Needs in communism

[Gustav HK]

Communism is described as a state- and classless society, where everyone works according to their ability, and get according to their need.

But what is the meaning of the word "need" in this context?
Fx how much food would an ideal person take in a communist society?
Essential minimum, or that amount the person wanted even if it is much?

There is plenty of false needs in capitalism, and they will of course dissapear under communism, but what would be left.

Is Maslows pyramid of needs usefull here?

Please answer. Thank you.

[Blake's Baby]

The meaning of "need" I've always thought would be "that which is determined to be a need".

There will be a process, I feel - the community/soviet/workers' council/neighbourhood council etc will put in orders for foodstuffs and whatnot, then individuals will go to the distribution point and take what's necessary.

So, things like speedboats and cocaine would probably not get through the initial discussion-'ordering' process. Needs in this sense are socially defined.

But the choice about how much of particular resources is used by individuals is more up to them. If they're (let's say) cooking at home they can take a kilo of potatoes. If they're eating in the canteen they don't need to take the potatoes.

What if they take too much potato? This is possible if they take the raw potatoes home, or if they help themselves to an extra plate of potatoes at the canteen. What can stop them?

I don't think it's going to be too much of a problem. I think you're right that capitalism produces an awful lot of false needs. If people are more secure (not so much anxiety about losing their job, no 'keeping up the neighbours', fewer desperately unhappy, frightened and stressed people out there) then not as many people are going to 'comfort eat'. Nor will we be eating so much crap, because food will be produced to fulfill 'needs' (that word again) not for profit. So the quality of food will be (should be) better.

But I don't see us all becoming ascetics for the revolution either. As I say I think that the quality will actually be higher, but we'll all have a better (less alienated) and more rounded of ourselves and our place in the world. With more connection to both food production and health provision (we'll be involved in both of them) we'll be more integrated into the process, which should mean we're better educated about what we're doing to our bodies. Thus, we should be much more sensible about food. This should lead to the virtual elimination of both obesity and self-denial as ways we approach food.

So, neither 'the minimum necessary' or 'too much' - we'll be clever enough to generally hit a happy medium, I reckon.

[New Tet]

Communism is described as a state- and classless society, where everyone works according to their ability, and get according to their need.

But what is the meaning of the word "need" in this context?
Fx how much food would an ideal person take in a communist society?
Essential minimum, or that amount the person wanted even if it is much?

There is plenty of false needs in capitalism, and they will of course dissapear under communism, but what would be left.

Is Maslows pyramid of needs usefull here?

Please answer. Thank you.

Your question about distribution under a future society is interesting but premature. How we get to socialism will pretty much determine the answer to it.

So I propose to you that we should all ask a more fundamental and immediate practical question: How can we achieve socialism?

[Gustav HK]

Thank you for the answer.

I think that the question about how we achieve socialism, has been asked many times before, and many have their own ideas how it should concrete be made. But usually it is: proletarian revolution-dictatorship of the proletariat-communism, and the council system will play a leading role. Many also supports a leading party, but disagrees on how much the party should fill in the DotP.