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(A few notes: I wrote this for my school's literary magazine this year. I'm posting the newest verson of it that I have on my computer. If I can find the printed verson I'll post it. My idea for it was to present what communism stands for, its history, and how it is to be achieved; just in a simple version to reach my classmates. Athlough I don't know if they really took the time to read it.)

"All Power to the Soviets”
An Introduction to Socialism and Communsim
By Joshua Shear


That saying was the motto of the Bolshevik Party under the leadership of Vladimir Lenin. Through his guidance, the Bolsheviks gained control of Russia after the Russian Revolution in 1917 and transformed it into a more balanced society then society under the czars. The official book for the Bolsheviks was the Communist Manifesto, essentially an outline for most modern Communist theories. The manifesto was first published on February 21, 1848 by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, two German social scientists. The Communist Manifesto mandates equal ownership of land, education for everyone, and government control of means of production and transport. Under the Manifesto, governments and the people could work in a socialist manner to eventually establish the ideal society- the communist society.

According to Marx, there are two main social classes that exist in capitalist societies: the working class and ruling class , with the working class producing and the ruling class owning the means of production. According to Marx, the working class did all of the important work for society, whilst the ruling class would control the workers and would use them and not care for their well being, sometimes barely paying them. "The philosophers have only interpreted the world, in various ways. The point, however, is to change it.” said Marx and Engels, and change it they did. The Manifesto called for the exploited working class to rise up against their bosses and fight for their rights. This would be the first step to transforming Capitalist nations to Socialism from there, to Communism.

Socialism is the in-between point between Capitalism and Communism. Now in the idea of Socialism, the workers bosses have been overthrown and the workers have taken over. Where suddenly, instead of the bosses owning ways to build things, it’s the workers that control what’s built. Besides the working class overthrowing their bosses it also changes a number citizen rights, for one socialism guaranties universal health care for everyone, free education. The reason for all these benefits is to keep the people from turning to crime and giving everyone an equal chance. Ultimately though keeping the people feeling good about themselves as a united organization. But, that is not the final step, the final stop is Communism itself.

Communism, in its true form requires that all classes are gone and everyone is the same group or class. Where once the worker was oppressed due to his low position is on equal terms with his boss and that is just one example. Also where jobs are no longer what you think is best, but what is best for your community. It all depends on what is needed and how many. Also if it succeeds nationwide it would do away with states and territories and replace it with one united government and people of many cultures. This is the dream of Socialism and Communism.

Well if I did that, I'd complicate things considerably. I wanted to keep things as simple as I could. But I see your point.

Judging by the knowledge level of kids these days that's about right for a high school in terms of how complicated it is. I actually thought it was pretty good, yes it could've had more depth to further prove your point but most kids wouldn't read that long an article, much less understand it, and your school wouldn't have let you publish it if it was that noticable. What country are you from? Besides, anyone interested will read more on it and eventually get to the other details of other movements.