Irony of Post-War America

[mkborgelt13]

 

I do think the pre-war lifestyle of an employed middle class with discretionary income is gone. There is a small amount of people with an advantage over others through bartering caps or force, but I would call them "Capitalists," not bourgeois. The bourgeois is the group of people who work for the capitalists with discretionary income who are the driving force of consumerist economy, such as the Sole Survivor before the war. (i.e. middle class). part of the bourgeois is also "intellectual" professions, like artists and so on, which are in short supply.

 

A community doesn't become communist just because everyone's lacking in discretionary income. The whole choice between a capitalist and communist (or any other system) arises only once people are organized enough to pass laws and once there's enough wealth to have questions like "how do we distribute it (or allow it to be distributed)." These settlements never develop that far--or at least Bethesda never shows us that part of their development.

 

In short, forget it Jack, it's game mechanics.

 

 

It's willing suspension of disbelief, it makes the game more interesting.

 

In absense of any kind of laws and organization, these guys lapsed into a communal lifestyle, subsistance living, where they physically do not have ownership of any objects and share everything. The work they do is to protect and feed each other. They are dirt poor. The whole idea of the Minutemen is the communitues protecting one another in times of need, sharing resources with supply lines, so on.

 

Contrast this to the huge billboards with red sportscar, "Life is a race-- win it," the incredibly pampered notion of a household servant robot, mechanical horse toy, luxury goods, etc.

 

I think using the term "communist" isn't accurate because it means different things to different people. Some positive, some negative. Some having to do with a government, others philosophical. I am referring to a collectivist, unregulated set-up, as I said above.

[zc123]

@ the Op.

 

There is a big difference between communal farming and Communism.

 

For instance communal farmers in the fallout universe tend to at the end of the day be clan/family based & born into it.

At the end of the day they do however have a choice, they can remain where they are or strike out and become any number of things from scroungers, caravan guards etc... there is a choice.

 

Communism & communist societies however generally always have a select elite that decides everything from how wealth is distributed (most often by force) to what jobs people have. And anyone who doesn't agree with the ruling elite's decisions tends to "disappear" as evidenced in china & north korea.

[cossayos]

 

The work they do is to protect and feed each other. They are dirt poor. The whole idea of the Minutemen is the communitues protecting one another in times of need, sharing resources with supply lines, so on.

 

 

 

It's neither communist nor any other known social model. At it's base it's rather a reminder of the feudal times. Stands to argue that unchained capitalism is kind of feudal too. But the wasteland model is very losely based on the earliest social structures of humanity. And rightly so I would say. You're the general of the minutemen, calling the shots. You reside at your hall and you are the one making or breaking your community.

[DoctorKaizeld]

 

 

The work they do is to protect and feed each other. They are dirt poor. The whole idea of the Minutemen is the communitues protecting one another in times of need, sharing resources with supply lines, so on.

 

 

 

It's neither communist nor any other known social model. At it's base it's rather a reminder of the feudal times. Stands to argue that unchained capitalism is kind of feudal too. But the wasteland model is very losely based on the earliest social structures of humanity. And rightly so I would say. You're the general of the minutemen, calling the shots. You reside at your hall and you are the one making or breaking your community.

 

actually it is very much a feudal social model... i think what you may have meant is "It's neither communist nor any other 'modern' social model." there are a lot of models that exist but most are not in use anywhere in the modern world of today.

 

actually i would look at it as being very much like the early colonial days of North America.

Edited August 23, 2016 by qwertyzeldar

[cossayos]

 

 

i think what you may have meant is "It's neither communist nor any other 'modern' social model." there are a lot of models that exist but most are not in use anywhere in the modern world of today.

 

 

 

Yes, you're right about that.

Edited August 23, 2016 by cossayos

[RattleAndGrind]

Commune-ism (shortened to communism) is an economic model, not a political model. It is; in fact, the oldest known economic model. First in Clans, then Tribal groups, then Small Communities.

 

The Chinese (and Soviet) model is communal economics enforced externally by a Central Government for the benefit of the Central Government. It is a form of indentured service to the government.

[mkborgelt13]

Yeah, I was talking about the "commune"-ism, not the fascist variety with central government. Should have clarified.

 

I still consider it in the same ballpark though, definitely not related to the consumer economy of pre-war America. Which is why I find it ironic.

[DoctorKaizeld]

But the war wasnt based around culture it was rescources. Primarily the oil in Alaska. The fear of communism was played up to excuse the war. Either way the settlements seem to work the same way old colonial American did.

[charwo]

One should never confuse Communism with communes. Village life predated Communism and has nothing to do with the Vangaurd of the Prolitariat that is the hallmark of all Leninist parties, including the CCP. There is no Prolitariat in the post war Fallout universe, save in NCR and maybe the Pitt (assuming the cure worked out).

 

Incidently, fear of Communism was well justified. The Chinese shot the nukes off. While I'm sure the post war Enclave would do the same, I'm not sure the pre-war Enclave would. They saw an oppurtunity in nuclear annihilation yes but they never took that final step, not in 11 years of World War III. Chairman Chang did.

[DoctorKaizeld]

One should never confuse Communism with communes. Village life predated Communism and has nothing to do with the Vangaurd of the Prolitariat that is the hallmark of all Leninist parties, including the CCP. There is no Prolitariat in the post war Fallout universe, save in NCR and maybe the Pitt (assuming the cure worked out).

 

Incidently, fear of Communism was well justified. The Chinese shot the nukes off. While I'm sure the post war Enclave would do the same, I'm not sure the pre-war Enclave would. They saw an oppurtunity in nuclear annihilation yes but they never took that final step, not in 11 years of World War III. Chairman Chang did.

No one knows who launched the nukes first. It may not have been either the Chinese or America