Communism

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How do you guys feel about it?yeah that was pretty broad but I was doing a critical review on Karl Marx, Nikolai Lenin, and Joseph Stalin and... they're pretty um...special. especially for putting Russia through so much. just wanted to know what you guys thought about it.

Are you asking what we think about Communism? This isnt so much what I think but just fact, It doesnt work. I think that Marx had an idea that makes sense on paper. However, after being proven time adn time again, it just doesnt work. Look at the nations that were and still are run by a communist govt. They are either in or just now recovering from being total poverty and dissorder. And the majority of the people that live in these places run by communism hate it. Cuba for instance. People die constantl just trying to get out of the country. I know they have a terrible dictator in charge which only helps there decision to get out, but even if he was a good guy, they would still be living in poverty. The Communist style of govt. just doesnt work. So thats my rant about it anyways.

China has been doing remarkably well under a communist government, but perhaps it is a 'softer' communism (as it certainly is in Vietnam, where most businesses seem to be privately owned).Part of the problem is you have to define what you mean by 'communism'. Do you mean communal ownership of all property? Of only the means of production? Of only large industries?The problem with Soviet-style communism was central running of a large economy. This doesn't work well, because the planners are too distant from the producers, and the data gets falsified, distorted and garbled between them for local political reasons. Also innovation tends to get stifled and change is discouraged, so changes are not coped with well. I don't know how China is avoiding these problems - that would be an interesting study.It may be possible to have communism while rejecting central detailed control; perhaps even having 'bottom-up' decision-making. I'm not sure if this has ever been attempted on a large scale.My biggest problem with Marxist economics is that by valuing products only by the labour required for their manufacture, it does not put a premium on rarity.

Yes China is a communist state. And yes China is one of the leading world powers today. But in reality, China doesnt really run completely under the communist regime. The state only owns about 30% of the major companies in China. Whilst the rest are privately owned. And the Chinese govt. is slowly relinquishing its dominance of the banks aswell. Now it might be "communist" but they're moving away from the communist thinking because they know that independantly owned buisnesses are vital to a nations survival. So that also helps show that communism doesnt work.

Quote:The Vietnam War broke the back of Communism, I would disagree with that for historical reasons. The Vietcong did take over Saigon, and the U.S. did lose. And Vietnam is still a Communist country.What "broke the back" of Communism was the fact that people living in Communist states began to question whether if communally (sp) based society was any benefit to them.This is to anyone in general: please don't tell me that Reagan or The Pope had anything to do with the fall of Communism. If anything they gave "moral" and rhetorical support.

communism, like capatalism, is a fine idea that fall apart when you add humans to the recipe.I've always been quite amused at how frightening communism is to America.

quite unexpected, never thought it would be a topic here. i have grown to simply answer about these questions by saying that communism is practically impossible to achieve. by definition, it is the taking of all prioperties under the power of the people. althought this sounds quite democratic, the lack of individualism is what brings down this ideology. anyhow, the relinquishing of private properties is what fidel castro did. in the beginning he was a hero, and things got pretty good because we were in the shadow of the soviet union. after the fall of the soviet union, the regime has been declining. cuba needs the help of other countries. now the regime is being sustained by Hugo Chavez. the united states government and all the presidents have enjoyed the phrase of "spreading democracy". why don't we invade and restore democracy to cuba? or china? it is all hypocracy......for those people born here that praise governments like cuba, and are in loved with this idea that is working, well, they are for a rude awakening.

the folley of communism is easily described in the parable of the 2 Russion farmers...

Boris: Vlad, explain to me this communism.

Vlad: It's a simple and beautiful system, Boris, where all men have equal wealth.

Boris: How so?

Vlad: Simple... If I have two tractors, I give you one. If I have two houses, I give you one.

Boris: ah, I see... so if you have two pigs, you give me one?

Vlad: no.

Boris: but why not, Vlad?

Vlad: well, you see, I have two pigs.

That's the truth summed up as best as one could ever ask...

The theory of Communism has a great and very noble ideology, which very close to the Christian one, but it lacks of individual and democratic rights in many aspects. So, it's very vulnerable to political corruption (Stalin got advantage of it) and it's almost impossible to actually work in real life. This is why most "communists" believe that Russia/China never had actually Communism, and I totally agree with them.On the other side, I believe we must not consider Capitalism as the best economical system, since it also has some disadvantages in its ideology (pure Capitalism can be very cruel to the low social classes) and it can also have some breakdowns. I always thought a mixture of some economical mechanisms would bring an advantage to our society. We have to be more open minded and finally set free ourselves from pointless political "labels".

[quote=ClassyBlackWoman]Quote:This is to anyone in general: please don't tell me that Reagan or The Pope had anything to do with the fall of Communism. Actually, Ronald Reagan and the Pope were responsible for the fall of Communism.You know I had to.

Originally Posted By: Hawker23

That's the truth summed up as best as one could ever ask... thanks!