"From each according to his ability, to each according to his need (or needs). [This was a slogan popularised by Karl Marx in his 1875, 'Critique of the Gotha Program'... The origin of this idea has been attributed to the French communist Morelly, who proposed in his 1755 'Code of Nature' - 'Sacred and Fundamental Laws that would tear out the roots of vice and of all the evils of a society' including: - I. Nothing in society will belong to anyone, either as a personal possession or as capital goods, except the things for which the person has immediate use, for either his needs, his pleasures, or his daily work. - II. Every citizen will be a public man, sustained by, supported by, and occupied at the public expense. - III. Every citizen will make his particular contribution to the activities of the community according to his capacity, his talent and his age"

Author: Karl Marx

Notes: Father of Communism and author of the 'Communist Manifesto'. Quote from his 1875, 'Critique of the Gotha Program'. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/From_each_according_to_his_ability,_to_each_according_to_his_need ]