Are All Marxists Necessarily Communists? | Marxism vs Communism Explained

Are All Marxists Necessarily Communists?

By CV Manuvilsan

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Context and Purpose

This essay responds to a thought-provoking question posed by Adv P. Chandrasekhar in the Open Forum: “Can one be a Marxist without being a Communist? Are all Communists necessarily Marxists?” His astute reflection—that "many Marxist intellectuals support left politics without being Communists"—prompted me to explore the relationship between these two ideologies. Thus, this article seeks to clarify whether one can identify as a Marxist without embracing communism in its complete ideological form.

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Understanding the Core: Marxism vs. Communism

What Is Communism?

Communism envisions a stateless, classless society, where:

• Class divisions are eliminated.

• Exploitative systems and institutions end.

• Social inequality—based on gender, race, or class—is eradicated.

• Society’s wealth and resources are held in common, shared custody.

• It represents not just an ideology but a comprehensive social transformation.

What Is Marxism?

Marxism, pioneered by Karl Marx, is both a methodological framework and a theory for understanding historical and economic dynamics. It offers a scientific—dialectical materialist—approach to analyze capitalism’s class conflicts and envision the path toward communism. As Investopedia notes, Marxism underpins communism, but real-world communist states have yet to achieve the classless ideal Marx envisioned .

Thus, Marxism charts the theoretical roadmap, while Communism is the envisioned destination.

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Why "Marxist but Not Communist" Is a Logical Fallacy

Marxism leads to Communism. The proletarian revolution initially establishes communism’s embryonic form via socialism, ultimately dissolving state and class structures to achieve full communism. Therefore, being a Marxist inherently aligns one with the goal of achieving communism.
That said, one can be a Communist without being a Marxist—as evidenced by various pre-Marxist socialist movements or ideological variants such as:
Anarcho-Communism: Advocates stateless common ownership without a transitional socialist state.
Christian Communism: Rooted in theological beliefs rather than Marxian analysis.

These streams pursue the moral end of communism but diverge from Marx’s method and structure .

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Perspectives from the Field

On Reddit, a voice from r/Marxism declares:

> *If you’re a Marxist, you’re a Communist.*

While not universally accepted, this underscores that Marxist theory is typically oriented toward the end goal of communism .

In another discussion, distinctions are made clear:

Communism is a broader socio-political ideology geared toward a communal, classless society.

Marxism is the intellectual theory underpinning it, centered on class struggle and social transformation .

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Historical Enlightenment

Early forms of communal thought existed long before Marx—e.g., Plato’s communal ideals in The Republic, medieval monastic sharing, 19th-century utopian societies like Owen’s New Harmony, etc. .

Marx criticized these as utopian, arguing instead for a scientific and revolutionary path toward communism .

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Conclusion: Marxism Demands Communism

To summarize:

A Marxist without embracing Communism is conceptually incomplete. Marx laid out the path but the destination remains Communism.

Conversely, many Communists—like anarcho-communists or Christian communists—do not follow Marxist doctrine.

Hence, the correct framing is:

“All Marxists are Communists by ideological logic, but not all Communists are Marxists.”

Marx's theory is inseparable from its intended end—a classless, stateless society. Without that, Marxism becomes hollow or misaligned. The problem lies not in Marx’s ideas per se, but in how they are interpreted—or misinterpreted.

Meta SEO : Can someone be a Marxist without being a Communist? This post explores Marxism, Communism, and their ideological distinctions in theory and history.