to have no government at all. So, the name "communist state" can seem a bit strange. These countries don't actually call themselves "communist states." Instead, they often use names like socialist states or workers' states.
In the 1900s, people started calling countries "communist states" if they were ruled by one party. This party would follow ideas like Marxism–Leninism or Maoism. These countries also usually had a planned economy. This means the government controlled most of the economy. The main goal was often to represent the working class.
Communist States Today
As of February 2018, there are five countries often called communist states. These are China, Cuba, Laos, Vietnam, and North Korea. North Korea has its own unique ideas, but it is still usually grouped with the others.
A Look Back in History
Many countries in the past followed some form of Marxism. The most well-known was the Soviet Union. However, many of these countries are no longer considered socialist today.
Here are some examples of countries that were once called communist states:
- East Germany
- Soviet Union
- Yugoslavia
- Romania
- Hungary
- Czechoslovakia
- Poland
- Bulgaria
- Democratic Kampuchea
- Somalia
- Albania
- Mongolia
- Cuba
- North Vietnam
- China
See also
In Spanish: Estado comunista para niños
