How much can someone give?

[bed_of_nails]

When discussing leftism with a female I know, she brought up an interesting point. How does the socially minded government determine how much someone can contribute to society?

[Clarksist]

Can? Are you talking about how should someone give?

Or are you saying... I just don't understand the question fully.

Because it almost seems as if you are saying maybe people should be limited...

[bed_of_nails]

Should, is what I meant to a degree.

How does the government know if someone is really working to their potential or not?

[anomaly]

I assume we're talking about socialism here. When I think of socialism, I think of workers democratically electing one of their own to plan the production, with the help of the local government, of their workplace. So I assume it is up to this elected worker to make sure everyone is 'working to their potential'. But this really can't be done. What will really be done is the elected individual making sure the production that she and the local government planned for is done. I assume planning will be done annually or semiannually.

In socialism, hierarchy is not eliminated, so we will still have 'bosses' who are planning production at the local level. The difference, a major difference, is that the workers will have direct control of their bosses, not the other way around.

[Clarksist]

Ahh... well how would someone know how much someone is contributing?

It's a good question. However, it is not a "stand alone". Other answers to other questions wrap around this issue.

Seeing as the only way society can develop and everyone can get what they need and want is through determined self-motivation. The motivation is not from the hierarchy, it is from yourself.

In this way self-determination runs the economy, as is obvious in Communism. Should someone not work to the top of their ability, they are ruining it for everyone, and society as a whole will suffer.

This way material motivations chip in to self-determination, and offer a good mixture of non-authoritarian motivation to work.

If we work through the first several years of similar working conditions and hours, and can "break through" to the shorter hours and better working conditions, then the question will not need to be answered anymore.

So in a way, Communism will solve itself as Socialism (if we are using a Marxist way of working through). Under Socialism the "to each according to their deeds" part will spur the rapid industrialization and will create the working conditions for an easy slip into Communism.

And finally, in Communism self-motivation and societal success are the two motivations.

In other words, don't worry about it: it will take care of itself.