Question on Communist countries today

[Zantar]

Hello, I have a question I have been wondering about...

Would Cuba, Lao and Vietnam be considered true communist countries and if so how are they doing economically?
If they aren't considered true communist countries could you also explain why and what caused them to be that way?

I know this is somewhat of a broad question but honestly any answer will do or even a link to some good information.

Also, I am new to the forum so please excuse and ignorance pertaining to rules and what not. :rolleyes:

[Commissar Rykov]

There is no such thing as a "Communist Country" Communism it the abolishment of the State both as a valid idea and as a method. Now do you mean are they revolutionary socialists? The answer is simply no since none of those States you listed have IMHO the Workers in control of the Means of Production. To be honest I consider with all three that the Material conditions were not right for them to ever achieve socialism so they are largely caught up in what is usually called State Capitalism.

[Zantar]

There is no such thing as a "Communist Country"

I was just referring to the geographical area and people living there when I said country but not actually meaning a state.

Either way thanks for the reply.

[Q]

Note: None of the "communist" countries in the 20th century and now actually refer to themselves as such. They knew better. The "communist" label comes from McCarthyite propaganda. They referred to themselves as "socialist" (i.e. the transitional phase from the old capitalist society to the new communist one). But since socialism starts with the working class holding political power as a collective (as opposed to say a bureaucratic parasitic layer holding it in their name), I don't think we could even claim any of these countries actually being socialist either, past or present.