PRIMITIVE COMMUNISM: CHARACTERISTICS, ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES - ECONOMY - 2025

The primitive communism or primitive mode of production is the first mode of production in human history, in which all community members have and share the basic livelihoods. It is a concept that originates from Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels.

These thinkers argued that hunter-gatherer societies were traditionally based on egalitarian social relationships and common property. Primitive communism preceded all other modes of production and marked the rise of society, from pure animalism to human society.

Ox-drawn plow, Egypt, 1200 BC C.

In Marx's model of socio-economic structures, societies with primitive communism did not have hierarchical structures of social class or capital accumulation. Engels offered the first detailed theoretical vision of early communism in 1884, with the publication of his book The Origin of the Family, Private Property and the State.

Therefore, primitive communism is a collective right to basic resources in a social relationship, such as society or family, without any authoritarian regime.

Characteristics of early communism

In a primitive communist society all physically fit people are engaged in obtaining food. The whole community shares the food that is obtained by hunting, fishing or gathering.

Productive deficiency

Primitive communism does not produce a surplus; everything that is produced daily is quickly consumed to keep the members of society alive.

The labor force is not very productive and does not create any product above what is strictly necessary. The equal distribution of the scarce food among the members of the communes put them all on the same level.

There is no private ownership of the means of production

This means that the means of production - such as land, tools, and weapons - belong to the community, except for strictly personal property, such as clothing or personal items.

What was owned for a long time, such as tools and housing, were also owned by the community.

Lack of specialization

The lack of specialization is due to the fact that everyone in society does the same jobs together. Works carried out include tool-making, fruit picking, shelter preparation, hunting, and fishing.

Division of labour

There is a division of labor in which men carry out much of their activities hunting, while women participate in gathering food.

However, there is no division of labor in other aspects, such as leadership, since both men and women participate to the same extent in decision-making.

Pregnant women or those who breastfeed their babies are protected from the dangers of hunting to preserve the next generation.

Production ratio

In primitive communism the tools of work were so primitive that people could not fight alone against the forces of nature and wild animals. That is why they lived in groups or communities and their mode of production (hunting and fishing) was exercised jointly.

Inflection point

The domestication of animals and plants after the Neolithic revolution, through herding and agriculture, is seen as the turning point from primitive communism to a class society, as it was followed by private property and slavery, with the inequality they implied.

In addition, a large part of the population began to specialize in different activities, such as artisan manufacturing, culture, philosophy and science, which led to the development of social classes.

Advantage

A complete democracy

Democracy was perceived mainly because all members of the community participate in all decision-making to reach the corresponding solutions, regardless of their gender.

Lack of exploitation

In the primitive mode of production there are neither exploiters nor exploited, since there is total equality in the production functions carried out by all members.

Well-designed jobs

The same occupations are transmitted from one generation to another. Therefore, job roles are specifically designed and assigned in advance. This way there is less confusion and everyone is clear about what they are assigned to do.

Respect for the environment

There is no impact on the environment. The waste produced is almost nil and there is an adequate distribution of the resources obtained.

A tribe and its property form a kind of unit originated from the mode of production, where individuals relate to each other and to nature.

Disadvantages

Low level of development

There is a very low level of development. There is no surplus in what is produced. Everything that is produced is to be consumed almost immediately, not for other purposes.

With limited needs and undeveloped, the main motto of the members of a primitive communism is survival. Much of your daily efforts are dedicated to meeting and meeting your basic needs. Producing more than that is difficult; therefore, the standard of living is low.

Very simple production

When the population of the community increases, a new community forms on a vacant lot. Production is governed by tradition, rather than by leadership or markets.

This simplicity in the mode of production provides the key to the secret of the persistence of these primitive societies, which lasted hundreds of thousands of years.

Because there is no advancement in infrastructure, instances of succumbing to death are higher due to disease and animal attacks.

Very limited needs

The needs to be met by individuals in the community are very limited. All that is produced is for use in strict day-to-day survival. It does not seek to satisfy other more "spiritual" human needs.

This created a society that lasted for hundreds of thousands of years in the same way. There was no progress or evolution of the human being that led him to dominate nature. He only took from nature what it offered him in a very basic and elemental way.

Articles of interest

What are the modes of production?

Asian production mode.

Slave production mode.

Feudal mode of production.

Capitalist mode of production.

Socialist mode of production.

References

1. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (2018). Primitive communism. Taken from: en.wikipedia.org.
2. Jhon Misachi (2017). What Is Primitive Communism? World Atlas. Taken from: worldatlas.com.
3. History Reference Notes (2015). Characteristics of Primitive Communalism Mode of Production. Taken from: historyreferencenotes.blogspot.com.
4. Encyclopedia (2008). Communism, Primitive. Taken from: encyclopedia.com.

Sociology.com (2015). Ancient or Primitive Communal Mode of Production. Taken from: socialscienc.blogspot.com.