Communism works superbly on a small scale Steve. The problems come when it's applied to a larger nation of many people.
If you study pre-Roman history the Bronze Age was the happiest and healthiest period of British history. Archeaological remains show that everyone was healthy, had a good diet and all communities were prosperous and peaceful. When you look at Bronze Age society you realise it's almost perfect Communism. Copper formed the base of the national economy, there was little personal property, all land in Britain was worked communally with all communities lived in peace with each other.
Then the Iron Age was ushered in with the introduction of iron from southern Europe and that led to the immediate collapse of copper as the base of personal wealth as well as British and European trade. Wealth became measured in possession of land and property which continues today. That led to the wars of the Iron Age and communities being divided into armed camps who raided each other whenever they could. The world still lives in that form of self-centred society today.
Communism only starts to fail and people start to die when it's applied on a larger scale.