Which ideology was central to the policies of the Soviet Union during the 20th century?

The ideology central to the policies of the Soviet Union during the 20th century was communism. This political and economic ideology, developed from the ideas of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, advocates for a classless system in which the means of production are owned communally. In the Soviet Union, communism formed the foundation of the state’s policies and governance, aiming to eliminate private ownership and establish a society where wealth and resources are distributed equally among all citizens.

Under the leadership of figures like Vladimir Lenin and Joseph Stalin, the Soviet Union implemented policies that included state control over the economy, collectivization of agriculture, and suppression of political dissent. These practices were intended to create a classless society as envisioned in communist theory. The Soviet model emphasized central planning and the idea that the state would lead the transition to full communism by controlling all aspects of economic and social life.

In contrast, democracy, capitalism, and fascism represented fundamentally different political and economic systems. Democracy emphasizes individual freedoms and electoral governance, capitalism promotes private ownership and free markets, and fascism advocates for authoritarianism and nationalistic policies. These ideologies do not align with the core principles that drove the policies and implementation of communism in the Soviet Union.