--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Communism is a society where each one…" description: "\"Communism is a society where each one works according to his abilities and gets according to his needs.\" — Pierre-Joseph Proudhon" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9a/pierre-joseph-proudhon-11634_ability_communism-is-a-society-where-each-one-wo_3168779.jpg" --- # Communism is a society where each one works according to… ![“Communism is a society where each one works according to his abilities and gets according to his needs.” quote by Pierre-Joseph Proudhon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9a/pierre-joseph-proudhon-11634_ability_communism-is-a-society-where-each-one-wo_3168779.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9a/pierre-joseph-proudhon-11634_ability_communism-is-a-society-where-each-one-wo_3168779.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9a/pierre-joseph-proudhon-11634_ability_communism-is-a-society-where-each-one-wo_3168779.jpg) > “Communism is a society where each one works according to his abilities and gets according to his needs.” [Pierre-Joseph Proudhon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-joseph-proudhon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A society should allocate work based on ability and distribute resources based on need. **In simple terms:** Work by skill, share by need. Key Takeaway Design systems that match talent to tasks and meet essential needs. Themes equality economics social justice Mood critical analytical Type political economic When to use this quote - policy design - community cooperatives - social welfare programs Key Concepts distribution need‑based allocation labor theory Questions to Reflect On - Can a need‑based system sustain innovation? - How to prevent free‑riding? A Different Perspective Balancing incentives with fairness can be complex. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Communism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communism/) [Society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/society/) ## Related quotes > [“...form each according to their abilities, to each according to their needs...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debt-the-frst-5-000-years-by-david-graeber/form-each-according-to-their-abilities-to-each-according-to-their/) Debt The Frst 5 000 Years by David Graeber > [From each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/from-each-according-to-his-abilities-to-each-according-to-his-needs/) [Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/) > [The classics of Marxism talked of communism as a society to which a modern society should aspire, a society truly fair, where the relations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-castro-espin/the-classics-of-marxism-talked-of-communism-as-a-society-to-which-a/) [Alejandro Castro Espin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-castro-espin/) > [Society works by putting opportunity and responsibility together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/society-works-by-putting-opportunity-and-responsibility-together/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [The only society that works today is also one founded on mutual respect, on a recognition that we have a responsibility collectively and individually,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/the-only-society-that-works-today-is-also-one-founded-on-mutual/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [I believe that if, at the end, according to our abilities we have done something to make others a little happier, and something to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/i-believe-that-if-at-the-end-according-to-our-abilities-we-have-done/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [The ruler should employ person in tasks according to their abilities because Knowers ( or the means ) and efficient employees make impossible tasks also possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chanakya/the-ruler-should-employ-person-in-tasks-according-to-their-abilities/) [Chanakya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chanakya/) > [“Everyone would work according to their abilities, and receive according to their needs’ turned out in practice into ‘everyone would work as little as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuval-noah-harari/everyone-would-work-according-to-their-abilities-and-receive/) [Yuval Noah Harari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuval-noah-harari/) > [I guess as far as leftists are concerned, the United States can't qualify as a 'cultured society' simply because we've actually created a society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-crowder/i-guess-as-far-as-leftists-are-concerned-the-united-states-can-t/) [Steven Crowder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-crowder/) > [I started out in anthropology, so to me how society works, how people put themselves together and make things work, has always been a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lucas/i-started-out-in-anthropology-so-to-me-how-society-works-how-people/) [George Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lucas/) > [Here in the U.K., our government is committed to building a society that works for everyone - not just a privileged few. 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Each has an interest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leland-stanford/each-individual-member-of-a-co-operative-society-works-with-that/) [Leland Stanford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leland-stanford/) > [Only when women wield power in significant numbers will we create a society that genuinely works for all women … that will be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-marie-slaughter/only-when-women-wield-power-in-significant-numbers-will-we-create-a/) [Anne-Marie Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-marie-slaughter/) ## More by Pierre-Joseph Proudhon > [When deeds speak, words are nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-joseph-proudhon/when-deeds-speak-words-are-nothing/) [Pierre-Joseph Proudhon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-joseph-proudhon/) > [In any given society the authority of man over man runs in inverse proportion to the intellectual development of that society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-joseph-proudhon/in-any-given-society-the-authority-of-man-over-man-runs-in-inverse/) [Pierre-Joseph Proudhon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-joseph-proudhon/) > [Communism is inequality, but not as property is. Property is exploitation of the weak by the strong. Communism is exploitation of the strong by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-joseph-proudhon/communism-is-inequality-but-not-as-property-is-property-is/) [Pierre-Joseph Proudhon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-joseph-proudhon/) > [ The faults of which we ask you \[God\] the remittance, it is you who make us commit them; the traps of which we implore… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-joseph-proudhon/the-faults-of-which-we-ask-you-god-the-remittance-it-is-you-who-make/) [Pierre-Joseph Proudhon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-joseph-proudhon/) > [Does it seem to you impossible to imagine anything more inextricable than the social contract, when you think of the frightful number of relations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-joseph-proudhon/does-it-seem-to-you-impossible-to-imagine-anything-more-inextricable/) [Pierre-Joseph Proudhon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-joseph-proudhon/) > [The proprietor, producing neither by his own labor nor by his implement, and receiving products in exchange for nothing, is either a parasite or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-joseph-proudhon/the-proprietor-producing-neither-by-his-own-labor-nor-by-his/) [Pierre-Joseph Proudhon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-joseph-proudhon/) > [The great are only great because we are on our knees. Let us rise!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-joseph-proudhon/the-great-are-only-great-because-we-are-on-our-knees-let-us-rise/) [Pierre-Joseph Proudhon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-joseph-proudhon/) > [The social revolution is seriously compromised if it comes through a political revolution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-joseph-proudhon/the-social-revolution-is-seriously-compromised-if-it-comes-through-a/) [Pierre-Joseph Proudhon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-joseph-proudhon/) > [Property is impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-joseph-proudhon/property-is-impossible/) [Pierre-Joseph Proudhon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-joseph-proudhon/) > [Justice is a faculty that may be developed. This development is what constitutes the education of the human race.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-joseph-proudhon/justice-is-a-faculty-that-may-be-developed-this-development-is-what/) [Pierre-Joseph Proudhon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-joseph-proudhon/) > [To be governed ... is to be watched, inspected, directed, indoctrinated, numbered, estimated, regulated, commanded, controlled, law-driven, preached at, spied upon, censured, checked, valued,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-joseph-proudhon/to-be-governed-is-to-be-watched-inspected-directed-indoctrinated/) [Pierre-Joseph Proudhon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-joseph-proudhon/) > [Communism--the first expression of the social nature--is the first term of social development--the thesis; property, the reverse of communism, is the second term--the antithesis.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-joseph-proudhon/communism-the-first-expression-of-the-social-nature-is-the-first-term/) [Pierre-Joseph Proudhon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-joseph-proudhon/) > [Democracy is nothing but the Tyranny of Majorities, the most abominable tyranny of all, for it is not based on the authority of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-joseph-proudhon/democracy-is-nothing-but-the-tyranny-of-majorities-the-most/) [Pierre-Joseph Proudhon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-joseph-proudhon/) > [“Of a real, true contract, on whatsoever subject, there is no vestige in Rousseau's book. To give an exact idea of his theory, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-joseph-proudhon/of-a-real-true-contract-on-whatsoever-subject-there-is-no-vestige-in/) [Pierre-Joseph Proudhon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-joseph-proudhon/) > [the government can do nothing for you. But you can do everything for yourselves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-joseph-proudhon/the-government-can-do-nothing-for-you-but-you-can-do-everything-for/) [Pierre-Joseph Proudhon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-joseph-proudhon/) [Explore all 57 Pierre-Joseph Proudhon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-joseph-proudhon/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Communism is a society where each one works according to his abilities and gets according to his needs.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Pierre-Joseph Proudhon" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-joseph-proudhon/communism-is-a-society-where-each-one-works-according-to-his/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ability" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-joseph-proudhon/communism-is-a-society-where-each-one-works-according-to-his/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9a/pierre-joseph-proudhon-11634_ability_communism-is-a-society-where-each-one-wo_3168779.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9a/pierre-joseph-proudhon-11634_ability_communism-is-a-society-where-each-one-wo_3168779.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9a/pierre-joseph-proudhon-11634_ability_communism-is-a-society-where-each-one-wo_3168779.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Communism is a society where each one works according to his abilities and gets according to his needs.” — Pierre-Joseph Proudhon", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Pierre-Joseph Proudhon", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-joseph-proudhon/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Communism is a society where each...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-joseph-proudhon/communism-is-a-society-where-each-one-works-according-to-his/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-joseph-proudhon/communism-is-a-society-where-each-one-works-according-to-his/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```