Do you think Communism could benefit a country? Personally, I am in favour of it, because I like the idea of an equal distribution of wealth and a proper welfare system for the people.
I also am not in favour of the Capitalist idea of the rich benefitting simply because they have more money, and the labourers working hard yet still being paid badly, or the unemployed who are deprived jobs because the capitalist entrepreneurs find it more profitable to use machines.
Capitalism is a flawed system. The fact that people make money off of money is absolutely absurd. My biggest issue with capitalism is insurance, the biggest scam of all scams. Rather than being an optional safety net, it's a forced harness seldom used.
Despite the flaws in Capitalism, Communism is also a very flawed system. Equality for everyone sounds awesome, but people who work hard don't get ahead in life. Everyone gets "enough" to live on.
Although many people in America make money off being rich, a lot of people make money off of working hard. It's a common misconception that the only way to make it big in America is to be rich. Sure, you probably won't become a multimillionaire with a blue collar job, but you can still make an honest living and buy a nice home, a few cars, and a bunch of entertainment. Rather than focusing on how everyone should make a living, and having the government pay you what everyone else is being payed, you just have to work hard.
My father is a machinist. He has been working since he was 18. In his life, he has bought 3 Harley Davidsons, 6 cars, a boat, a nice house (fully payed off), and a work area full of expensive machinery. He also has a pool table, a nice TV, 2 computers, and plenty of money in the bank. If he worked that hard as a communist, he would have a house, a car, a single TV (nothing specail), 1 computer, and would have enough cash to break almost even. Cash/hours, whatever. He would have the same as everyone else, including the people who are janitors. He stands up all day, cutting metal in a hot building with sparks and metal chips flying in his face, and he gets paid the same a janitor?!
Capitalism has it's flaws, but it also has opportunity for those who truly are hard workers.
I don't think its ideas should be dismissed simply because of their misuse in the former USSR. There are many parts of it with real value, which the West could do with learning. For example, the potential of collectivist managerial structures. Not to say there aren't problems with it, but I think it definitely deserves a second look, considering the current version of capitalism seems completely inept at sustaining itself without massive government interference every few decades.
Personally, I am in favour of it, because I like the idea of an equal distribution of wealth
Equal, I am not in favour of. I am in favour of equality of opportunity, not equality of outcome. I am a great believer in appropriate incentives. Equality of outcome would ensure there is very little innovation, if any at all.
a proper welfare system for the people.
This can be effectively incorporated into a capitalist structure, so long as it encourages employment and hard work by pushing people out of poverty, rather than dragging everyone else down a few notches.
I also am not in favour of the Capitalist idea of the rich benefitting simply because they have more money,
That's where 100% inheritance tax comes in. I have been toying with this idea for awhile, in terms of equality of opportunity. So far, I believe the benefits of such a tax would far outweigh the costs. However, for that to be implemented, it would probably require massive social upheaval, and the threat of death and destruction on those who would oppose it, so it's not something I advocate on a pragmatic basis.
and the labourers working hard yet still being paid badly,
This is why education is so important. Your labour is valued appropriately (don't even get me started on surplus value, it is BS). The reason labourers get paid less is because people don' value it highly in contrast to services. How 'hard' you work doesn't really come into it. That said, on an international level, there is a great disparity between how hard people are expected to work and how much they are paid, so I'l give you that one.
because the capitalist entrepreneurs find it more profitable to use machines.
But that's an important aspect of the dialectic. Without capitalism and technological development, a communist society would be unable to properly develop, because you would need an abundance of capital goods to do most of the work for you, eliminating any classes that could exist and conflict with one another.
Equal, I am not in favour of. I am in favour of equality of opportunity, not equality of outcome. I am a great believer in appropriate incentives. Equality of outcome would ensure there is very little innovation, if any at all.
He stands up all day, cutting metal in a hot building with sparks and metal chips flying in his face, and he gets paid the same a janitor?!
Would he really want to unclog toilets and clean up puke all day?
The thing is here you have to remember that people do well at different jobs, and they all have different benefits. A friend of mine put it well when we were discussing this once. Let's take a doctor and a grave digger. You might say there is no encouragement for someone to be a doctor when they both get the same pay. But the digger works for hours outside, regardless of the weather, in backbreaking labour. A doctor sits inside in a nice cool office. They have a cafeteria and bathrooms nearby, they get a lot of respect, there's always a nurse ready to help, and when is the last time you threw out your back checking someone's ear to see if they have an infection? And how many jobs are there grave digging versus being a doctor? I'm not supporting communism, I'm just saying this particular argument does not work. People are different. A sewerage worker might find giving a sponge bath to an elderly person disgusting, but the nurse that gives the sponge bath might think even being down in the sewers is disgusting.
Also, it's not black and white. We can have small elements of both. Maybe larger taxes for those that make more money, or maybe make the minimum wage higher (though it's probably not the right time now), but keep the basics of capitalism. There's a lot of things we can do that aren't necessarily turning us into communist countries.
The difference in your doctor v.s. grave digger argument is that to become a grave digger, it doesn't take much educational experience. Anyone can grab a shovel and dig. To be a doctor you have to spend years in schooling trying to learn what you hope is enough and spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to get that education. Yes being a doctor is a pretty sweet job, but take into account that at low pay you will not be able to pay off those debts you gained to get the education to be a doctor.
Raising minimum wage just screws with market economy and creates shortages of jobs. Not to mention the higher you raise the minimum wage, the more illegal immigrants will come into the country to work illegally for less pay.
communism is ok in my opinion. everyone gets a job and works to make the country better.. but even if you work like your lazy as anything you get paid the same as the ones who work their tail off everyday. so it makes for some lazy workers. but other than that it seems fine to me.
Would he really want to unclog toilets and clean up puke all day?
Are you saying that cleaning up puke and washing toilets is as demanding as machine work?! There are very few situations were janitors actually have to clean up vomit. Even if vomit was a normal part of the job, it wouldn't be that hard. And have you ever cleaned a toilet before? It isn't hard. Every day my dad comes home covered head to toe in grease. If my dad could work as a janitor but make the same pay as he is currently making, he would most definitely take the job!
I'm just saying this particular argument does not work. People are different. A sewerage worker might find giving a sponge bath to an elderly person disgusting, but the nurse that gives the sponge bath might think even being down in the sewers is disgusting.
That proves nothing. First of all, if you work in a sewer, chances are you are getting payed well. You just compared 2 jobs with similar pay/benefits. Second, some jobs ARE easier than others. Some jobs demand less mentally and physically than other jobs. This is a fact.
You also fail to understand that there's more than just difficulty involved in determining one's pay. Schooling is another factor. Schooling costs money, and the government (believe it or not) CAN'T pay for everyone to go to school. Schooling costs money, so graduates earn more money so they can pay off their debts and they earn more money because they have schooling. Although I believe schooling is mostly pointless in most situations, certain jobs should require schooling, such as architecture and doctorates.
You have also proven that you don't understand the number one reason why people stick with crappy jobs, rather than find new ones. The longer you work for someone, the better your benefits and pay. People work to earn raises. Communism would banish raises. People would lose motivation to work.
Almost all communist countries have/had high poverty rates. It has never been successful.
So yes, I can say that a machinist would hate having the same pay as a janitor. Most of all, he is my father. I have talked to him before. He hates the idea of being payed less money (as much as the people below him, the ones who have simpler jobs and do less work). Straight from the horses mouth.
Raising minimum wage just screws with market economy and creates shortages of jobs. Not to mention the higher you raise the minimum wage, the more illegal immigrants will come into the country to work illegally for less pay.
Oh no the capitalists are not going to expand their buisnezezz cuz they gota spend money on stupid things like wages. and oh dam we should build a huge wall between mexico and americaz
we should pay everyone the same thing, janitors and doctors alike! college? screw college, flipping burgers will get me a mansion! what of colleges when people stop going there and the tuition cant cover the cost of running the place? well, all the professors will work at McDonalds of course! ***got.
I gotta go suggest that we make smiley faces available, because *ROFL* wont be the same as a cute little yellow face that tells you "your stupid" in the face.
I gotta go suggest that we make smiley faces available, because *ROFL* wont be the same as a cute little yellow face that tells you "your stupid" in the face.
way to insult rather than debate. you deserve a high five for a pointless post.
