Communism in America?

Communism still exists in the world today, China and North Korea are the most notable. Communism is most commonly known as central planning, every part of the economy is controlled by the government. Under pure communism, the means of production are "owned" by the workers. Karl Marx is often thought of as the father of communism, after all he wrote the Communist Manifesto. Karl Marx was the author of the Communist Manifesto, but not the only contributor, Engels helped, in fact the communist groups throughout Europe helped to influence the writing of the Manifesto. Communism is based on community ownership, when the unhappy working class joins up with the unhappy middle class, they can rise up against the ruling class and take community ownership of the means of production. Karl Marx, unlike most of the other revolutionary communists, believed that a communist society must be built on the ashes of a capitalist society and that an elite ruling class must be set up to monitor the community ownership. A ruling class, isn't that just what they overthrew? Marx also has the most famous quote relating to communism, which is "from each according to his ability to each according to his needs". Take a good look at that statement. From each according to his ability, so the ruling elite will take everything I labor for, if you're an intelligent or hard working person, you don't get to keep the fruits of your labor. There is no incentive to strive towards, why work hard, you don't get to keep it. To each according to his needs, so regardless of what you contribute, you get enough to survive. So everything you make is taken from those who produce and redistributed to based solely on need. What's the point in contributing to society? You will be taken care of by the others.

Karl Marx created a test to see if a country has become communist, it's called the 10 planks of communism and just for giggles, let's see what they are. It will all tie in later.

1. Abolition of private property
2. Heavy progressive income tax
3. Abolition of all rights of inheritance
4. Confiscation of property of rebels and immigrants
5. Centralization of credit in the hands of the state
6. Centralization of communications and transportation
7. Factories and instruments of production owned by the state
8. Equal liability of labor
9. Combination of agriculture and manufacturing industries, distribution of population over country
10. Free education for children, combine education with industrial production

Could any of those things listed above be happening in America? Are any of them happening in America now?