a broad ideology stemming from the teachings of nineteenth century scholars Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. Although their work has influenced the development of a wide range of theories, the centerpiece is the view that social change must occur through a violent revolution of working class individuals against the wealthy elite. Marxist interpretations of class relations are a core feature of communism, which fueled the political thinking of several famed leaders throughout the twentieth century. These include the Soviet leader Joseph Stalin and the Chinese leader Mao Zedong.