Communist International

The Communist International, often called the Comintern, was an international organization that brought together communist parties from different countries. An international organization is a group made up of members from many nations. The Communist International was founded in 1919, shortly after the Russian Revolution. Its main office was in Moscow, which was the capital of Soviet Russia and later the Soviet Union.

The creation of the Communist International was closely connected to the Russian Revolution of 1917. In that revolution, the Bolsheviks took control of Russia. The Bolsheviks were led by Vladimir Lenin. They believed that workers in many countries would also rise up and change their governments. The Communist International was formed to support and coordinate these movements. To coordinate means to organize activities so they work together.

The Communist International included political parties from Europe, Asia, the Americas, and other regions. These parties were called communist parties because they followed communist ideas. Communism is a political and economic system where major industries and land are owned by the state. Member parties were expected to follow the general direction set by the Communist International. This often meant following decisions made by leaders in Moscow.

The organization held meetings called congresses. At these congresses, delegates from different countries discussed plans and policies. A delegate is a person chosen to represent a group. The Communist International also issued instructions and guidelines to its member parties. These instructions covered topics such as organization, discipline, and political strategy. Over time, the rules became stricter, and member parties had less independence.

During the 1920s and 1930s, the Communist International became more closely controlled by the Soviet government. Joseph Stalin, who became the leader of the Soviet Union after Lenin, had strong influence over the organization. Many decisions reflected Soviet foreign policy, which means the way a country deals with other countries. Some communist parties outside the Soviet Union followed these directions closely, while others faced difficulties because of them.

In 1943, during World War II, the Communist International was officially dissolved. To dissolve means to formally end an organization. The Soviet government announced that the organization was no longer needed. After its dissolution, communist parties continued to exist in many countries, but they were no longer part of a single international organization. The Communist International remains an important part of early twentieth-century political history.