communism. is it really so evil?

[SeddyRocky]

Can't resist: A mix? which is essentially what most nations have. But perhaps a more even mix? like... 30% communism and 70% capitalism?

[Zac33333]

The world is not still.  If we are attacked, and do not make the decision to go to war, we would be attacked until we are taken over.  If judges do not decide whether people are innocent or guilty, crime would be rampant.  Nobody decides if we should continue research.  Nobody decides if vaccines should be developed for superbugs.  Nobody decides what to do about global warming.

That's not a utopia.  That's a dystopia.  The exact opposite of a utopia, where everything is at its worst.

But the DECISION to attack is a DECISION made by the attackers, thus, without decision, the world would be still. Crime requires the DESCISION to be commited. Everything in the world is a descision. Im DECIDING to post the response, and you may or may not DECIDE to respond back. Again, no decisions, a frozen utopia.

[avidteen13]

@zac333-When things break, as they inevitably do, you need to decide if you want to a)fix it b)buy a new one or c)ignore it.  What if you get sick?  You need to decide whether you call the doctor or just take over-the-counter meds and get bed rest.  You also ignored the global warming case.  Nobody decided to cause a global crisis.  But they do need to decide what to do about it. As time passes, you need to make decisions.  If you do not, things start to really suck.

Try to go one day without making any decisions.  Without just staying in bed.

Anyway, it can't happen, so we might as well stop talking about it.  I guess you can post one reply to this if you want to have the last word, but still... after that we should probably continue the discussion by PM's.

@SeddyRocky-Do you mean like a mixed economy?  There are no true free market economies, as people would just sell snake oil.  Thus government intervenes in the market, so it becomes a mixed economy.  Are you suggesting less gov't intervention or more?

[kalkiran]

isnt a mix of the two called socialism?....

[crimsonflippa]

Communism can not work since everyone is supposed to be equal, but if everyone is equal who will make the decisions, who will be the one controlling the other.
You can't have a state where in there is no leader and the existence a leader clearly suggests there is no equality.
You need something to maintain control and stability in the state, like police, but if everyone is equal what gives the other guy the right to tell you what to do.
(someone got some answers?)

[kalkiran]

equality is not about holding equal positions in the state it is not about being the same-that mindset is contradictory to the kind of thinking communists have i.e. although we are different we can still be equal

[johannhowitzer]

Same with the sexes.  Men and women have different strengths and weaknesses, thus are generally better suited for different roles, but are still equal.  Women are generally better at empathizing, relating to people, etc. (there are exceptions), so they work better in public relations, teaching, and child care.  Men are better at spatial skills, so they usually make better architects, mathematicians, etc.  Women are usually person-oriented while men are task-oriented.  Thus the common malady of career-obsessed husband and forgotten stay-at-home wife.

[/offtopic]

[KyuubisSlave]

The only problem with communism is the human element, after all every man has a so called "price" . In fact the only cases in which pure communism works as intended is in small communities where there are no real luxuries and needs greatly out way wants. 

[Innominate]

People keep saying the problem with communism is the "human element". While true to an extent, you could say that is the problem with absolutely anything humans ever do; governments are just an amplification of it. Communism never actually says "Everybody gets paid the same, regardless of work." What it does say is "The obscene profits of the bourgeois made at the expense of the labourer are detrimental to society." Communism eliminates the ridiculous profits of CEOs and stock brokers, replacing it with a smaller but still fair profit. People still have incentive to work, because they get a relatively much smaller amount if they don't work, and a relatively larger amount if they work in professions more necessary to the continued welfare of the people. Far from having no incentive, communism is all about having incentive, just for the right things. No incentive for abusing your workers, taking away rights and outsourcing all their jobs; incentive for employing a large number of people in fair conditions, or going about your job

The problem with practical communism is the lack of accountability: people who do abuse the system suffer no consequences at all. This stems not from communism but from big countries and cities. When government is far removed from its people, it gets out of touch. That's why I favour anarcho-communism; small communities of people working for the common good, with local governments dedicated to their people. Small doesn't mean hamlet but town, by the way; 10,000-400,000 people is the right ballpark.

[avidteen13]

The lack of incentive also included the lack of incentive to produce quality work.  If the government says they will pay you $5 per widget, you can make crappy widgets and make more money than the person that makes fewer widgets, but better quality.  There's no consumer choice, so people can't choose to buy the good widgets instead of the bad.  Eventually, the person making good widgets will figure, "Meh, I can just make lame widgets and make more money," and quit making the good widgets.

(One of) the problems of capitalism in America is that people aren't exercising their freedom of choice.  If a company if being corrupt and outsourcing people,(to name a few) don't buy from them!  McDonalds spends millions, if not billions, on manipulating small children.  Ray Kroc used satellites to put McDonalds really close to elementary schools.  When kids got out for lunch, guess where they headed. McDonalds.  Their food is fat and sugar, and fast food is the leading cause of obesity. Other fast food companies just copy McDonalds.  Look where they are today.  Everyone is buying from them. 

Apathy.  Ignorance.  They're our way of life.

(Great.  I just got myself depressed.)

[Azumi]

As most people say.."Communism works on paper"

Don't really have any other opinions about it

[hainkarga]

The common misconception is that communism has a strong government much like how soviet union had. That is socialism, not communism. Communism is more like anarchism when it comes to power of the state which is; None... Communism is supposed to be an evolution of socialism where state as a whole (bureaucracy, army, even the police force) is abolished. Hence, it cannot be evil because it does not even have any brute force.

It is interesting how people blame communism by stating that potentially corrupt human factor would screw it. Where in fact, it is the current capitalist system that encourages people / corporates / governments being corrupt by the very nature of its economic dynamics. Blaming a different worldview using the negative facts of the current worldview hence subtly concluding that current system is better, is hypocrisy.