collectivism

/kəˌlɛktəˈvɪzəm/

Other forms: collectivisms

Collectivism is a political theory associated with communism. More broadly, it is the idea that people should prioritize the good of society over the welfare of the individual.

Collectivism — so closely related to the word collection — has to do with political theories that put the group before the individual. In a collectivist system, power should be in the hands of the people as a whole, not in the hands of a few powerful folks. Collectivism is the opposite of individualism. Ideally, in a collectivist society, decisions benefit all the people. This is a difficult idea to put into practice, as seen in the attempted collectivist society of Soviet communism.

Definitions of collectivism

1. noun

   a political theory that the people should own the means of production
   type of:

   ideology, political orientation, political theory

   an orientation that characterizes the thinking of a group or nation
2. noun

   Soviet communism
   synonyms: Bolshevism, sovietism

   types:

   revisionism

   a moderate evolutionary form of Marxism

   revisionism

   any dangerous departure from the teachings of Marx

   type of:

   communism

   a form of socialism that abolishes private ownership