Though these terms are often used interchangeably, they are technically distinct. England is a country that shares a land mass with Wales and Scotland. The United Kingdom is formed by England; Ireland, an island country just off the coast of England; and Wales. The term United Kingdom can be substituted for the term Britain. When discussing Britain in the sense that it includes countries that it retains in some sort of colonial capacity, such as Canada, Australia, and many minor countries and territories, then the correct term for this aggregate is the British Commonwealth. In the British Commonwealth countries, the head of state is the King, or Queen, of England. That said, in most Commonwealth countries today, quasi-independent governments take care of most day-to-day affairs.

Communism, a political ideology credited to Karl Marx, derives its name from the word commune, which refers to working together for the greater good, with no one individual benefitting more than anyone else. In its basic form, communism advocates for a classless society in which wealth is divided equally among citizens or according to individual need. Property, as well as means of production, is publicly owned. Communism is thus diametrically opposed to capitalism, in which private ownership of property and means of production leads to unequal wealth distribution and the inevitable emergence of classes.