who thinks communism is good, bad , or misunderstood? i think communism was currupt by that monster Stalin an therefore, it became hard for that form of government to be truely used as Marx had intended it.
Communism- a system of social organization in which all economic and social activity is controlled by a totalitarian state dominated by a single and self-perpetuating political party.
Communism and dictatorships are the best styles of government, but people give rights away, which people don't want to do. You all say that communism is great, but it isn't unless you are the leader. Hussein, Hitler, Stalin, all of these people were power- hungry madmen that ruined communism's name. Being communist means that you don't own anything, and while it has its advantages, like paid- for healthcare and a speedy government, people give way too many rights away, and people like their rights. Therefore, it will never work.
Comrades, it is pointless arguing with these philistines! All I can say to all of you disagreeing with us and saying that Capitalism is great because you get 'choice' or 'rights' or 'the right to work hard' or 'freedom,' is that you'll be first against the wall when the revolution comes
Communism- a system of social organization in which all economic and social activity is controlled by a totalitarian state dominated by a single and self-perpetuating political party.
To Drace, I'm saying that arguing with these people doesn't achieve anything. I'm pretty sure I've learnt more on this, being a radical socialist and a member of a revolutionary organisation, than you, considering you just think the only reason people think Stalin was horrible is because of Western propaganda. If you think that, you are apologising for his disgusting regime and are abandoning everything marxism and socialism stand for. Political clarity is necessary for any sincerely revolutionary socialist, and supporting Stalin because he was 'socialist' is so politically clouded and delusional.
Mmm. Im in not support of Stalin's regimes. I clearly do need to learn more about them..
But when saying this:
"Ehh Socialist, All I have to say is...
Learn before argue."
I meant it to everyone here, not you. Its quite ignorant to argue away on a subject one clearly doesn't have an understand of. So insteading of arguing first, learn.
oh i see, jolly good. Yeah you should read some Tony Cliff, he's great on Stalin and has a really good series of biographies on Lenin. I suggest All Power to the Soviets as a starter, which is Lenin and the Bolsheviks from 1914-1917. For more on Stalinism and State Capitalism, check out 'Russia: From Workers' State to State Capitalism', a series of essays in the International Socialist tradition. [url=http://www.isj.org.uk/index.php4?s=back]
This is a link the international socialist journal, with some really good articles as well.
All I was saying earlier is that the major premise behind Marxism is patently false - the cause of strife and rebellion throughout history is not class struggle. Even after class consciousness developed, it is far too simple to say that this was the primary cause of anything happening! So, even if Communism does create a Utopian classless society, it still won't solve the problems that Marx and Engels set out to solve.
To Shayneii: Really???? did he even get close to what ever he was running for?? Theres an American commmunist party too, (CPUSA). To all: What are you saying Moegreche? That we'll never know what Marx and Engels really wanted? Or communism will never reach all of their objectives?
The primary objective of Communism is to stop the violence and revolution that have been the defining points of history. If Marx and Engels were right, then eliminating class would eliminate political and social upheaval. Unfortunately, they were wrong. We can talk all day about which economic system is better, but ultimately Communism cannot achieve the goals it is setting out to do. I think it's a very neat idea and an important point in analyzing economic systems, but a Utopian society it is not.
Oct 15, '08 at 11:34am, shayneii: There is still a Canadian Communist party, surprisingly.
There is a communist or socialist party in almost every country you've heard of.
---- I don't want to cut into the current (possibly recurrent) debate, but what I never see discussed about communism, on these boards at least (since it's always the economic anti-capitalism this pro-capitalism that, which I really just see is fundamentally pro-"Western" individualism "orthodoxy" vs. pro-"non-Western" collectivism "unorthodoxy", is (Marxist) communism and religion with respect to one another. From what I've read on that subject and heard from a (Marxist-Leninist) communist, communism does not seem to be able to coexists with religion, and much of this world is religious.
I was thinking about this on the bus today, and I realized that Communists go into the category of "eople for a perfect world". Communism could only work in a world where everybody truly had the people in mind. The truth is, many of the heads of all the Communist states only have themselves in mind, and they keep a big cut for themselves. In the real world, Communism only exists to make the leaders wealthy and keep the masses in line.
