Or Is That Just Capitalist Propaganda?
You’ve probably heard it before: “Communism doesn’t breed individuals.” It’s a go-to jab for anyone trying to defend capitalism as the champion of freedom, creativity, and self-expression.
But let’s stop and ask: Is that actually true? Or is it just one of those lazy talking points that people repeat without thinking?
The Claim:
Critics of communism love to say it crushes individualism. They’ll tell you it turns everyone into drones, serving the collective and losing all sense of self. No more art. No more weirdos. Just gray buildings and gray people, all saying the same thing in perfect unison.
Scary, right?
The Reality:
1. Not All Communism Is Stalin in a Bad Mood
There’s no single “communism.” What people usually mean is authoritarian state socialism—like Stalinism. But that’s not the whole story.
There’s also:
Libertarian socialism, which emphasizes radical freedom through collective liberation.
Anarcho-communism, which fights both capitalism and the state.
Council communism, where power is decentralized and workers run everything directly.
Not exactly hive mind territory.
2. Marx Wasn’t Anti-Individual
Marx’s whole project was about freeing people from wage slavery and letting them develop into full human beings. He didn’t hate individuality—he hated a system that forced you to sell your life by the hour just to survive.
“In communist society… the free development of each is the condition for the free development of all.” – Karl Marx
That doesn’t sound like someone who wants to erase you. It sounds like someone who wants you to have time to actually be you.
3. Capitalism Doesn’t “Breed Individuals” Either
Let’s be real. Under capitalism, your so-called “individuality” often boils down to which brand you consume or how well you perform on social media. You’re free to express yourself—as long as it sells. You can “be yourself,” but only if you can afford the entry fee.
Capitalism sells individuality the way fast food sells happiness: brightly packaged, deeply hollow.
4. Socialist Cultures Produced a Lot of “Individuals”
Ever heard of Dostoevsky? Eisenstein? Mayakovsky? Hell, even the Red Army Choir slaps. The USSR may have been authoritarian, but it wasn’t artistically sterile. And outside of the USSR, there were experiments like anarchist Catalonia and Yugoslavia that explicitly encouraged creativity and local autonomy.
Individuality didn’t die—it evolved.
Does authoritarian communism sometimes suppress individuality? Yes.
Does capitalism do the same, just with better marketing? Also yes.
The truth is: The system that actually supports individuality is the one that liberates you from economic coercion. That might be socialism. That might be anarchism. But it sure as hell isn’t wage slavery in a hoodie.
So next time someone says “Communism kills individuality,” ask them:
Does your job let you be yourself? Or just sell a version of yourself that keeps the shareholders happy?
Sisyphus Shrugged 