The idea of communism

With the current crisis of capitalism the idea of an alternative – communism – is back on the agenda. Marx sees communism as a future historical stage that will arise out of the social and economic contradictions of capitalism. However, although capitalism is in crisis, there is no sign of the forces Marx believed would bring about its overthrow and create a new society. Writers like Badiou argue that communism will arise from a sudden and unpredictable `event’. I will discuss these different ideas of communism in the context of the present situation.