Why dont political theories reach their Ideals?

[GodLike1001]

Communism, Socialism, Capitalism...

some have come close but never reach their ideals.

Any explaination?

[DaComm]

The reason is that because there are different classes, with differing class interests, ideas that support one class but threaten another will result in one supressing the other. As you know, many revolutions have been put down via force, many a revolutionary potential crushed by foolish Bourgeois distortions of our ideology; simply put, because ideas always favor one class over another, there will always be antagonistic feelings toward this idea that result in the supression of that idea. Because Communism/Socialism put the Capitalist class out of business (ha-ha, no pun intended), Capitalists will do everything in their power to prevent this idea from becoming actualized.

[IllicitPopsicle]

Outside factors. World events don't occur in a bubble. Capitalist economists love the phrase "Ceteris Paribus," or "All other things being equal...." Basically, all the major economic theories in relation to capitalism have been designed to examine static systems, when we know that nothing is static in relation to the market.

Socialism/communism have seen some good and bad times; but they've always met forceful opposition from capital. Something about losing all that wealth and power really makes the capitalist angry... :rolleyes:

[Joe Payne]

Yeah, Capitalism cannot reach its ideal because of the internal contradictions of capital. The closest I would say would be America under the Articles of Confederation. However, regardless, its development requires a State to ease its own internal contradictions and defend its property.

Socialism is a relation to property. Socialized vs private property, not the society itself.

Communism hasn't existed yet so it is facetious to claim it hasn't reached its ideal.

[AK]

As far as I can recall, capitalism wasn't exactly planned out by some manifesto. It was just the name given to the new mode of social production near the end of the middle ages. It promised nothing, but it produced inequality and works only for the capitalists.

As far as "socialism" goes, here's a little something that NHIA sent me yesterday which I uploaded for the purposes of this very thread: http://www.easy-share.com/1911312788/their socialism and ours.pdf (it might not be available for download just yet, as it was recently uploaded, but it's a good and surprisingly quick read)

[Raúl Duke]

Even in the history of capitalism one can see a bunch of failures.

The English Civil War ended in fail (somewhat, it did become the impetus for a slow reformist acquisition of political power by the bourgeois as soon as they controlled much of the means of production, i..e economic power) and so did the 1st French Revolution.

[mikelepore]

Communism, Socialism, Capitalism...

some have come close but never reach their ideals.

Any explaination?

Capitalism has reached its ideal. Capitalism's only goal was to make the millionaires become billionaires, and this was achieved. (Capitalism's next goal, presumably, would be for the billionaires to become trillionaires.)

Socialism or communism will achieve its goal as soon as the people adopt the principle and stick to it. But you can't just say "have the workers in control" and then not permit the workers to actually have control. You have to really do it. It's like the "democracy" and "liberty" that people had in the days of slavery -- you can't just say the name and then violate it. You have to do it.