Anarchism and Communism both refer to political theories and ideal forms of society which began taking the stage as a major power in the 19th century. In fact, despite it sounding strange if we look at the Soviet Union and other Communist regimes and compare it to the ideal of Anarchism, Anarchism and Communism developed alongside each other, and the two movements have historically been very closely linked. Two of the most then-famous proponents of each theory, Mikhail Bakunin (Anarchism) and Karl Marx (Communism) fought and split during the First Socialist International. Communists and Anarchists, along with Socialists and Liberals, supported the Loyalists in the Spanish Civil War. Anarcho-communism is the most popular form of Anarchism and the second most of Communism (behind Marxian Communism). Despite their connection, however there are some differences.
The most familiar difference might be Anarchism's critique of government. While many Communists have been ready to use governmental power to enforce their ideal--like Joseph Stalin and Mao Tsedung--Anarchists have an absolute distaste for government. In fact, the definition of Anarchy means that there is no government.
Yet another is their variety in economic systems. Communism itself gives its name to an economic system based on the "common ownership of the means of production", as opposed to Capitalism. Anarchism started off as a Socialist/Communist philosophy, but since the 1950s a minority of the Anarchist community has begun identifying as "Anarcho-Capitalist", an idea foreign and even laughable to the Anarchists of the 19th century, but theoretically conceivable. Even Socialist Anarchists vary wildly on how much market forces versus decentralized, extra-governmental planning should play a role in the economy. Meanwhile, Communism has no tolerance for market forces or Capitalism in what ever way. The idea of "Communo-Capitalism" is not only strange and foreign, but completely contradictory.
Essentially, Anarchism means a lack of government and complete and absolute freedom, while Communism means an economic system with complete common ownership of property and no private property.
Comparison chart
 | Anarchism | Communism |
|---|---|---|
| Philosophy | The state is an instrument of domination, exploitation, and control used to subjugate society and uphold an existing class system; it cannot be used to benefit society and should be dismantled. Most anarchists say capitalism, too, must be eliminated. | From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs. Free-access to the articles of consumption is made possible by advances in technology that allow for super-abundance. |
| Key Elements | Economic activity and production especially are adjusted to meet human needs and economic demands. "Production for use": useful goods and services are produced specifically for their usefulness. | Centralized government, planned economy, dictatorship of the "proletariat", common ownership of the tools of production, no private property. equality between genders and all people, international focus. Usually anti-democratic with a 1-party system. |
| Economic Coordination | May rely on markets or decentralized participatory planning. | Economic planning coordinates all decisions regarding investment, production and resource allocation. Planning is done in terms of physical units instead of money. |
| Private Property | Anarchists hold a wide variety of views on property, in part due to differing definitions of property. Views range from all property being shared in common to all property being owned by individuals and associations of individuals. | Abolished. The concept of property is negated and replaced with the concept of commons and ownership with "usership". |
| Ideas | The state is an illegitimate source of power and authority that derives its legitimacy through force and should therefore be abolished in favor of a cooperative society of freely-associated individuals. | All people are the same and therefore classes make no sense. The government should own all means of production and land and also everything else. People should work for the government and the collective output should be redistributed equally. |
| Religion | Freedom of religion, although many are atheists | Abolished - all religious and metaphysics is rejected. Engels and Lenin agreed that religion was a drug or “spiritual booze” and must be combated. To them, atheism put into practice meant a “forcible overthrow of all existing social conditions. |
| Key Proponents | Pierre-Joseph Proudhon, Mikhail Bakunin, Pyotr Kropotkin, Lysander Spooner, Benjamin R. Tucker, Emma Goldman, Murray N. Rothbard. | Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels, Peter Kropotkin, Rosa Luxemburg, Vladimir Lenin, Emma Goldman, Leon Trotsky, Joseph Stalin, Ho Chi Minh, Mao Zedong, Josip Broz Tito, Enver Hoxha, Che Guevara, Fidel Castro. |
| Free Choice | All individuals make decisions for themselves. People will make the best decisions because they must live with the consequences of their actions. | Either the collective "vote" or the state's rulers make economic and political decisions for everyone else. In practice, rallies, force, propaganda etc. are used by the rulers to control the populace. |
| Discrimination | Although freedom of association allows people to personally discriminate, market forces, boycotts, and ostracism can be used to combat the forces of discrimination. | In theory, all members of the state are considered equal to one another. |
| Ownership Structure | The means of production are collectively owned or individually owned by associated individuals. | The means of production are commonly-owned, meaning no entity or individual owns productive property. Importance is ascribed to "usership" over "ownership". |
| Political Movements | Anarcho-communism, social anarchism, anarcho-syndicalism, individualist anarchism, anarcho-capitalism. | Marxist Communism, Leninism and Marxism–Leninism, Stalinism, Trotskyism, Maoism, Dengism, Prachanda Path, Hoxhaism, Titoism, Eurocommunism, Luxemburgism, Council communism, Left-Communism. |
| Way of Change | Revolution, ostracism, boycotts, and strikes may be employed. | Government in a Communist-state is the agent of change rather than any market or desire on the part of consumers. Change by government can be swift or slow, depending on change in ideology or even whim. |
| Variations | Anarcho-communism, anarcho-syndicalism, social anarchism, individualist anarchism, anarchy-capitalism. | Left Anarchism, Council Communism, European Communism, Juche Communism, Marxism, National Communism, Pre-Marxist Communism, Primitive Communism, Religious Communism, International Communism. |
| Means of control | No state control. Ostracism, boycotts, and strikes may be employed. | Theoretically there is no state control. |
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