True, but I just think it would be too generous not to hold Plato somewhat accountable, as there can be no doubt that Marx was a fan of the Republic.
Rice paddy farming and what's required to be successful at it would seem to preclude the idea of communism ever arising in Asia. The plots are tiny, and to increase the yield requires year round, laborious, technical work. The ground has to be perfectly level, the water level has to be just right, etc., and the more exact you are setting things up, the more rice you get. It's not something you can succeed at with slave labor, i.e. European style serfdom. Feudal lords in Asia allowed their tenants to keep whatever surplus they could get out of their tiny plot, as allowing for profit was the only way to ensure the skilled labor required for an adequate harvest.
Edit:
Just to emphasize the point, with European style serfdom, along with the landlord keeping nearly all the wealth, there were long off seasons when no one worked. In the winter everyone pretty much hunkered down indoors sleeping and relaxing. One of the ideals of communism is that when the work is done, you get to relax and engage in recreation. Compare that to the Chinese proverb that goes "No one who rises before dawn 360 days a year can fail to make his family rich."
