other than a kibbutz in isreal, these are the best examples of communism out there over the years so in a nut shell it does not work.
Communism is a system of government where all the property is public and the government owns and controls the manufacturing and transportation industries. People share equally from the benefits of labor and they receive the things they need from the government.

Communism in Current Times
The advent of modern day communism started during the Russian Civil War (1918-1922) when the Bolsheviks pulled all productive property such as factories, mines and railroads under government control. Russia and the Bolsheviks are part of history; but, communism lives on in many countries.

Communist Structure and Activities
In Cuba the hospitals, medical professionals, medicines and medical supplies are all under the control of the Cuban government.
In North Korea the farmland, workers and food distribution are all under the control of the North Korean government.
In China in the 1950s, Mao developed the "Great Leap Forward" which pushed farmers into communes, took their land and forced them into slave labor.
In China today the government controls a highly successful manufacturing industry which generates profits for the government through the export of electronics, toys and other consumer goods.
Communist Countries
China - Mao Zedong took control in China in 1949 and named China the People's Republic of China. At that point it became a communist country and is ruled by the Communist Party of China.
Cuba - Fidel Castro took over the government of Cuba with the revolution in 1959. It became totally communistic by 1961, is ruled by the Communist Party of Cuba and became close to the Soviet Union after 1961.
Laos - Laos has been communistic since 1975 and its official name is the Lao People's Democratic Republic. The revolution in 1975 was supported by Vietnam and the Soviet Union. Laos is ruled by the Lao People's Revolutionary Party.
North Korea - During World War II, Korea was taken over by the Japanese and after the war, it was divided into Soviet North Korea and American South Korea. In 1948, North Korea became a communist country.
Vietnam - After the First Indochina War, Vietnam was divided. North Vietnam became communistic and South Vietnam became democratic. North Vietnam was supported by the Soviet Union and South Vietnam was supported by the United States. The two were unified in 1976 and it is now a communistic country, ruled by the Communist Party of Vietnam.