Communism for Musicians

[Þórr]

Hello,

I am a musician, and I was inquiring how a communist government would treat a musician. Is communism being forced to work in factories, or would it allow the freedom that writing music requires?

I am also religious, more specifically, an Asatruar, and I'm disgusted at the state of the government and it's relationship with the churches. It feels as though christianity is overwhelming everything with the help of our republican hell of a government, and pretty much leaving every other religious or non-religious person fucked.

In the words of George Bush "Atheists shouldn't be considered citizens, because this is one nation under gOD." So this means every non-christian who works hard to improve this country is just a useless free loader, or even a traitor?!

How would communism change the state of things? Of course, people would be allowed to freely exercise their religious beliefs in their privacy, but how far would you be able to take it publicly. Would it be limited to wearing a religious article of clothing, or would we be allowed, as today, to sit there and preach about fairy world to everyone else who has to put up with it? Personally, I'd like to see those baptists shut the fuck up and keep it to themselves.

On the abolition of private property....what things could you own? Guitars? Cars? Homes? Would our own rights be impeded by communism?

Thank you for all of your help, obviously I am very new.

[danny android]

well it is my belief that communism can not survive very long without some kind of art in it's culture. being a musician myself i hope that if a communist government did arise in the america's that it would not restrict artistic thought. other communist governments have done this however.

[Clarksist]

First, the issue of freedom of religion. Religion would be completely different than it is now. Organized religion is mainly a way of pulling in capital, and so most organized religion would cease to exist.

Second, communism is NOT being shoved in a factory. Communism is the abolition of class and exploitation of the proletariat. So forcing the proletariat to work would be, in itself, exploitation and the antithesis of communism. People would work doing whatever the hell they wanted to. If you wanted to be a musician (I myself am in a band) you would get recording studios at your disposal to record and distribute your music, as well as getting instruments from the instrument industry.

Thirdly, the abolition of private property does not mean the abolition of possessions. This is very key. Private property in marxist terms pretty much means that the means of production and land would be taken away from the government and the businesses and given to the people. Land occupation being the only form of "ownership", or as some have thought land distributed to the people according to their need.

Fourthly, freedoms being impeded by communism is completely impossible only because a true communist society would have no dictating organ, except maybe ultra-democratically held worker's councils. This makes impeding freedoms kind of hard.


other communist governments have done this however.

Regarding this, frankly there haven't been any true communist societies only social capitalist nations.

Hope I helped.

[Þórr]

Wow, thanks a lot, you have been a huge help!

One more question, would your land be owned by the government or just equally distributed through the government. Also, if everyone recieved equal land, would farmers be selling their crop to the government who distributes it to the people?

I'm sorry I am so thick-headed, but I grew up in a very strict Catholic parish, and this is something very different than the crap that was force fed to me until I began to think on my own.

By, the way, what kind of band are you in? I'd love to see your site if you have one.

[Clarksist]

I'm in a death metal/grind/hardcore jazz band (wow that's a mouthful). Think Dillinger Escape Plan meats Opeth... hmm... We are working on some recordings to get a PureVolume account. We are called Silent End. But enough with my band.

Land distribution has not always been readily explained. Some say that the society should not equally distribute land. A single bachelor would not need as much land as a farmer. Others say that land should be equally distributed and that farmers would work on farms with other farmers.

As far as selling the crop to the government, it would more be that the farmer would work so that the society doesn't grow hungry. Work motivation under communism is based on motivation for the continuation of society and the reward of self-worth.

Many people point out that humans are too self centered to think that way, but under other revolutions where they opted for a slightly socialist economy the people were more than willing to work for the betterment of the whole. The resolve of bitter revolution has a way of quickly evolving human's socially.

Don't worry, I'm from an Irish Catholic family, although they are usually too drunk to give a fuck if I'm a commie, or if I'm Catholic for that matter (which I definately am not).

[Þórr]

So, work under communism means that you wouldn't get paid in money, but with the satisfaction of a job well done, and all your tools/equipment would be provided you?

That sounds more satisfying to me than getting some money you're just going to blow on something stupid, anyway. The world could really return to simpler times through communism.

These diehard money-loving religious would be hard to get past, though. Their religious franchises are just revenue generators, and they sure do love their money. Smaller, non-politically oriented religious groups would surely still exist though. There should be an equal rights amendment for all. It's a shame there isn't one in America. (It was killed back in the 70's, I believe, by a group of angry conservative women, who didn't like that they could be drafted. You can't get much more anti-communist than that.)

The land issue would be very tough to resolve as far as I see it. National parks would exist, I'm sure, and land set aside for recreation, but what would one do if they wanted more land than could be given them? They could work it out with neighbors who would not want as much land as alloted them. It could complicate things, but if it was completed, it would surely get rid of any disputes over the matter.

I think if communism was to attempt to make seed and flourish somewhere, that the US would be a very bad place to start. To be blunt, the US is is the most money-hungry, messed-up country on the Earth. A small country with people of strong values would be a great place.

If enough of we like-minded individuals could grow large enough, perhaps we could have a communist state, and seceed (spelling is wrong I think, I'm sorry) from the Union, and create a country. If everyone was for it, it would surely work.

Ah, perhaps I'm being a bit of an idealist, but it looks possible to me.

By the way, your band sounds awesome. If/when you get a Purevolume, send me a message, I'd love to check it out. If you're into old In Flames, you may like mine. The MySpace link is my webpage link.

[Forward Union]

So, work under communism means that you wouldn't get paid in money, but with the satisfaction of a job well done, and all your tools/equipment would be provided you?

Yup that's just about it, although in order to survive people would have to work to some extent, in order to have stuff to trade etc, but that's unavoidable in any system.


That sounds more satisfying to me than getting some money you're just going to blow on something stupid, anyway. The world could really return to simpler times through communism.

Well, yea, simple in economics, but without the burden of funding, people could grow to their full potential. I feel that people like scientists, artists, musicians, inventors etc could all submit and practice out their theories and ideas!!! there's no knowing where we can take ourselves.


These diehard money-loving religious would be hard to get past, though. Their religious franchises are just revenue generators, and they sure do love their money. Smaller, non-politically oriented religious groups would surely still exist though. There should be an equal rights amendment for all. It's a shame there isn't one in America. (It was killed back in the 70's, I believe, by a group of angry conservative women, who didn't like that they could be drafted. You can't get much more anti-communist than that.)

Well, everyone would be equal, and free. If someone began to repress someone else's freedom s/he would have to be check out for mental instability, though many believe that in a communist society, due to many factors, crime would almost disappear.


Ah, perhaps I'm being a bit of an idealist, but it looks possible to me.

It is possible comrade, and it will be so!. We are more powerful than they can possibly imagine, and our time will come.

[danny android]

Originally posted by [email protected] 9 2005, 06:00 AM


other communist governments have done this however.

Regarding this, frankly there haven't been any true communist societies only social capitalist nations.

Hope I helped.
oh don't worry i realize this. no nation has accomplished communism because no country has gotten rid of the class system completly. it is just much easier to say a communist nation than to say a social capitolist nation. it is the same reason why i call myself a communist and not a socialist marxist or something.

[bezdomni]

On the question of land distrubtion, land would be provided to those most able to maximise the value of the land (ie. able to grow the most amount of a reasonable quality commodity per square meter). Farming communes/factories...etc would not be owned by the state but by the people who work there.

Remember that under socialism the state is no longer a bourgeois democracy, but a proletarian democracy. The people make up the "state". After socialism has fulfilled it's duties (tearing down the class system) and becomes communist, there is no longer a state. Por lo tanto, you are mislead when you say "the state will distribute land in x manner, because the people themselves will distribute the land and use it in the aforementioned method.

Communism is not where everybody has the exact same amount of the exact same things, it's where people use their abilities to meet the surrounding society's needs.

On the question of music...yes, there will be freedom of expression under communism and there would be no reason that a person couldn't be a musician. Culture and art are necessary to society and have to be provided by those capable of doing so. However, musicians, as most people, will probably have to do various things for people's needs to be met. Under capitalism you work in one occupation and get paid for doing essentially the same thing. Under communism, you work according to your ability (of which you may have numerous) in order to fulfill the needs of others (which vary immensly).

(Some people will disagree with me)

[Forward Union]

Originally posted by danny [email protected] 9 2005, 05:10 PM

other communist governments have done this however.

Don't forget that in a communist goverment....there wouldn't be a communist goverment!

[Holocaustpulp]

Music is imperative for any culture - musicians would definitely be accounted for and would have all the freedom to play and write what they want. As this is important to you, it is also very important to myself and a vast amount of others, who use music as one of their key sources for entertainment.

Concerning religion, there is no religious persecution in socialist/communist societies as this would defy freedom and ultimately Marxism.

Concerning private property, there would be a sense of personal ownership over certain items in a socialist/communist society; there would not however be an ownership over people (i.e., there would not be landlords, government, employers, to force people to work, tax their land while doling out their wages). Your guitar would still be your guitar.

- Holocaustpulp

[Super Mario Conspiracy]

I agree. Some people might thing that Communism is a place with huge and inhuman factories where people are forced to work each day. This is wrong. Firstly, the world's industries have developed far from those dark places they had at the beginning of the 20th century.

The reason why some countries still have those factories is because they simply haven't got the money to improve, to make them brighter and more humane. Then, of course, since the factories are in the hands of the rich, they probably would do very little change since reforms costs money, and why spend your profit on improving stuff?

Second, everybody can do the most basic things: we can build, we can (after some instruction) use machines, and so on. Everybody knows how to use a saw, a hammer, and so on. And since so many people now can work for the society, working hours would be cut down drastically - maybe 3-4 hours each day (and yes, there are days off, like Saturdays and Sundays, or whatever day the people choose).

And many people might think that "no, it wouldn't be possible since no one controls them". Well, the people still have power to do nothing today. On any chosen day, the people of most countries could just stop doing anything - and what, would the police shoot everyone of them? Would they drop nukes on them?

Sure, that scenario is a little far-fetched, but it could work. It could also work in a socialist society. Remember that people, in a socialist/Communist society, work for other people, not for a boss, or for the government. People has always a will to work - and that is exactly what Socialism/Communism is built on: The WILL of the People. The WILL to help other people, the WILL to research, to explore, to live free and in democracy.

It is this will that defeated the dictators of our time, it is the same will that one day will scream directly into the capitalist beast:

We want to live in peace and in freedom, to work and to help humankind, not to exploit and murder them like you have done so long!!!.

[danny android]

Originally posted by Anarcho Rebel+Jun 9 2005, 08:38 PM--> (Anarcho Rebel @ Jun 9 2005, 08:38 PM)
danny [email protected] 9 2005, 05:10 PM

other communist governments have done this however.

Don't forget that in a communist goverment....there wouldn't be a communist goverment! [/b]
well the elimnation of the need of government is more the goal of a communist government.

[Holocaustpulp]

You know, a good example of music in communism is the effort put forth by the British punk band Crass (late '70s, early '80s), who created an anarchist commune which was composed of a group of musicians. Just an interesting fact.

- HP

[danny android]

Crass is hella sweet.

[Noah]

hey guys,

So basically, In communism everyone get's the same rewards, so a doctor would get paid the same as..say a binman?

But then everyone would not study because there would be no point unless you really loved that occupation?

Sorry if i got some things wrong guys, im still learning!


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


ignore this post, already found my answer, thanks!

[workersunity]

ya i would say, saying communist government is impossible, because communism has no state or government, also I agree that religion will stop covering peoples eyes of the exploitation and that personal religion wont be gone, i too am religious, no they wouldnt take away your stuff, i also try to play the guitar, hope to get a band together when i get good enough