Collectivism

Collectivism is a set of beliefs and practices concerning group activities that is usually based on group ownership of capital. It can take the form of corporations or communes.

Many political systems are based on a form of collectivism known as corporatism. Marxism and fascism regard people with reference to their supposed economic class. Nationalism regards people with reference to their nationality.

Typically, political collectivists hold that different groups have competing interests, and that the individual's interests and characteristics are in fact tied up with the interests and characteristics of his or her group. Differences between groups are considered significant, while differences between individuals within groups, to the extent that they are acknowledged at all, are considered unimportant. This line of reasoning, anti-collectivists allege, often leads to the suppression of individual rights, which are sacrificed for the alleged good of the group.

Collectivism is also the name of a free magazine for Wolverhampton; see Collectivism (magazine).