What is Communism?

What is the difference between socialism, marxism, and communism?

• I understand so far that, at least Marx thought, socialism was the sort of imperfect form of communism, although in other articles I've found it says that socialism leads to Marxism? From what I know right now, starting out studying these systems, Marxism is the thought process of the evolution of a society and how capitalism will lead to socialism etc. etc.But also, did Marx outline what communism was? I know he referred to it and outlined socialism, but did he come up with communism ideas, or did people like Lenin take his socialist ideas and form what we know as communism?What is Marxism supposed to refer to?What is the most generally accepted definition of communism?]What is the definition of non-soviet/authoritarian communism?And finally, what is the difference between socialism and communism? (Past a marxist view)

• Answer:

  They are represented to be economic systems but are in fact political systems. All are based on government by fiat and citizens existing only to perform the government's wishes. All political systems eventually degenerate to the same authoritarian model, so it is really only a distraction trying to figure out exactly how they were (past tense) supposed to operate.