Why is communism a bad word?

[Deleted55991832User]

Communism, Socialism, Fascism and National-Socialism are "bad words" because they are bad things/ideologies.. every ideology derived from the deranged opium-induced ramblings of Marx and Engels are, de facto, tools for elites to oppress the masses.. whether you call it "democratic Socialism " or "National socialism" it remains the same thing.. systematic oppression of free thought, speech and total control of the population.. to put it very bluntly.. in a Democracy the People (supposedly) own the government.. under socialism/Marxism/Communism/Fascism and so on.. the State owns the people.. that.. is why Communism is a bad word, a bad thing and a danger to free thought and speech everywhere..

[Deleted1861648User]

At the end of the day I truly believe in Socialism and how it can work if people are honest and empathetic.
On the other hand I recognize that if even one person f*cks up in socialism by virtue of lacking honesty, integrity and empathy, then the whole system crumbles. And this is easy to achieve considering we recognize the existence of sociopaths. Sociopaths will tend to be high achievers who lack empathy.
Socialism is the current most corruptible form of government in the world, where one person being corrupt could have major implications down the chain.
Communism would remove the chain entirely however it is unachievable outside the realm of fantasy.

Communism was never attempted in real world because:
1) We has societies have no way of actually implementing it without completely tearing down existing systems of power, and then the powers that helped us achieve that ad infinitum.
2) Even if we did form a communist society from scratch, the concept of human nature and our inherit competitiveness as a species would impede the formation of such systems. It takes one person against the system to absolutely make it not work, and it would usually be the most productive/ accomplished members that feel the others aren't contributing to society appropriately that are against communism. Those individuals highly value meritocracy which communism inherently devalues.

Edited June 8, 2022 by Guest

[ScytheBearer]

At the end of the day I truly believe in Socialism and how it can work if people are honest and empathetic.

On the other hand I recognize that if even one person f*cks up in socialism by virtue of lacking honesty, integrity and empathy, then the whole system crumbles. And this is easy to achieve considering we recognize the existence of sociopaths. Sociopaths will tend to be high achievers who lack empathy.

Socialism is the current most corruptible form of government in the world, where one person being corrupt could have major implications down the chain.

Communism would remove the chain entirely however it is unachievable outside the realm of fantasy.

 

Communism was never attempted in real world because:

1) We has societies have no way of actually implementing it without completely tearing down existing systems of power, and then the powers that helped us achieve that ad infinitum.

2) Even if we did form a communist society from scratch, the concept of human nature and our inherit competitiveness as a species would impede the formation of such systems. It takes one person against the system to absolutely make it not work, and it would usually be the most productive/ accomplished members that feel the others aren't contributing to society appropriately that are against communism. Those individuals highly value meritocracy which communism inherently devalues.

 

It is interesting that you avoided the trap of conflating "communism" with "authoritarianism", and in fact separated the two. You treated communism as an economic system instead of a political system.

 

So, I will point out that communism does indeed work in small communities¹, tribal affiliations and clan groups. The problem is that communism does not scale well. As the population in a communal group increases, the need for "administration" raises it's ugly head. Administration implies authority, and authority implies power, and we all know that "Power corrupts".

 

And that is where governments arise which are labeled "communism" but which are simply dictatorial administrators who have enough power to dictate the distribution of wealth. And that dictatorial power structure is called "communism", when it is truly just corrupt authoritarianism.

 

1. Please note that communism and community have the same roots.

[Elanthil01]

Communism is a failed system. It's a dead horse, stop beating it.

Socialism is a failing system. It's a dying horse. Either save it's life by altering its scope and focus, or let it die with dignity.

Capitalism, in it's extreme, is really bad and a failed system. Capitalism, in small to medium doses, is an exceptionally functional and flexible economic model.

Democracy, in it's most basic form is a good, basic system to build on and combine with capitalism, republicanism and even socialism, in small doses.

Republicanism, in its truest form, combined with a healthy dose of capitalism and a SMALL dose of socialism, is a nearly ideal system. Small, lean government structure. Low government interference in private matters. Quality laws to govern major problem areas such as weapon accessibility, pollution standars, and human rights.

 

The United States of America, is NOT a democracy. Or a republic. Instead it is a Democratic Republic, with capitalistic overtones.

 

Thats why we grew to world prominence, before hard line socialism (ni communism) reared its ugly head after 9/11.

[ScytheBearer]

Communism is a failed system. It's a dead horse, stop beating it.

Socialism is a failing system. It's a dying horse. Either save it's life by altering its scope and focus, or let it die with dignity.

Capitalism, in it's extreme, is really bad and a failed system. Capitalism, in small to medium doses, is an exceptionally functional and flexible economic model.

Democracy, in it's most basic form is a good, basic system to build on and combine with capitalism, republicanism and even socialism, in small doses.

Republicanism, in its truest form, combined with a healthy dose of capitalism and a SMALL dose of socialism, is a nearly ideal system. Small, lean government structure. Low government interference in private matters. Quality laws to govern major problem areas such as weapon accessibility, pollution standars, and human rights.

 

The United States of America, is NOT a democracy. Or a republic. Instead it is a Democratic Republic, with capitalistic overtones.

 

Thats why we grew to world prominence, before hard line socialism (ni communism) reared its ugly head after 9/11.

 

You missed Fascism. Was that deliberate? Oh well, it doesn't matter. The United States of North America will be a fascist dictatorship by the end of the century. Hell, we almost made it there early in 2021.

Edited October 14, 2022 by ScytheBearer

[Mktavish]

Its not a dictatorship if everyone gets to enjoy their fair share of feeling superior . And to simplify things ... I think I should decide what everybodies fair share is :laugh:

[servo75]

Before I say anything, I would like to state the terms under which I plan to direct these topic. I'll do so as clearly and briefly as I can.

 

a) Even though is hard and probably pointless to discuss politics in an abstract way, I would like to refer that I am not speaking about communist governments in particular; this is not a debate about the Soviet Union, neither North Korea (even though I have reasons to doubt those were truly communist governments). So please, let's not fall under arguments such as "the Soviet Union repressed and killed the opposition", or "Cuba had multiple crisis". All of this facts are true, but can rely on subtleties such as the world financial and economic situation, the current wars of the time or any other material circumstance. So I'd like us to speak here about marxism as a political, economical and even philosophic structure and project: no Fidel Castro, no Stalin, no anybody, but the ideas, critics and theories that marxism encompasses, and which only aims were, for Marx, freedom and equality among man.

 

b) Marxism is a complex matter: let's not reduce it to simplifications and chatter. I say this because I've heard arguments such as 'Marx was crazy and was talking non-sense", or "he is an evil man who wanted to banish private property", AND EVEN "if there's no private property, that means that this computer and this socks you are wearing would belong to the state". None of this are true, and are silly things to say; to say this things only proves either that you've never read Marx's works or that you've never made the effort of thinking about them seriously. Marx was a clever and quite human man, who intended to describe and analyse the economic system, and to transform it into a better, more including and fair one. (And no, communism doesn't imply that the socks you wear and the computer you use would belong to the state!!)

 

c) The reasons why I wanted to open this topic is one of understanding, so please, no fighting! I'll explain myself better: where I am from, fascism killed and tortured thousands of people only to repress communism. Here, marxism is not necessarily a bad word, even when it has its detractors. But I have got a friend that lived in the USA and says that over there to be communist is... she told people looked at you nearly as if you were an alien, haha. Now, I don't know if that's true!! But I do notice in every forum I participate in, that communism is very hated or misunderstood. And, even when I am not saying one should be a communist (I am not a communist myself), hatred to communism is a different thing, and has to respond to something. Because one thing is to say: "I don't agree with this for such and such reason", and another is to say "bloody communists!!, stupid communists!!", "Marx was a crazy assassin!!" or anything such as that. So... why is communism a bad word over there?

 

d) I truly insist on the point a). Thanks.

Communism is an evil ideology bred out of envy, feeling that everyone has the right to other people's possessions. I don't know where you live in the world, but it is an ideology completely and absolutely antithetical to the principles of the United States. There was a time during the McCarthy Era when being (properly) labeled as a communist would essentially blackball you from civilized society. We need those days back. It is such an evil and destructive and fundamentally anti-American system, that in my opinion, anyone associated with a communist or socialist party in the U.S. should be forever banned for the remainder of their life from serving in any position of public trust, including but not limited to any elected office at a Federal, State, or Local level, any government agency, or any government supported educational institution including all public schools, colleges, and universities.

 

You mention you're not talking about places like North Korea or the USSR, but I am. Add in Cuba, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Venezuela... the fact that those countries end up in brutal dictatorship and are also communist/socialist/Marxist regimes is no coincidence. It is the inevitable result of the belief that people do not have the right to their own property, ideas, and wealth.

 

Is that enough of an answer?

[servo75]

 

At the end of the day I truly believe in Socialism and how it can work if people are honest and empathetic.

On the other hand I recognize that if even one person f*cks up in socialism by virtue of lacking honesty, integrity and empathy, then the whole system crumbles. And this is easy to achieve considering we recognize the existence of sociopaths. Sociopaths will tend to be high achievers who lack empathy.

Socialism is the current most corruptible form of government in the world, where one person being corrupt could have major implications down the chain.

Communism would remove the chain entirely however it is unachievable outside the realm of fantasy.

 

Communism was never attempted in real world because:

1) We has societies have no way of actually implementing it without completely tearing down existing systems of power, and then the powers that helped us achieve that ad infinitum.

2) Even if we did form a communist society from scratch, the concept of human nature and our inherit competitiveness as a species would impede the formation of such systems. It takes one person against the system to absolutely make it not work, and it would usually be the most productive/ accomplished members that feel the others aren't contributing to society appropriately that are against communism. Those individuals highly value meritocracy which communism inherently devalues.

 

It is interesting that you avoided the trap of conflating "communism" with "authoritarianism", and in fact separated the two. You treated communism as an economic system instead of a political system.

 

So, I will point out that communism does indeed work in small communities¹, tribal affiliations and clan groups. The problem is that communism does not scale well. As the population in a communal group increases, the need for "administration" raises it's ugly head. Administration implies authority, and authority implies power, and we all know that "Power corrupts".

 

And that is where governments arise which are labeled "communism" but which are simply dictatorial administrators who have enough power to dictate the distribution of wealth. And that dictatorial power structure is called "communism", when it is truly just corrupt authoritarianism.

 

1. Please note that communism and community have the same roots.

 

Communism reared its ugly head in 1917. And what do you define as "extreme" capitalism? Capitalism at its core is the principle of economic freedom and free trade without government interference. So I say the more the better. The only times the US has suffered economic depression is when capitalism was distorted or subverted. The U.S. is a mixed economy. We are a mostly capitalist system with a social safety net. Scandinavian countries are HEAVILY capitalist with very generous social services (paid for by very high taxes). They are not examples of socialism as idiots like Bernie Sanders would have you believe.

[ScytheBearer]

 

 

At the end of the day I truly believe in Socialism and how it can work if people are honest and empathetic.

On the other hand I recognize that if even one person f*cks up in socialism by virtue of lacking honesty, integrity and empathy, then the whole system crumbles. And this is easy to achieve considering we recognize the existence of sociopaths. Sociopaths will tend to be high achievers who lack empathy.

Socialism is the current most corruptible form of government in the world, where one person being corrupt could have major implications down the chain.

Communism would remove the chain entirely however it is unachievable outside the realm of fantasy.

 

Communism was never attempted in real world because:

1) We has societies have no way of actually implementing it without completely tearing down existing systems of power, and then the powers that helped us achieve that ad infinitum.

2) Even if we did form a communist society from scratch, the concept of human nature and our inherit competitiveness as a species would impede the formation of such systems. It takes one person against the system to absolutely make it not work, and it would usually be the most productive/ accomplished members that feel the others aren't contributing to society appropriately that are against communism. Those individuals highly value meritocracy which communism inherently devalues.

 

It is interesting that you avoided the trap of conflating "communism" with "authoritarianism", and in fact separated the two. You treated communism as an economic system instead of a political system.

 

So, I will point out that communism does indeed work in small communities¹, tribal affiliations and clan groups. The problem is that communism does not scale well. As the population in a communal group increases, the need for "administration" raises it's ugly head. Administration implies authority, and authority implies power, and we all know that "Power corrupts".

 

And that is where governments arise which are labeled "communism" but which are simply dictatorial administrators who have enough power to dictate the distribution of wealth. And that dictatorial power structure is called "communism", when it is truly just corrupt authoritarianism.

 

1. Please note that communism and community have the same roots.

 

Communism reared its ugly head in 1917. And what do you define as "extreme" capitalism? Capitalism at its core is the principle of economic freedom and free trade without government interference. So I say the more the better. The only times the US has suffered economic depression is when capitalism was distorted or subverted. The U.S. is a mixed economy. We are a mostly capitalist system with a social safety net. Scandinavian countries are HEAVILY capitalist with very generous social services (paid for by very high taxes). They are not examples of socialism as idiots like Bernie Sanders would have you believe.

 

 

Communism, the economic system, has been around since we as a species were living in caves and making tools out of rocks. Based on archeological evidence, neolithic humans lived in small communal groups and the resources of the group where shared among the group. IE, communism.

 

Neither is the dictatorial authoritarianism which we label "communism" all that new. Kings and queens and emperors have been practicing that form of governance since before history was recorded.

 

So I gotta call bullshit on your "Communism reared its ugly head in 1917" claim. It has on basis in history. The Russian Revolution was little more than a power grab by Valdimir Lenin to wrest dictatorial authoritarian power from Tzar Nicolas and vest that dictatorial authoritarian power unto himself.

 

As for the rest of your tirade, it makes no sense whatsoever. It is just a confused collection of capitalist and anti-capitalist rhetoric, strung together in incoherent sentences.

[Guest deleted34304850]

 

 

At the end of the day I truly believe in Socialism and how it can work if people are honest and empathetic.

On the other hand I recognize that if even one person f*cks up in socialism by virtue of lacking honesty, integrity and empathy, then the whole system crumbles. And this is easy to achieve considering we recognize the existence of sociopaths. Sociopaths will tend to be high achievers who lack empathy.

Socialism is the current most corruptible form of government in the world, where one person being corrupt could have major implications down the chain.

Communism would remove the chain entirely however it is unachievable outside the realm of fantasy.

 

Communism was never attempted in real world because:

1) We has societies have no way of actually implementing it without completely tearing down existing systems of power, and then the powers that helped us achieve that ad infinitum.

2) Even if we did form a communist society from scratch, the concept of human nature and our inherit competitiveness as a species would impede the formation of such systems. It takes one person against the system to absolutely make it not work, and it would usually be the most productive/ accomplished members that feel the others aren't contributing to society appropriately that are against communism. Those individuals highly value meritocracy which communism inherently devalues.

 

It is interesting that you avoided the trap of conflating "communism" with "authoritarianism", and in fact separated the two. You treated communism as an economic system instead of a political system.

 

So, I will point out that communism does indeed work in small communities¹, tribal affiliations and clan groups. The problem is that communism does not scale well. As the population in a communal group increases, the need for "administration" raises it's ugly head. Administration implies authority, and authority implies power, and we all know that "Power corrupts".

 

And that is where governments arise which are labeled "communism" but which are simply dictatorial administrators who have enough power to dictate the distribution of wealth. And that dictatorial power structure is called "communism", when it is truly just corrupt authoritarianism.

 

1. Please note that communism and community have the same roots.

 

Communism reared its ugly head in 1917. And what do you define as "extreme" capitalism? Capitalism at its core is the principle of economic freedom and free trade without government interference. So I say the more the better. The only times the US has suffered economic depression is when capitalism was distorted or subverted. The U.S. is a mixed economy. We are a mostly capitalist system with a social safety net. Scandinavian countries are HEAVILY capitalist with very generous social services (paid for by very high taxes). They are not examples of socialism as idiots like Bernie Sanders would have you believe.

 

you're an idiot. pick up a book and educate yourself.