Diamonds?

[KC]

What happens under communism if there isn't enough of a product for everyone? Such as diamonds?

[STI]

People don't really need diamonds, so it won't be that big a deal. In fact, as people stop using "what they own" to measure "how much of a person they are", things like jewelery will become less and less popular.

For more important goods, though, rationing would be the used, I'd guess.

(Moved to Learning)

[bezdomni]

I was actually wondering a similar question earlier. Since everyone has different needs (for example, caloric intake needs) how would it be possible to equally distribute the rations to people while still fulfilling their differing needs. I would assume that fulfillment of needs trumps purely equal distribution, because the opposite would be cruel and irrational.

[ÑóẊîöʼn]

I believe diamonds have an industrial use, so they would still be necessary. Gold and silver are good conductors and would be used in microcircuitboards and neurosurgery.

[NovelGentry]

We can make diamonds now.

[SpeCtrE]

Well,

Under a communist system, anyone will have the right to wear diamonds. If the state can provide one for each.

Diamonds as a precious jems don't appeal to me, I just think they suck. Infact, I wouldn't want to spend a minute with someone who values such jewels more than the revolutionary cause.

It is like what Babeuf said, paraphrasing him, he said something like" Everyone will wear Diamond when each and every has one."

But , considering the industrial uses they have , we can't live without them until some substitute is found.

[ÑóẊîöʼn]

Originally posted by [email protected] 10 2005, 04:25 AM
We can make diamonds now.
Doesn't that use an awful lot of energy?

[apathy maybe]

Asking about diamonds as a 'precious' gem in a post capitalist society is a little silly I think. Diamonds are valued now (as jewelry) because of the scarcity value (partly artificial), when people realise that shiny gems are shiny whether they are real diamond or not, the demand goes down.

As to generic distribution of goods, to you acording to your needs, plus a bit extra depending on which post capitalist society you live (equal once needs are met, reward based, other).

[monkeydust]

You really have to look at the reason behind diamonds being a "good" thing in contemporary capitalism.

Sure they look good - at least that's what most would think - but we can make synthetic alternatives at a much cheaper cost which are almost identical, certainly "good enough" to make buying the expensive alternative, in practical terms, seem silly.

The real basis seems to be some kind of "status" issue. If someone has "real" diamonds, they're somehow "prestigious", they've got something that makes them "better" than your average "Joe Bloggs".

It's commodity-fetishism gone haywire.

In a communist society where the material conditions for such a state of affairs are not present, the "need" for such petty "prestige" evaporates. There's little reason to seek items just to increase "status"; in fact, I'd expect such behaviour would be considered ridiculous.

Something like diamonds would be primarily be put down for practical use - such as in machinery. There wouldn't need to be enough for everyone because nobody really needs them in the first place.

Communism's about satisfying actual, not imagined, needs.

[Abstrakt]

I don't think anyone would purchase them.

1. Like most of you have said...There is no NEED

2. Most of us Leftists have high enough morals not to wear them. I mean, how many African children died in Sierra Leon(forgive my spelling) for one diamond? I just think that we are all smart enough to know where a high percentage of the "bling" comes from.

[resisting arrest with violence]

WOE WOE WOE wait one fucking minute here comrades!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DIAMONDS ARE NOT RARE. I REPEAT DIAMONDS ARE NOT RARE. THEIR DISTRIBUTION AND THEREFORE PRICE IS CONTROLLED BY DEBEERS A CORPORATION BASED IN THE U.K. I KNOW THIS BECAUSE I SAW A NEWS PROGRAM ON DIAMONDS ON 60 MINUTES SEVERAL YEARS AGO.

"Using its monopoly, De Beers has created an artificial scarcity of diamonds, thus keeping prices high. The modern tradition of diamonds as a part of engagement in many cultures has been largely created by De Beers through an amazingly effective advertising campaign started in 1939. The "A Diamond is Forever" campaign not only convinced the public that the only suitable gift for engagement is a diamond, but also served to limit the market in used diamonds."

The above passage is from a Wikipedia article (link provided below). And it reminds me of a quote from Dr. Noam Chomsky: "Advertising is tax detuctible so we all pay for the privilege of being manipulated and controlled."

Also when an African country tries to get a fair price for its diamonds by trying to become independent of Debeers that corporation gluts the market with diamonds in order to drive priced down so then the African country will have to submit to Debeers.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debeers

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diamond

[OleMarxco]

Well, I can think of a fair amount of stuff we could use diamonds for. Perhaps not as JEWELRY, however, that shit is off. Burgeouise contraption. Nevertheless; Here's my list of practical uses of a Diamond ;)

1. As windows-glasses.
Real Diamonds are fairly tough, and could offer some serious protection. No worry of sabotage from "haters" when an occur of throwing stones, bricks or whatever. Or any thieves breaking in by crushing windows. Whatever.

2. Half-Automatic Bullets for Guns.
Nothing complex, just good ol' shots. Only this time, they're GLIMMERING and might add a nice blinding effect and don't stop at piercing one person. Pretty tough shit and perhaps could go trough some steel building too.

3. Bullet-Proof Vest.
Diamonds against Diamonds equal Nothing. Or atleast so I've heard. Just kinda like how atoms react, just not as explosive. Or whatever, me thinkesth you catch my drift, aye?
4. Building pillars.
Well, they certainly can hold up alot? Perhaps not, but, atleast if the material they're holdin' up ain't diamonds itself :P

[LSD]

DIAMONDS ARE NOT RARE. I REPEAT DIAMONDS ARE NOT RARE. THEIR DISTRIBUTION AND THEREFORE PRICE IS CONTROLLED BY DEBEERS A CORPORATION BASED IN THE U.K. I KNOW THIS BECAUSE I SAW A NEWS PROGRAM ON DIAMONDS ON 60 MINUTES SEVERAL YEARS AGO.

De Beers is based in South Africa, not the Uk and, actually, things have changed since then. For one, De Beers market share has shrunk from over 80% to barely 60%, largely due to Lev Leviev's creating his own competing group.


Well, I can think of a fair amount of stuff we could use diamonds for. Perhaps not as JEWELRY, however, that shit is off. Burgeouise contraption. Nevertheless; Here's my list of practical uses of a Diamond.

...or we could use it for what we use it for now. Namely, cutting, drilling, grinding, and polishing. Not to mention the huge potential uses in semi-conduction and transmission.

[Jaha]

my thoughts have always been that for a communist society to work, there would have to be a decrease in arrogance. a little generosity here, a bit of charity there. in such a society where this attitude has been nutured to its fullest extent, nobody will as the question, "what about diamonds?"

"from each according to their ability, to each according to their needs" would imply that those who need diamonds would use them, those who dont need diamonds would not have them, for fear of the social (and maybe legal) blunder of having private luxuries.

[resisting arrest with violence]

Originally posted by Lysergic Acid [email protected] 10 2005, 10:46 PM

DIAMONDS ARE NOT RARE. I REPEAT DIAMONDS ARE NOT RARE. THEIR DISTRIBUTION AND THEREFORE PRICE IS CONTROLLED BY DEBEERS A CORPORATION BASED IN THE U.K. I KNOW THIS BECAUSE I SAW A NEWS PROGRAM ON DIAMONDS ON 60 MINUTES SEVERAL YEARS AGO.

De Beers is based in South Africa, not the Uk and, actually, things have changed since then. For one, De Beers market share has shrunk from over 80% to barely 60%, largely due to Lev Leviev's creating his own competing group.


Well, I can think of a fair amount of stuff we could use diamonds for. Perhaps not as JEWELRY, however, that shit is off. Burgeouise contraption. Nevertheless; Here's my list of practical uses of a Diamond.

...or we could use it for what we use it for now. Namely, cutting, drilling, grinding, and polishing. Not to mention the huge potential uses in semi-conduction and transmission.
Debeers is still a monopoly. Let's take it for granted---for the sake of argument----that its share is 60%. That is still a pretty big chunk of the diamond industry. And Debeers is based in the U.K.---- a bastion of decadent imperialism.