Scientific communism

Scientific communism (Russian: Научный коммунизм, Nauchny kommunizm), as one of three major elements of Marxism–Leninism, is "the science dealing with general socio-political laws and patterns, ways, forms and methods of changing society" along communist lines, according to the historical mission of the proletarian class (the socialist revolution); in other words, it is the science regarding the working-class struggle and the socialist revolution, about the "laws behind the building of socialism and communism, and about the world revolutionary process as a whole."[1] In a broader sense, scientific communism can refer to Marxism–Leninism as a whole; to the "scientific expression of the radical interests and objectives involved in the struggle of the working class."[1]

It was taught in the Soviet Union in all institutions of higher education and pursued in the corresponding research institutions and departments.[2] The term was treated by Soviet authorities as synonymous with the scientific socialism of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, while incorporating the theories of Vladimir Lenin and the Communist Party. The discipline consisted in investigation of laws, patterns, ways and forms of class struggle, and socialist revolution, as well as the development of socialism and construction of communism.

Overview

Passing exams in scientific communism was an obligatory prerequisite in obtaining any postgraduate scientific degree in the Soviet Union, i.e., Candidate of Sciences. Typical courses of study included the following topics, among others:

• Origins and development of the communist theory
• Theory of socialist revolution
• International communist movement
• Dictatorship of the proletariat
• Transformation of socialism into communism
• Democratic centralism
• Communist interpersonal relations and upbringing
• Criticisms of anti-communism

Other components of Marxism–Leninism:

• Marxist–Leninist philosophy, subdivided into dialectical materialism and historical materialism
• Political economy, subdivided into the political economy of capitalism and political economy of socialism

References

1. A Dictionary of Scientific Communism. Moscow: Progress Publishers (1984). p. 212.
2. Oznobkina, Elena (28 October 2013). "Scientific Communism (Nauchnyi kommunizm)". Encyclopaedia of Contemporary Russian. Routledge. p. 548. ISBN 9781136787867.

Further reading

• A Dictionary of Scientific Communism (1984)
• What Is Scientific Communism? (1985)
• Scientific Communism (1986)