make believe...

[trex]

This is a rhetorical question, I just want to see how communism works from a different angle.

I'm currently living in the USSA, communist America. I want to become a doctor. I go to school and learn how to. Now I want to go to the government and get my lisence to practice. What will the government say? Will it force me to stay in my profession? If there is a surplus of doctors, will it deny me of the job? Will I be able to choose this career?

[The Feral Underclass]

Originally posted by [email protected] 9 2005, 03:47 PM
This is a rhetorical question, I just want to see how communism works from a different angle.

I'm currently living in the USSA, communist America. I want to become a doctor. I go to school and learn how to. Now I want to go to the government and get my lisence to practice. What will the government say? Will it force me to stay in my profession? If there is a surplus of doctors, will it deny me of the job? Will I be able to choose this career
I think it can be dangerous analysing communism based on what it can do for you?

[trex]

what I mean is, I'm wondering if I may choose my own profession.

[The Feral Underclass]

Originally posted by [email protected] 9 2005, 05:45 PM
what I mean is, I'm wondering if I may choose my own profession.
Essentially what is a profession? Why do you want to be a doctor?

Communist society will need doctors of course but the desire to be a doctor will be completely one sided. Many people may want to be a doctor because it pays well, but you have some who travel to Africa and South America and Asia and are paid very little for their services. Such as the doctors who are working in the Zapatista hospital in Mexico. They do it because they want to help people.

[NovelGentry]

First off, there is no "government" per se under communism. You'd have a series of communes who would more than likely decide the economic questions. That is to say, as a doctor you would attempt to join a medical commune -- communes in this sense are the economic organization that would replace a centralized government. Under socialism you'd see administrative ministries who are formed from the communes to calculate things like the averal social hour of labor for a certain product or service.

Whether or not you can become a doctor under socialism is very much the way work would be deemed now. You'd go there and see if they were "hiring" so to speak. More than likely most workers communes would take on extra employees and lower the working hours. Thus your "employment" becomes beneficial to all. More doctors means the less time all doctors need to work.

Certainly you may have other interests. As a doctor you may also be interested in something like bio-chemistry or something, and work on the side developing medicine, not just treating patients.

Under communism a certain level of technological advancement and social advancement is assumed. You may very well be a doctor, but given the structure of society you would more than likely have no issue contributing in other areas which you are needed. Anyone can do uneducated labor, and most people will contribute to this as well as whatever field they're educated in.

In short, "careers" don't really exist. To paraphrase Marx, men will have many interests -- for a part of your day you may be a doctor, another part you may be a professor (teaching others about medicine, etc). Still another part you might be writing, whether contributing to your chosen field or to another field you have some knowledge in.

[trex]

good, those responses help alot. I was just wondering about that. Thanks, you two.