In theory, a Communist state should have no government at all because all property is collectively owned. But in practice, Communist countries often operate under single-party rule where the state controls all major aspects of life — including the economy, media, education, and even personal freedoms.

Key features include:

• Centralized economic planning (no free market)

• Limited political freedom

• Equal distribution of basic needs (in theory)

• Suppression of dissent to maintain control

Examples of current or former Communist states include:

• Soviet Union (USSR) – the first Communist state, formed after the Russian Revolution in 1917.

• People's Republic of China – established in 1949 under Mao Zedong.

• Cuba – became Communist after Fidel Castro’s revolution in 1959.

• North Korea – under the rule of the Kim family since 1948.