List of communist states

List of communist states

A map of current communist states

A communist state is a form of government that combines the state leadership of a communist party through the supreme state organ of power, Marxist–Leninist political philosophy, and an official commitment to the construction of a communist society. Communism in its modern form grew out of the socialist movement in 19th-century Europe and blamed capitalism for societal miseries. In the 20th century, several communist states were established, first in Russia with the Russian Revolution of 1917 and then in portions of Eastern Europe, Asia, and a few other regions after World War II. The institutions of these states were heavily influenced by the writings of Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels, Vladimir Lenin, Joseph Stalin and others. However, the political reforms of Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev known as Perestroika and socio-economic difficulties produced the revolutions of 1989, which brought down all the communist states of the Eastern Bloc bar the Soviet Union. The repercussions of the collapse of these states contributed to political transformations in the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia and several other non-European communist states. Presently, there are five communist states in the world: China, Cuba, Laos, North Korea and Vietnam.

Overview

Socialist states

A map of all socialist states in 1980.

States that had communist governments in red, states that the Soviet Union believed at one point to be moving toward socialism in orange, and other socialist states in yellow (note that not all of the bright red states remained Soviet allies)

In applied communist practice, a socialist state is a communist state formation that is the product of a purported base and superstructural relation that is called the socialist mode of production, or simply socialism. Socialism acts as the base of the socialist state, while the superstructure is made up of two parts: the class character of the state and the organisational form of state power.

• The class character of the state involves the dictatorship of the proletariat (or a variant thereof) in which the proletariat acts as the ruling class; purportedly the most advanced elements of this class form a vanguard party (communist party) to lead the state. The theoretical exception to this rule was the Soviet Union: from 1961 onwards the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU) argued that it had created a developed socialist society where the proletarian dictatorship had been replaced by a socialist state of the whole people since all the exploitative classes had been defeated. The Chinese Communist Party vehemently opposed this theory and argued that every state formation had to have a ruling class. • The organisational form of state power, literally the form of government in Marxist–Leninist vocabulary, is centered on the unified power of the supreme state organ of power that operates under the guidance of the vanguard party.

The majority of communist states have been unable to establish a socialist state. These states had, according to Marxist–Leninist doctrine, reached a lower form of development and designated themselves, or were designated, for example, as national democratic states, states of socialist orientation or as people's democratic states.

<table><thead><tr><th>State</th><th>Established</th><th>Dissolved</th><th>Duration</th><th>Leading party</th><th>Supreme state organ of power</th><th>Ref.</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Albania</td><td>28 December 1976</td><td>29 April 1991</td><td>14 years, 122 days</td><td>Party of Labour</td><td>People's Assembly</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Bulgaria</td><td>18 May 1971</td><td>12 July 1991</td><td>20 years, 55 days</td><td>Communist Party</td><td>National Assembly</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>China</td><td>17 November 1975 (the state was established in 1949; in 1975 it changed its self-description)</td><td>—</td><td>50 years, 129 days</td><td>Communist Party</td><td>National People's Congress</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Cuba</td><td>24 February 1976</td><td>—</td><td>50 years, 30 days</td><td>Communist Party</td><td>National Assembly of People's Power</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Czechoslovakia</td><td>11 July 1960</td><td>29 March 1990</td><td>29 years, 261 days</td><td>Communist Party</td><td>Federal Assembly</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>East Germany</td><td>8 April 1968</td><td>3 October 1990</td><td>22 years, 178 days</td><td>Socialist Unity Party</td><td>People's Chamber</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Hungary</td><td>26 April 1972</td><td>23 October 1989</td><td>17 years, 180 days</td><td>Socialist Workers' Party</td><td>National Assembly</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Mongolia</td><td>6 July 1960</td><td>12 February 1990</td><td>29 years, 221 days</td><td>People's Revolutionary Party</td><td>Great People's Khural</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>North Korea</td><td>27 December 1972</td><td>—</td><td>53 years, 89 days</td><td>Workers' Party</td><td>Supreme People's Assembly</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Poland</td><td>10 February 1976</td><td>9 December 1989</td><td>13 years, 302 days</td><td>United Workers' Party</td><td>Sejm</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Romania</td><td>21 August 1965</td><td>30 December 1989</td><td>24 years, 131 days</td><td>Communist Party</td><td>Great National Assembly</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Somalia</td><td>21 October 1969</td><td>26 January 1991</td><td>21 years, 97 days</td><td>Revolutionary Socialist Party</td><td>People's Assembly</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Soviet Union</td><td>30 December 1922</td><td>26 December 1991</td><td>68 years, 361 days</td><td>Communist Party</td><td>Supreme Soviet</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Vietnam</td><td>2 July 1976</td><td>—</td><td>49 years, 267 days</td><td>Communist Party</td><td>National Assembly</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Yugoslavia</td><td>7 April 1963</td><td>27 April 1992</td><td>29 years, 20 days</td><td>League of Communists</td><td>Assembly</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

People's democratic states

A people's democratic state is a communist state formation. According to the Marxist–Leninist theory of people's democracy, it purportedly tries to transition society from a capitalist mode of production to a socialist mode of production after a successful people's democratic revolution. This process transforms the people's democratic state into a socialist state. According to Marxist–Leninist theorists, the people's democratic state is socialist-type state, but not a socialist state itself. The form of government of people's democratic states is unified state power of the supreme state organ of power, under the leadership of the ruling communist party. Despite this, forms of government have not always been identical in different states, with some slight institutional differences.

<table><thead><tr><th>State</th><th>Dates active</th><th>Duration</th><th>Leading party</th><th>Supreme state organ of power</th><th>Ref.</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Afghanistan</td><td>30 April 1978–27 December 1979</td><td>1 year, 241 days</td><td>People's Democratic Party</td><td>Revolutionary Council</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Albania</td><td>11 January 1946–28 December 1976</td><td>30 years, 352 days</td><td>Party of Labour</td><td>People's Assembly</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Angola</td><td>10 December 1977–26 August 1992</td><td>14 years, 260 days</td><td>People's Movement for the Liberation</td><td>People's Assembly</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Benin</td><td>23 May 1977–1 March 1990</td><td>12 years, 282 days</td><td>People's Revolutionary Party</td><td>National Revolutionary Assembly</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Bulgaria</td><td>4 December 1947–18 May 1971</td><td>24 years, 245 days</td><td>Communist Party</td><td>National Assembly</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Cambodia</td><td>7 January 1979–15 March 1992</td><td>13 years, 68 days</td><td>People's Revolutionary Party</td><td>National Assembly</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>China</td><td>1 October 1949–17 November 1975</td><td>26 years, 47 days (in 1975 the state changed its self-description, but it still exists)</td><td>Communist Party</td><td>National People's Congress</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Congo</td><td>31 December 1969–15 March 1992</td><td>22 years, 75 days</td><td>Party of Labour</td><td>National People's Assembly</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Cuba</td><td>16 February 1959–24 February 1976</td><td>17 years, 8 days</td><td>Communist Party</td><td>National Assembly of People's Power</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Czechoslovakia</td><td>25 February 1948–11 July 1960</td><td>12 years, 137 days</td><td>Communist Party</td><td>National Assembly</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>East Germany</td><td>9 October 1949–8 April 1968</td><td>18 years, 182 days</td><td>Socialist Unity Party</td><td>People's Chamber</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Ethiopia</td><td>22 February 1987–28 May 1991</td><td>4 years, 95 days</td><td>Workers' Party</td><td>National Shengo</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Hungary</td><td>18 August 1949–26 April 1972</td><td>22 years, 250 days</td><td>Socialist Workers' Party</td><td>National Assembly</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Kampuchea</td><td>17 April 1975–7 January 1979</td><td>3 years, 2 days</td><td>Communist Party</td><td>Assembly of People's Representatives</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Laos</td><td>2 December 1975–present</td><td>50 years, 114 days</td><td>People's Revolutionary Party</td><td>National Assembly</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Mongolia</td><td>24 November 1924–6 July 1960</td><td>35 years, 225 days</td><td>People's Revolutionary Party</td><td>Great People's Khural</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Mozambique</td><td>25 June 1975–30 November 1990</td><td>15 years, 158 days</td><td>Liberation Front</td><td>People's Assembly</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>North Korea</td><td>9 September 1948–27 December 1972</td><td>24 years, 109 days</td><td>Workers' Party</td><td>Supreme People's Assembly</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>North Vietnam</td><td>2 September 1945–2 July 1976</td><td>30 years, 304 days</td><td>Workers' Party</td><td>National Assembly</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Poland</td><td>14 December 1948–10 February 1976</td><td>27 years, 58 days</td><td>United Workers' Party</td><td>Sejm</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Romania</td><td>30 December 1947–21 August 1965</td><td>17 years, 234 days</td><td>Communist Party</td><td>Great National Assembly</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>South Vietnam</td><td>30 April 1975–2 July 1976</td><td>1 year, 63 days</td><td>People's Revolutionary Party</td><td>People's Assembly</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>South Yemen</td><td>30 November 1970–20 May 1990</td><td>19 years, 171 days</td><td>Socialist Party</td><td>Supreme People's Council</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Tuva</td><td>14 August 1921–11 October 1944</td><td>23 years, 58 days</td><td>People's Revolutionary Party</td><td>People's Khural</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Yugoslavia</td><td>20 November 1945–7 April 1963</td><td>17 years, 138 days</td><td>League of Communists</td><td>Federal People's Assembly</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

National democratic states

A national democratic state is a state formation that, according to Marxist–Leninist national democratic theory, is the product of a national democratic revolution. In certain cases, it was believed, a national democratic state could endeavour to establish the socialist mode of production, transforming the state into a communist state formation known as a socialist state in the process.

<table><thead><tr><th>State</th><th>Established</th><th>Dissolved</th><th>Duration</th><th>Leading party</th><th>Ref.</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Afghanistan</td><td>27 December 1979</td><td>28 April 1992</td><td>12 years, 123 days</td><td>People's Democratic Party</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Angola</td><td>11 November 1975</td><td>10 December 1977</td><td>2 years, 29 days</td><td>People's Movement for the Liberation</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Congo</td><td>16 August 1963</td><td>31 December 1969</td><td>6 years, 137 days</td><td>National Movement of the Revolution</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Ethiopia</td><td>12 September 1974</td><td>22 February 1987</td><td>12 years, 163 days</td><td>Workers' Party</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Grenada</td><td>13 March 1979</td><td>29 October 1983</td><td>4 years, 230 days</td><td>New Jewel Movement</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

Communist predecessor states to the USSR

State	Established	Dissolved	Duration	Ref.
Armenia	29 November 1920	30 December 1922	2 years, 31 days
Azerbaijan	2 September 1920	27 October 1922	1 year, 318 days
Bukhara	8 October 1920	27 October 1924	4 years, 19 days
Byelorussia, 1st attempt	1 January 1919	27 February 1919	57 days
Byelorussia, 2nd attempt	31 July 1920	31 December 1922	2 years, 153 days
Crimea	12 May 1919	26 June 1919	45 days
Donetsk–Krivoy Rog	12 February 1918	20 March 1918	36 days
Estonia	29 November 1918	5 June 1919	188 days
Far Eastern Republic	6 April 1920	15 November 1922	2 years, 223 days
Galicia	8 July 1920	21 September 1920	75 days
Georgia	25 February 1921	30 December 1922	1 year, 308 days
Khorezm	26 April 1920	24 October 1924	4 years, 181 days
Latvia	17 December 1918	13 January 1920	1 year, 27 days
Lithuania	16 December 1918	27 February 1919	73 days
Lithuania and Belorussia	27 February 1919	31 July 1920	1 year, 155 days
Mughan	15 May 1919	25 June 1919	41 days
Odessa	1 March 1918	13 March 1918	12 days
Russia	7 November 1917	30 December 1922	5 years, 53 days
Ukraine, 1st attempt	25 December 1917	18 April 1918	114 days
Ukraine, 2nd attempt	10 March 1919	30 December 1922	3 years, 295 days

Ephemeral states

State	Established	Dissolved	Duration	Ref.
Azerbaijan	20 November 1945	12 December 1946	1 year, 22 days
Bavaria	7 April 1919	2 May 1919	25 days
Bremen	10 January 1919	4 February 1919	21 days
Chile	4 June 1932	13 September 1932	101 days
China	7 November 1931	22 September 1937	5 years, 319 days
Fatsa	14 October 1979	11 June 1980	241 days
Finland, 1st attempt	29 January 1918	5 May 1918	96 days
Finland, 2nd attempt	1 December 1939	12 March 1940	102 days
Hungary	21 March 1919	3 August 1919	135 days
Mahabad	22 January 1946	15 December 1946	327 days
Persia	20 May 1920	20 September 1920	123 days
Slovakia	16 June 1919	7 July 1919	21 days
East Turkestan	7 November 1944	1 July 1946	1 year, 236 days