Although communism is a major political force in the modern world, there are very few books offering a comprehensive, up-to-date introduction to communist theory and practice. This book at last fills the gap by comparing communist theory with the diverse practices of more than twenty states under communist rule. Setting his discussions within a clear, comparative, and thematic framework, Leslie Holmes begins by examining the classic and most influential theories of communism - those of Marx, Engels, Stalin, and Mao. He then discusses how communists take and maintain power, the people and processes behind both legitimate and illegitimate politics in the different systems, the relations between communist states, and various approaches to the study and understanding of politics in the communist world.