Lack of economic freedom is the most serious disadvantage of communism. This leads to a severe shortage in the number of consumer products available, whether they are pharmaceuticals, automobiles, or anything in between.

Although Marx never mentioned limits to freedom of speech or freedom of movement, almost all communist governments have been totalitarian regimes that refused to allow its people to leave their countries, or even move freely within them. Most communist countries forbade freedom of speech and harshly punished any dissenters. These are some of the reasons why almost all of the communist regimes of the world have fallen.

The People's Republic of China is an exception. However, it should be noted that, over the past 30 years, the Chinese have introduced a version of capitalism into their society which they insist is compatible with a special Chinese version of communism.