communism
a political ideology that advocates for public ownership of essential resources such as factories, farms, and mines in a society where wealth is divided equally among citizens. Envisioned by German philosopher Karl Marx in the nineteenth century, communism is seen as an ideological rival to Western capitalism; the contest between these ideologies was a central dynamic of the Cold War and the Korean War. The political ideology also contributed to the division of the Korean peninsula, with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) established in the North with the Soviet Union’s support and the U.S.-backed Republic of Korea (ROK) in the South.