Words Matter
A plain-language glossary for the words that shape public life.
Political Systems & Ideologies
Government structures and political philosophies that shape how power is distributed, who makes decisions, and how authority is justified. These terms are often used loosely. This section pins down their actual meanings and explains how they function in practice.
Communism
A political and economic ideology envisioning a classless society with collective ownership of the means of production. In theory, wealth and power would be distributed based on need rather than market forces or private property. In practice, regimes identifying as communist have often centralized authority in a single party-state.