What does anticommunism mean?
Anticommunism is opposition to communism — the political and economic ideology associated with Karl Marx that calls for collective ownership of the means of production and, ultimately, a classless society. As a noun, anticommunism names both a broad ideological stance and the concrete policies, campaigns, and movements built around resisting communism, whether through argument, legislation, espionage, or military action. It became a defining force of twentieth-century politics: it animated the White Russian resistance after the Russian Revolution, underpinned fascist movements in Europe, and served as the organizing principle of Western foreign policy during the Cold War, most visibly in containment, NATO, and domestic loyalty programs such as those associated with Senator Joseph McCarthy. The word carries different connotations depending on context — for some it evokes defense of liberal democracy, for others repression and persecution of dissenters. Related terms include the adjective 'anticommunist,' describing individuals or actions opposed to communism.
nounOpposition to communism, especially as a political ideology, movement, or policy directed against communist states, parties, or ideas.
- The political ideology or movement of opposing communism in general.
- Specific government policies or campaigns aimed at suppressing communist parties, movements, or states (e.g. during the Cold War).
"Senator McCarthy's anticommunism shaped American politics throughout the early 1950s."
"Postwar anticommunism in the United States led to loyalty oaths and blacklists across government and Hollywood."
"Pope John Paul II's visits to Poland were widely credited with bolstering anticommunism across Eastern Europe."
Rarely pluralized; the plural appears only in academic contexts comparing distinct national or historical varieties of anticommunism.
"Historians have documented markedly different anticommunisms in postwar France and the United States."
At the height of McCarthyism, simply being accused of communist sympathies could end a career — anticommunism became so powerful it was called America's 'second Red Scare.'
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of anticommunism
The word anticommunism is formed by prefixing 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti,' meaning 'against') to 'communism,' which derives from Latin 'communis' ('common, shared'). 'Communism' itself entered English in the mid-nineteenth century amid socialist debates in France and Britain, and compounds with 'anti-' appeared shortly afterward as opposition to the new ideology organized politically. Cognates sharing the same root include socialism, Marxism, and Bolshevism, all built on related roots describing collective or revolutionary doctrines.
Related word forms
How anticommunism is actually used
Anticommunism is a formal political term used mainly in historical and political analysis. Its connotation varies by context: in Western Cold War historiography it is often treated neutrally as a descriptive label, while some writers distinguish 'responsible' anticommunism from demagogic or repressive forms such as McCarthyism. The hyphenated spelling 'anti-communism' is also common and equally acceptable.
Easily confused with anticommunism
Communism is the ideology advocating a classless, stateless society with common ownership; anticommunism is the opposition to that ideology.
'Anti-communist' is an adjective describing a person or stance opposed to communism, while 'anticommunism' is the noun naming the opposition itself.