Fundamental Differences

[Osman Ghazi]

In the last week that I was on vacation, I was wondering to myself what the fundamental difference is between capitalists and communist; that is to say, what made them become one or the other. I think it has a lot to do with the fact that capitalists believe in free will whereas communists are determinists.

Capitalists believe that, no matter what conditions a person may be in, they can always 'choose' to not be in that situation anymore; to bring themselves out by any means. And to a limited extent, that's true. If fate has chosen to grant you the quality 'willpower', then you have the ability to rise out of poverty, no matter what odds are stacked against you.

However, they fail to realize that 'willpower' is not a quality that everyone possesses, nor can they. And if they have it or not is not an exercise of their will, but of 'fate'.

Communists on the other hand, being materialists, know that certain things will happen, regardless of what people think, because human societies interact imperfectly.

[Arminius]

Communism and capitalism are nothing more than two sides of the same coin.

[HankMorgan]

It seems to me the difference is which is viewed as being superior, the individual or society. In a capitalist society, the individual is free to pursue what they believe is their best course. In a communist society the individual is subservient to the whole and therefore must follow the demands of the whole.

[robob8706]

Capitalists believe that everyone should have the free will to do what they want. Communists believe that people should have the moral capacity and intelligence to do what is good for the public. Communists believe that everyone should be altruists.

[DaCuBaN]

Egoism and Altruism - in my mind it is these that are the fundamental difference between (simply) the left and right.


I think it has a lot to do with the fact that capitalists believe in free will whereas communists are determinists.


I'm not a communist as such, but I certainly believe in free-will. The problem is the idea that it is all-encompassing. Whilst we have the ability to make any choice, we do not necessarily have the means to do so.

As far as I'm concerned it's a simple matter of short-sighted pig-headedness when faced with something alien that seems to make capitalists take a dogmatic approach to free-will.

[RedAnarchist]

What is better? Having the free will to exploit workers in Latin America, Asia etc or having the moral and mental capacity to do good for the public as a whole?

I would rather be alturistic than a egotistical fat cat using workers for his or her own personal gain. Altruistic acts are something to be done every day, no matter how small or unimportant you may think they are.

[Osman Ghazi]

In a capitalist society, the individual is free to pursue what they believe is their best course.

The same is true in communist society. The difference is, in capitalism, your choices, and thus your freedom, are limited by the amount of money you have. In communism, you are given the means to have more freedom, to make more choices.

Capitalism's version of freedom is theoretical and illusory; i.e. you can do this, if you have the money. Communism's freedom is real, because it is a system dedicated to giving the most freedom as possible.