What was the difference between Marxism and Leninism?

The stages of Marxism

The stages of Marxism involved the transition between numerous political ideologies. 

• Stage 1: Primitive Communism

During the first stage of Primitive Communism, men worked together as a community with the goal of survival. Class struggle or the issue of private property was not an issue as all men worked to perform the same task, with the same goal, in the role of hunter-gatherer. The man who was most successful in this standard role would achieve control over the others. 

• Stage 2: Imperialism

The second stage is based on the rule of the superior man who excelled in the role of hunter-gatherer. At first, he could control all resources, and own all the land, but would become increasingly threatened by outsiders, who increased in influence and power, granting them land and power, in return for protection. 

• Stage 3: Feudalism

This aristocracy creates the political structure of Feudalism. These land owners, known as aristocrats, would exploit the lower class peasants for labour, as they would produce food and goods for the aristocrats to sell through trade and industry. This creates a new class— Merchants, Businessmen, and Capitalists, who themselves, want political power.

• Stage 4: Capitalism

During the fourth stage of Capitalism, the two classes are the factory owners, merchants and the bourgeoisie, and the working class or the proletariat. The bourgeoisie owned the factories and machinery, exploiting the working class proletariat for cheap labour, producing goods which the businessmen could sell for huge profits. The terrible working and living conditions cause the proletariat to begin an uprising, and overthrow the bourgeoisie, ending the stage of capitalism. 

• Stage 5: Socialism

Marx believed it was inevitable that the proletariat would become politically aware and overthrow the capitalist government. During this stage, the proletariat would be under the influence of a dictator who would ensure that food, goods and services were distributed fairly according to people’s needs by the developed workers’ organisations. 

• Stage 6: Communism

The socialist system would last long enough for the middle class to be re-educated on the importance of equality and therefore serve as a transition to Marx’s Utopia. As everyone worked together for the common good and had ample resources, currency and the government would become worthless in the now classless society. As the ultimate stage in human history, this would spread throughout the world, and the world would become stateless, meaning there would be no conflict, no competition, and no disparity between people’s quality of life.