Classical Marxist socialism made four major claims: Capitalism is exploitative: The rich enslave the poor; it is brutally competitive domestically and imperialistic inter-nationally. Socialism, by contrast, is humane and peaceful: People share, are equal, and cooperative. Capitalism is ultimately less productive than socialism: The rich get richer, the poor get poorer; and the ensuing class conflict will cause capitalism’s collapse in the end. Socialist economies, by contrast, will be more productive and usher in a new era of prosperity.
