Communism was a response to the harsh conditions of industrial capitalism on urban working classes. It proposed a new economic and social vision that it argued would eliminate social inequality.

The Pyramid of the Capitalist System is a provocative illustration of the hierarchical system of capitalist rule in America. In this colored portrait, the artist depicts the multiple tiers of working class oppression. At the top of the pyramid sits the state, which serves the interests of the ruling class and functions under capitalism as the protector of private wealth and property. Below the state stand the religious leaders, clergymen, and preachers who encourage obedience to and acceptance of the status quo, and for the working masses to accept their ordained fate. The next level is that of the police and military and their objective is not the protection of "the people," but rather the protection of capital from "the people." Beneath the military sit the the bourgeoisie, who exploit the toilers of the world & profit by their labor power. Beneath it all, bearing the weight of the entire system, are the workers who produce all things fundamental to the perpetuation of life and the continuation of this system. Thus, in addition to illustrating the multi-layered oppression and exploitation of workers, this image also begs the question, "what would happen to capitalism if the workers simply withdrew their support?"