Communism’s False Promises Stem from Its Amorality
by Nora D. Clinton
February 2026
Communist ideologues promise a global utopia without states, private property, marriage, or religion, whereby everyone would live blissfully, receiving “according to his needs” and contributing “according to his abilities.” This utopia was envisioned as the final stage of communism, preceded by dictatorship of the proletariat and socialism. When I was a child in communist Bulgaria in the 1970s, we were supposedly living in the “developed socialism” stage and expecting “communism” to arrive shortly thereafter, though its ETA kept changing.
To be accepted at university, one had to pass a “Marxism-Leninism” exam. One of the exam questions was to describe the stages of communism. A naïve student once wrote: “Eventually, socialism will also die out, to the joy of all peace-loving people on the planet.” The student meant that socialism would ultimately give way to “pure” communism according to the doctrine. His prophetic answer, however, became secretly circulated and uplifted millions suffering under communist serfdom.
False promises are fully consistent with communist theory and practice. Communists categorically reject any objective truth or morality. Only concepts that promote their interests at any given moment are deemed moral or true. Lenin elaborated:
Communism seeks total power and control. Its goal is to annihilate the existing order, regardless of the consequences. Marx advocated for “ruthless criticism of all that exists … both in the sense of not being afraid of the results it arrives at and in the sense of being just as little afraid of conflict with the powers that be.” [3]
Communism promised universal freedom, prosperity, and happiness. It delivered instead ubiquitous slavery, starvation, and misery.
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Nora D. Clinton is a Research Scholar at the Legal Insurrection Foundation. She was born and raised in Sofia, Bulgaria. She holds a PhD in Classics and has published extensively on ancient documents on stone. In 2020, she authored the popular memoir Quarantine Reflections Across Two Worlds. Nora is a co-founder of two partner charities dedicated to academic cooperation and American values. She lives in Northern Virginia with her husband and son.
[1] Address to the Third Congress of the Russian Young Communist League, October 2, 1920; Gary Saul Morson Ph.D.: Thinking Like Lenin
[2] Fereira, Paulo. “Socialists and the Führer: A Match Made in Hell” Mises Wire, January 13, 2025.
[3] Letter: Marx to Ruge (1843)
by Nora D. Clinton
February 2026
Communist ideologues promise a global utopia without states, private property, marriage, or religion, whereby everyone would live blissfully, receiving “according to his needs” and contributing “according to his abilities.” This utopia was envisioned as the final stage of communism, preceded by dictatorship of the proletariat and socialism. When I was a child in communist Bulgaria in the 1970s, we were supposedly living in the “developed socialism” stage and expecting “communism” to arrive shortly thereafter, though its ETA kept changing.
To be accepted at university, one had to pass a “Marxism-Leninism” exam. One of the exam questions was to describe the stages of communism. A naïve student once wrote: “Eventually, socialism will also die out, to the joy of all peace-loving people on the planet.” The student meant that socialism would ultimately give way to “pure” communism according to the doctrine. His prophetic answer, however, became secretly circulated and uplifted millions suffering under communist serfdom.
False promises are fully consistent with communist theory and practice. Communists categorically reject any objective truth or morality. Only concepts that promote their interests at any given moment are deemed moral or true. Lenin elaborated:
- We say that our morality is entirely subordinated to the interests of the class struggle of the proletariat.
- We repudiate all morality derived from non-human and non-class concepts. [1]
Communism seeks total power and control. Its goal is to annihilate the existing order, regardless of the consequences. Marx advocated for “ruthless criticism of all that exists … both in the sense of not being afraid of the results it arrives at and in the sense of being just as little afraid of conflict with the powers that be.” [3]
Communism promised universal freedom, prosperity, and happiness. It delivered instead ubiquitous slavery, starvation, and misery.
___________________
Nora D. Clinton is a Research Scholar at the Legal Insurrection Foundation. She was born and raised in Sofia, Bulgaria. She holds a PhD in Classics and has published extensively on ancient documents on stone. In 2020, she authored the popular memoir Quarantine Reflections Across Two Worlds. Nora is a co-founder of two partner charities dedicated to academic cooperation and American values. She lives in Northern Virginia with her husband and son.
[1] Address to the Third Congress of the Russian Young Communist League, October 2, 1920; Gary Saul Morson Ph.D.: Thinking Like Lenin
[2] Fereira, Paulo. “Socialists and the Führer: A Match Made in Hell” Mises Wire, January 13, 2025.
[3] Letter: Marx to Ruge (1843)