Final answer:
In a communist economy, the government owns and regulates all aspects of the economy, making it a command or planned economy. They control means of production, decide on products, production methods, and set prices, with the goal of creating an equal society free from exploitation.
Step-by-step explanation:
The role of the government in a communist economy is best defined by option a: the government owns and regulates all aspects of the economy. In such an economy, also known as a command economy or planned economy, the government has direct ownership and control over all means of production.
This includes owning or controlling factories, setting production goals, deciding on the types and quantities of goods produced, and determining their prices.
Furthermore, in practice, this means that the government decides on the methods of production, sets wages for workers, and can even provide necessities like healthcare and education for free. The concept of a command economy stands in contrast to a market economy, where individuals and businesses own resources and determine production through decentralized decision-making coordinated by markets.
Examples of countries with command economies include Cuba and North Korea, where the government makes economic decisions instead of businesses and individuals. The aim is to create an equal society by preventing exploitation and inequality.