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MrT
15th August 2005, 01:36
This is something that has been bugging me for a while now, and though I have mulled it over many times and found flaws in my statement, I'm still not totally convinced that I was wrong in originally thinking it.

From what I have gathered from reading and talking to few leftists it seems to be a common goal to aspire to a utopian society. However impossible that I personally think achieving this is, isn't really relevant in what I am trying to say.

It can be assumed that wanting to achieve this.. Hypothetical utopia, that you are also taking on the endeavour, or the want to make people happy, or at peace with themselves. It is this that I disagree with.

Yes, I think that having a perfect society would boost the general mood, but I just can't believe that It would be a "utopia", simply because the human brain would still exist (assuming it is a human utopia).

For instance, a person who has always got what he/she wanted can feel like they have everything and they would like to have been less spoilt through life.
But an arguably "less fortunate" person who has grown up being neglected and who has close to nothing would naturally want to have been nurtured and spoilt more throughout their lives. I guess it's the old cliché of the grass being greener on the other side.

People seem to always want more, and when they have that bit more, they want that little bit extra, they get something and then get used to it, whatever they have acquired becomes the norm.

I guess the question I'm asking is.. Can there ever be a true utopia, knowing that true happiness is impossible to humans?

BitchBrew
15th August 2005, 01:54
No, a utopia is not possible, in fact it's contra dictional. The human nature is of that sort that we will allways rebel, even if we achive a better socialistic sociatey it won't and can't be a utopia. There are probably gowing to grow up new ideologis to improve the sociatey further more.

MrT
15th August 2005, 02:02
My thoughts precisely, people will always be after the perfect society, knowing(assumedly) that it isn't possible. It will just make it that little more advanced, but knowing this, whats the point in chasing after something that can never be caught?

Political_Punk
15th August 2005, 02:10
hello, all, new here...some very interesting dicussions.. just putting in my 2 cents...

Yes, it all sounds great... likewise w/ communism...

but under communism, you are forced (either by gov't or a 'social democracy') to give up so much for the "greater good".

Yes, poverty exists but I think it's contradictory in trying to keep w/ any level "equality" when, at gunpoint you force one group to give to another.

the robin hood ideology is very archaic, and simply unjust in my POV...

MrT
15th August 2005, 02:15
Sorry Political punk, could you elaborate, excuse me but I didn't quite understand you're point.

BitchBrew
15th August 2005, 03:05
Originally posted by [email protected] 15 2005, 01:20 AM
whats the point in chasing after something that can never be caught?
Bakunin ones wrote somthing like:
"It is allways by seeking the impossible, that makind have achived and seen the possible, and those who nicely narrowed themself down to what to them seems possible have never gotten one step forward."

I think hes got a point, do have the ambition to create an utopia, but don't expect to acheve one.

Political_Punk
15th August 2005, 03:15
Originally posted by [email protected] 15 2005, 01:33 AM
Sorry Political punk, could you elaborate, excuse me but I didn't quite understand you're point.
no, problem, I'd love too...

under communism, you are forced to work for the so-called "greater good" regardless of your personal views.

for me, I believe it's wrong to force anyone to do do anything against their will. The ends don't justify the means.

Therefore, that's why I believe a communist society is a not so great idea. Don't get me wrong though, if anyone should choose to voluntarily live under one, then, by all means, go for it. But what happens if I live in a country and it turns communist in nature? From what I've seen and heard, I will be forced to work this "greater good".

Furthermore, where is my incentive? I mean if I'm guaranteed a min. standard of living why should I work harder? create better tools or methods? or even work at all??

violencia.Proletariat
15th August 2005, 03:43
you arent forced to work for anything in communism, if you do not wish to work then you wont recieve the benefits of the society. and no there is no one standing next to you at gunpoint making you do anything. why would you not work? your telling me your only interest is to sit around and stare at a wall all day? im sure you have a hobby, something that you work at voluntarely. therfore in communism you work because its what you are interested in. even if you arent that interested in it, its 4 hours a day, and you control the workplace, therfore if it is uncomftorable you change it.

and for who started this thread, i think you have a biased view. if you live in america, or quite a few other countries, a consumerist mentality would not be the mentality of people in communism, thats why we go through a revolution.

Political_Punk
15th August 2005, 05:21
Originally posted by [email protected] 15 2005, 03:01 AM
you arent forced to work for anything in communism, if you do not wish to work then you wont recieve the benefits of the society. and no there is no one standing next to you at gunpoint making you do anything. why would you not work? your telling me your only interest is to sit around and stare at a wall all day? im sure you have a hobby, something that you work at voluntarely. therfore in communism you work because its what you are interested in. even if you arent that interested in it, its 4 hours a day, and you control the workplace, therfore if it is uncomftorable you change it.

and for who started this thread, i think you have a biased view. if you live in america, or quite a few other countries, a consumerist mentality would not be the mentality of people in communism, thats why we go through a revolution.
ok, that's fair enough... as I've said, if anyone actually wants to live under such a society, than no one has the right to stop them.

But from all the communist readings I've read, (Leninism, Marxism, Castro, Guevera, Mao) - and any countries in the world that even approach communism, (I know there's no true example of communism on an int'l scale) they all are very totalitarian, violent and tyrannical in nature, compared to the Western World, for example. Anyone who didn't agree w/ the gov't was either thrown in jail, killed or somehow otherwise abused, and that just wasn't corruption, that was a formal policy - to destroy the dissenters. I am not trying to be inflammatory or argumentative on that point, it is simply true.

So, assuming this revolution is successful, can the communists really guarantee that anyone wanting a more individualist/freedom-oriented life live on their own without interference or force from the communist gov't (or 'social democratic contract')??

If not, then I would fight to the death against anything resembling international communism....I would hope any other freedom-oriented person would as well...

Seeker
15th August 2005, 06:33
whats the point in chasing after something that can never be caught?


Why do sailors follow stars?





I believe it's wrong to force anyone to do do anything against their will.

I agree with the sentiment, yet I am forced, against my will, to eat the remains of living beings to sustain myself.

Clarksist
15th August 2005, 06:38
But from all the communist readings I've read, (Leninism, Marxism, Castro, Guevera, Mao) - and any countries in the world that even approach communism, (I know there's no true example of communism on an int'l scale) they all are very totalitarian, violent and tyrannical in nature, compared to the Western World, for example.


There hasn't been ANYTHING near communism as you've said, but even on the countries you mention, they were capitalist. State capitalism is basically just the state ran as a company to make profits overseas.

Ironically enough.


So, assuming this revolution is successful, can the communists really guarantee that anyone wanting a more individualist/freedom-oriented life live on their own without interference or force from the communist gov't (or 'social democratic contract')??


Individualism is what communism strives for, it isn't like capitalism where you are forced to work.

Under communism you wouldn't have to help society. You can grow food in your backyard... or just sit around. But soon enough boredom will kick in.

And as long as your gonna be doing something with your time which anyone else can appreciate, you're working for society.


If not, then I would fight to the death against anything resembling international communism....I would hope any other freedom-oriented person would as well...


But what you are misunderstanding is the idea of communism.

A completely democratically controlled system of classless life, where you are given everything you need, and some luxuries just by living under communism.

Shorter workdays, complete freedoms unless you inhibit other's freedom, and the only asking of society is that you, of your own free will, work for society.

I don't see why you would disagree.

anomaly
15th August 2005, 07:05
Political Punk, have you the slightest notion of what communism is? Totalitarian communism certainly is not. How can totalitarianism even exist once the state has withered away? Listen to Clarksist, he explains your errors rather well.

Political_Punk
15th August 2005, 07:33
But from all the communist readings I've read, (Leninism, Marxism, Castro, Guevera, Mao) - and any countries in the world that even approach communism, (I know there's no true example of communism on an int'l scale) they all are very totalitarian, violent and tyrannical in nature, compared to the Western World, for example.




There hasn't been ANYTHING near communism as you've said, but even on the countries you mention, they were capitalist. State capitalism is basically just the state ran as a company to make profits overseas.


So who was Guevera, who was Tung? and what about Castro? Or Kim Jong Ill?
Ok, I imagine you're simply going to reply "well they weren't true communists / not my brand". Well, ok, fine, but are you going to suggest they were capitalists? I would hope not. As I said, (and they admit) they were at least very much approaching communism.




Individualism is what communism strives for, it isn't like capitalism where you are forced to work.


Um, no communism is not individualistic. You are always working for the "greater good". Rights, if any, are "extrinsic", no?

And you are absolutely wrong, you don't have to lift a finger under capitalism - unless of course you want to survive. That seems quite logical. Work a little, benefit a little... work a lot, benefit even more. That is simply the natural law. Why would I want to live in a society where I am forced to pay for anyone else? Sure, I have given to charities, but how dare someone suggest they have the right to force me to pay for anything. That is not just or equality - forced charity isn't charity - it's robbery. Unless of course, you live under communism voluntarily - then hey, by definition you've accepted whatever is in the contract.



Under communism you wouldn't have to help society. You can grow food in your backyard... or just sit around. But soon enough boredom will kick in.

And you can't under capitalism? Although we don't live in a truely capitalist society now, I know of many farmers who are self-sufficient and live off the land.





But what you are misunderstanding is the idea of communism.

A completely democratically controlled system of classless life, where you are given everything you need, and some luxuries just by living under communism.

Shorter workdays, complete freedoms unless you inhibit other's freedom, and the only asking of society is that you, of your own free will, work for society.

I don't see why you would disagree.


Again, where is all this money going to come from? If someone doesn't have to work under communism, where the heck is the motivation?? For me personally, I would get bored, but if I could live under a communist utopia, I certainly would work a lot less harder. Think of a sales person working on an hourly wage vs. commision? Under what system will they work harder? Under what system will they generally sell more items? Under a commission one of course. I can vouch for this personally b/c I've worked in sales and it was purely commission-based. There's no way I would have put in the dedication or time had it been simply on an hourly wage.

Shorter workdays?? How would this be the case? If people realized they could still work half as hard (or not all, for the really lazy ones) why would they want to put in the effort? I'm sorry, but ppl generally only work for themselves first. Look at the real world. Therefore, since there were generally more, less productive people out there, for whoever did work, they'd have to work that much harder to pick up the slack, so the "greater good" could enjoy all these luxuries. Eventually, internal dissent would occur b/c of the great level of contempt that would incur on behalf of the freeloaders.

If any group wants to get together and live in such a manner go for it.
But like I said, if your true goal of communism is to implement it on a world-scale, then there will be a very distinct opposition indeed. Will you honestly just let them be? or like the communist-esque people of history and current times, will you force the dissenters to your will?

I'm sorry, you have to gain an appreciation of economics on a world scale to understand that communism on such a level is simply impossible to ever implement (unless of course you are suggesting totalitarian and oppressive force). But then of course, that would be unjust and unnatural, and wouldn't count as "succesful" communism.

Therefore unless all people within the commune are in complete voluntary agreeance, it simply can not work.

anomaly
15th August 2005, 07:42
People in communism would work first and foremost for their own survival. Their working, however, also helps ensure the commune's survival (yes, in this case you can have your cake, and eat it too!). If you stop working, your friends will stop, others will stop, and it will lead to a domino effect of laziness. ow, with no one working, everyone will die (including you)! How do we keep this from happening? Work! It wasn't something invented by capitalists...people have worked since the dawn of man for their own survival. Some things do not change.

Again, your post leads me to ask if you have the slightest notion of what communism is?

Political_Punk
15th August 2005, 08:01
Originally posted by [email protected] 15 2005, 07:00 AM
People in communism would work first and foremost for their own survival. Their working, however, also helps ensure the commune's survival (yes, in this case you can have your cake, and eat it too!). If you stop working, your friends will stop, others will stop, and it will lead to a domino effect of laziness. ow, with no one working, everyone will die (including you)! How do we keep this from happening? Work! It wasn't something invented by capitalists...people have worked since the dawn of man for their own survival. Some things do not change.

Again, your post leads me to ask if you have the slightest notion of what communism is?
Yes, and people have traded goods and services since the dawn of time as well.

Capitalism is simply that natural economic state: any number of parties exchanging money (or bartering) for goods and services.

Yes, some very good points that if you don't work your commune will fall apart. Each person individually has to carry their own weight and if they don't contempt will breed and eventually a rising up will occur, collapsing the system from within.

yes, I understand your notion of Communism. I also understand that all of the people I am talking about were certainly much closer to your notion of Communism than my notion of Capitalism. Are you denying they're not closer to Communism in it's "pure-est" form?

I also know that, on a world-scale it is impossible to implement communism since there's a very significant population of people opposed to such an idea.

Again, I ask, will you or will you not force the, anti-communist people to live under your regime if it were ever implemented on a world-wide scale?

Given my examples of communist-esque persons, I would think the answer is quite obvious: Force will be required. I want no part of such a system.

anomaly
15th August 2005, 08:30
The people you're referring to, punk, were not communists. Communists want a society in which the state has withered away, and capital has been abolished. Now, Che and Mao may have wanted this, but they certainly did not go about creating it. They were first and foremost socialists, authoritarian socialists at that. If you've read many posts here, you'll see that labeling ideologies is not so simple as you suggest.

Communist revolution must be a popular revolution. it cannot be done by very few people. It may be started by a relatively small group, but at some point, the proletariat must join in and, essentially, say that they want the revolution. If the proletariat do not support the revolution, it is no communist revolution.

To answer your question honestly, I think that most anti-communist people (the bourgeoisie) will be dead by the time worldwide communism becomes realized. So in the beginning, it is safe to say that very, very few people will oppose world wide communism (after all, these people fought for communism...). Now, I suppose that people born into communism may decide they dislike it, but due to parental influeneces and the sheer quality of life, these occurences will be rare. But yes, these people will be 'forced' to live in communism, just as I am forced to live under capitalism. These anti-communists could commit suicide if they truly did not want to live under communism.

To say capitalism is a 'natural' economic state is to say that capitalism 'fits' with human nature. Obviously societal influences create this so-called human nature. It simply doesn't exist, atleast not the way you describe. It is human nature to eat, sleep, drink...to survive. How one survives, however, can be quite varied.

You want to know a communist-esque person? I know of one called Anomaly...perhaps you've heard of him?

anomaly
15th August 2005, 08:55
Shouldn't our punky friend here be restricted? He is completely anti-communist, as well as anti-socialist.

Clarksist
15th August 2005, 09:04
So who was Guevera, who was Tung? and what about Castro? Or Kim Jong Ill?
Ok, I imagine you're simply going to reply "well they weren't true communists / not my brand". Well, ok, fine, but are you going to suggest they were capitalists? I would hope not. As I said, (and they admit) they were at least very much approaching communism.


It doesn't really matter what they wrote, or what they say.

What matters is what they have done. Che doesn't count as he was never a dictator, as far as Mao and Castro, you must be kidding me.

They created capitalist countries with welfare. Wow... that is not communism. That isn't even socialism.

Try again. ;)


Um, no communism is not individualistic. You are always working for the "greater good". Rights, if any, are "extrinsic", no?


Under capitalism you are looked on as a number in a book. You are only worth the profit you pull so that some group of guys on an executive board get their pockets fat.

Unfortuneately, Political Punk, you aren't an individual under capitalism. You are the scum on some CEO's boot. If you are worth that.

Under communism, you get to do what you want, when you want. As we aren't all the same. Individuality comes in when you get what you need and what you want. Not simply what you can afford.


And you are absolutely wrong, you don't have to lift a finger under capitalism - unless of course you want to survive. That seems quite logical. Work a little, benefit a little... work a lot, benefit even more. That is simply the natural law. Why would I want to live in a society where I am forced to pay for anyone else?


Well, mainly because you are getting everything you need and some luxuries. So why complain? You get to do what you love under your terms - not to merely "make a profit", that is if you could do what you love under capitalism.

If you feel that its a raw deal to work when you want, how you want, because you love doing so then you'll never be happy. :lol:

Under communism you benefit society, but it greatly benefits you.


That is not just or equality - forced charity isn't charity - it's robbery.


It isn't charity as you choose to work or not.


? If someone doesn't have to work under communism, where the heck is the motivation?? For me personally, I would get bored, but if I could live under a communist utopia, I certainly would work a lot less harder.


Probably not, say you love to work with cars. You just love to.

But you never became a certified mechanic. Well education is free, so you go become a certified mechanic, and you can doodle with cars all day long.

Etc. etc. etc.


Under a commission one of course. I can vouch for this personally b/c I've worked in sales and it was purely commission-based. There's no way I would have put in the dedication or time had it been simply on an hourly wage.


Commission based jobs aren't needed under communism. You don't have to "sell" anything.


Shorter workdays?? How would this be the case? If people realized they could still work half as hard (or not all, for the really lazy ones) why would they want to put in the effort?


To work enough money to purchase what you need to exist, your paycheck has to stretch over the profit margins the stores and the company put out. Unless you are buying 100% wholesale from the maker with them making 0 profit, you are getting fucked over.


I'm sorry, but ppl generally only work for themselves first. Look at the real world.


You are only thinking in capitalist terms. Under capitalism, the workers work because they have to. They don't pick jobs they want, or jobs they are dying to have.

The market dictates to them what job they do. Under communism, no such dictation is needed.


Will you honestly just let them be? or like the communist-esque people of history and current times, will you force the dissenters to your will?


The idea of popular revolution, is that its popularp.

If someone wants to be oppressed by the bourgeois, then they can vote and work for a political movement.

We aren't going to stop them, and since we'd be under communism democracy would be a fair scale.

But I'm quite comfortable that if there is a communist society, it will speak for itself.


Capitalism is simply that natural economic state: any number of parties exchanging money (or bartering) for goods and services.


What about primitive communism? Where tribes would distribute everything?

Or did I just blow your mind? :P


Each person individually has to carry their own weight and if they don't contempt will breed and eventually a rising up will occur, collapsing the system from within.


No. Each person carries their own weight, and if they don't, life will suck. People will ostracize them, there is deabte as to whether they should lose their voting rights, and other ideas have "floated around".

Why would a "rising up" occur? All that would happen is that those jackasses would probably get up and do something, or just wallow in a shit-hole of a life.


I also know that, on a world-scale it is impossible to implement communism since there's a very significant population of people opposed to such an idea.


Yes. That's true.

You have to work from the ground up. Start in countries with socialism. Build up a large socialist base, and then once the state has withered away, bada-bing bada-boom, communism.

It will "speak for itself" as I have mentioned earlier.

BTW, if you have questions about the "withering away" of the state... I guess nows the time. But if you haven't grasped this and you are debating economic theory, then please read some.


Again, I ask, will you or will you not force the, anti-communist people to live under your regime if it were ever implemented on a world-wide scale?


Regime? You seem to have this idea that communism is ration lines and KGB agents.

It isn't.

There is no gun-to-the-head, no siberian landscape with people waiting in line for bread.

If anti-communists didn't want it, they could work for their own society. But if they were creating an imperialist society (as all capitalist societies need to continue to produce) then it will be met with intense anger, and force.


Given my examples of communist-esque persons, I would think the answer is quite obvious: Force will be required. I want no part of such a system.


You made no examples. You listed some revolutionaries, who some indeed may be Marxists, communists, you name it. But none of them implemented the ideals of marxism or communism so it was pointless to give those examples.

You "answer" you gave was construde and just baseless. Don't think that making a claim like that will make us forget what was said. You haven't set up any base that can withstand actual communist theory.

Also, I didn't get to say this earlier: welcome to the board.

Political_Punk
15th August 2005, 09:09
The people you're referring to, punk, were not communists. Communists want a society in which the state has withered away, and capital has been abolished. Now, Che and Mao may have wanted this, but they certainly did not go about creating it. They were first and foremost socialists, authoritarian socialists at that. If you've read many posts here, you'll see that labeling ideologies is not so simple as you suggest.

Those people I name-dropped are the most popular "communists" in the world. Ok, fine, they aren't 100% communists according to your definition, but they are certainly much closer to communists than not, that's not even an issue.



Communist revolution must be a popular revolution. it cannot be done by very few people. It may be started by a relatively small group, but at some point, the proletariat must join in and, essentially, say that they want the revolution. If the proletariat do not support the revolution, it is no communist revolution.

To answer your question honestly, I think that most anti-communist people (the bourgeoisie) will be dead by the time worldwide communism becomes realized. So in the beginning, it is safe to say that very, very few people will oppose world wide communism (after all, these people fought for communism...).


In the beginning very few will oppose world wide communism?? Look around you, there is a massive number of people/countries who are absolutely opposed to any kind of idea.



Now, I suppose that people born into communism may decide they dislike it, but due to parental influeneces and the sheer quality of life, these occurences will be rare. But yes, these people will be 'forced' to live in communism, just as I am forced to live under capitalism. These anti-communists could commit suicide if they truly did not want to live under communism.


Ok, thanks you admit Communists would force their way on everyone else.
wow... so that's the only way out? Suicide? That's disturbing.
Furthermore, in a truly Capitalist society, you wouldn't be forced to do anything. The western world certainly isn't a truely capitalist society, but if you want you can go and live in the woods and live off the land, or simply sit at home and do nothing (you could die, but it is your choice) Furthermore if you wanted to make a better life for yourself you could go out and start your own business, get another job, or deal w/ people in profit-based manner. Also, you could start your own commune if you'd like, and I'd support your right to do that. Given how any country that even approached communism ended up being very oppressive to most, and especially the dissenters, I would never support such a system.



To say capitalism is a 'natural' economic state is to say that capitalism 'fits' with human nature. Obviously societal influences create this so-called human nature. It simply doesn't exist, atleast not the way you describe. It is human nature to eat, sleep, drink...to survive. How one survives, however, can be quite varied.

No, to say it "fits" w/ anything is simply a perspective. The essence of capitalism states that any number of people should be unhindered to produce, buy, sell or trade any items and whatever price they agree upon. Yes, how one survives is varied, but that is of course another topic.



You want to know a communist-esque person? I know of one called Anomaly...perhaps you've heard of him?


uhhh no... is he a member on here? I am talking about someone as world renowned as Castro, Che, or Mao... As shown, they were/are the closest things to Communism.

Clarksist
15th August 2005, 09:23
Those people I name-dropped are the most popular "communists" in the world. Ok, fine, they aren't 100% communists according to your definition, but they are certainly much closer to communists than not, that's not even an issue.


No, they weren't 100% communist by the theory of communism. Not even close. Its a BIG issue because its a misrepresentation that communists, like me, have to work through.

And many people, such as yourself, genuinely feel that they are communists. Its disheartening. :(


In the beginning very few will oppose world wide communism?? Look around you, there is a massive number of people/countries who are absolutely opposed to any kind of idea.


Way to not read his post and make a blatant statement.

He is saying that when revolution comes it must be popular. Not that we are ready for such revolution.


Ok, thanks you admit Communists would force their way on everyone else.


No, he said that basically people wouldn't want to stray from communism as, in perhaps terms we all would appreciate in such political discussion, it would kick ass.

Maybe he went a little overboard, but basically that's what you have to do under any system if you dislike it. Unless you like living alone.


The western world certainly isn't a truely capitalist society, but if you want you can go and live in the woods and live off the land, or simply sit at home and do nothing (you could die, but it is your choice)


Isn't that the same way us commies wanna force communism on you? Stop forcing capitalism on us. :lol:


Given how any country that even approached communism ended up being very oppressive to most, and especially the dissenters, I would never support such a system.


Riiight. Those mysterious countries which never existed as there hasn't even been a SOCIALIST country yet, let alone ANYTHING CLOSE to communism.


I am talking about someone as world renowned as Castro, Che, or Mao... As shown, they were/are the closest things to Communism.


No they aren't... at all. Che may have been but he did no running of an entire government.

They closest thing to a true communist who is well known is probably Marx. Not to sound like an ass, but that's sadly true.

Political_Punk
15th August 2005, 09:30
Originally posted by [email protected] 15 2005, 08:22 AM

So who was Guevera, who was Tung? and what about Castro? Or Kim Jong Ill?
Ok, I imagine you're simply going to reply "well they weren't true communists / not my brand". Well, ok, fine, but are you going to suggest they were capitalists? I would hope not. As I said, (and they admit) they were at least very much approaching communism.


It doesn't really matter what they wrote, or what they say.

What matters is what they have done. Che doesn't count as he was never a dictator, as far as Mao and Castro, you must be kidding me.

They created capitalist countries with welfare. Wow... that is not communism. That isn't even socialism.

Try again. ;)


Um, no communism is not individualistic. You are always working for the "greater good". Rights, if any, are "extrinsic", no?


Under capitalism you are looked on as a number in a book. You are only worth the profit you pull so that some group of guys on an executive board get their pockets fat.

Unfortuneately, Political Punk, you aren't an individual under capitalism. You are the scum on some CEO's boot. If you are worth that.

Under communism, you get to do what you want, when you want. As we aren't all the same. Individuality comes in when you get what you need and what you want. Not simply what you can afford.


And you are absolutely wrong, you don't have to lift a finger under capitalism - unless of course you want to survive. That seems quite logical. Work a little, benefit a little... work a lot, benefit even more. That is simply the natural law. Why would I want to live in a society where I am forced to pay for anyone else?


Well, mainly because you are getting everything you need and some luxuries. So why complain? You get to do what you love under your terms - not to merely "make a profit", that is if you could do what you love under capitalism.

If you feel that its a raw deal to work when you want, how you want, because you love doing so then you'll never be happy. :lol:

Under communism you benefit society, but it greatly benefits you.


That is not just or equality - forced charity isn't charity - it's robbery.


It isn't charity as you choose to work or not.


? If someone doesn't have to work under communism, where the heck is the motivation?? For me personally, I would get bored, but if I could live under a communist utopia, I certainly would work a lot less harder.


Probably not, say you love to work with cars. You just love to.

But you never became a certified mechanic. Well education is free, so you go become a certified mechanic, and you can doodle with cars all day long.

Etc. etc. etc.


Under a commission one of course. I can vouch for this personally b/c I've worked in sales and it was purely commission-based. There's no way I would have put in the dedication or time had it been simply on an hourly wage.


Commission based jobs aren't needed under communism. You don't have to "sell" anything.


Shorter workdays?? How would this be the case? If people realized they could still work half as hard (or not all, for the really lazy ones) why would they want to put in the effort?


To work enough money to purchase what you need to exist, your paycheck has to stretch over the profit margins the stores and the company put out. Unless you are buying 100% wholesale from the maker with them making 0 profit, you are getting fucked over.


I'm sorry, but ppl generally only work for themselves first. Look at the real world.


You are only thinking in capitalist terms. Under capitalism, the workers work because they have to. They don't pick jobs they want, or jobs they are dying to have.

The market dictates to them what job they do. Under communism, no such dictation is needed.


Will you honestly just let them be? or like the communist-esque people of history and current times, will you force the dissenters to your will?


The idea of popular revolution, is that its popularp.

If someone wants to be oppressed by the bourgeois, then they can vote and work for a political movement.

We aren't going to stop them, and since we'd be under communism democracy would be a fair scale.

But I'm quite comfortable that if there is a communist society, it will speak for itself.


Capitalism is simply that natural economic state: any number of parties exchanging money (or bartering) for goods and services.


What about primitive communism? Where tribes would distribute everything?

Or did I just blow your mind? :P


Each person individually has to carry their own weight and if they don't contempt will breed and eventually a rising up will occur, collapsing the system from within.


No. Each person carries their own weight, and if they don't, life will suck. People will ostracize them, there is deabte as to whether they should lose their voting rights, and other ideas have "floated around".

Why would a "rising up" occur? All that would happen is that those jackasses would probably get up and do something, or just wallow in a shit-hole of a life.


I also know that, on a world-scale it is impossible to implement communism since there's a very significant population of people opposed to such an idea.


Yes. That's true.

You have to work from the ground up. Start in countries with socialism. Build up a large socialist base, and then once the state has withered away, bada-bing bada-boom, communism.

It will "speak for itself" as I have mentioned earlier.

BTW, if you have questions about the "withering away" of the state... I guess nows the time. But if you haven't grasped this and you are debating economic theory, then please read some.


Again, I ask, will you or will you not force the, anti-communist people to live under your regime if it were ever implemented on a world-wide scale?


Regime? You seem to have this idea that communism is ration lines and KGB agents.

It isn't.

There is no gun-to-the-head, no siberian landscape with people waiting in line for bread.

If anti-communists didn't want it, they could work for their own society. But if they were creating an imperialist society (as all capitalist societies need to continue to produce) then it will be met with intense anger, and force.


Given my examples of communist-esque persons, I would think the answer is quite obvious: Force will be required. I want no part of such a system.


You made no examples. You listed some revolutionaries, who some indeed may be Marxists, communists, you name it. But none of them implemented the ideals of marxism or communism so it was pointless to give those examples.

You "answer" you gave was construde and just baseless. Don't think that making a claim like that will make us forget what was said. You haven't set up any base that can withstand actual communist theory.

Also, I didn't get to say this earlier: welcome to the board.
Ok, I'm just going to address what you've said in as short a time as possible... b/c yes, I am new to here, but already I am running into the very same, circular, re-hashed defenses of communism.

bla bla bla... Castro/Mao/Tung weren't true communists... well, here's a newsflash, they much closer to the left/commie side than not. That is without debate.

Again, I said, if anyone wants to live under such a system, then by all means, I agree w/ your right to choose.

But on a world-wide scale: This can never happen.

Furthermore, it is completely ignorant, paranoid and cynical to assume that you are just the shit off your boss' shoe. If someone agrees to work for someone else under any given conditions, then that's their business. No one has the right to step in and force them to do otherwise. I hated a job I had, so I went and found another one.

The market will automatically set the price for what's a decent wage. Of course doctors will make more than a janitor - it takes much more time, energy, intelligence and overall comprehension to be a doctor.

under your world-wide commune though, people won't be encouraged to push themselves to their full potential b/c they apparently already have a number of luxuries by default, but since that very nature will breed laziness and not improvement and competition, you will become lazier or at least stagnant at a lower level than if you were forced to absolutely work for everything you had.

I have seen this example of "free" schooling - I went to one. The gov't can never, ever run any business, especially schools in an efficient manner. To do this requires profit - people don't work for free - and the gov't can not run a business in such a manner b/c there is simply no accountability.

Look at any two schools: public and private, the private school always has the superior education, smaller class sizes, smarter students. It's funny even most of the socialist bureaucrats send their kids to said schools.

So yeah, you want to live in a commune off in the woods somewhere? Great. Are you going to force your will upon me on a worldwide scale? Good luck, I will fight to the death for my personal freedom to live as I please.

Political_Punk
15th August 2005, 09:35
Originally posted by [email protected] 15 2005, 08:13 AM
Shouldn't our punky friend here be restricted? He is completely anti-communist, as well as anti-socialist.
Restricted? Why?
I am not name calling or trolling, I am simply arguing against Communism.

hehe... wait... I see, so much like any country resembling communism in real life my free speech will also be limited, if not censored or worse yet, I am eliminated?

Yes, I understand there's a section for the dissenters, and you guys have every right to ban someone for whatever reason - but if they are being decent, what's the problem?
So, then, 95% of this board is about politically stroking each other while not considering any alternate point of view? That is sad.

Don't continue to give communism an even worse name and censor the anti-commies.

Clarksist
15th August 2005, 09:45
bla bla bla... Castro/Mao/Tung weren't true communists... well, here's a newsflash, they much closer to the left/commie side than not. That is without debate.


That's like saying that Bill Clinton is a Nazi, becuase he is closer to the right than not.


If someone agrees to work for someone else under any given conditions, then that's their business. No one has the right to step in and force them to do otherwise. I hated a job I had, so I went and found another one.


Hey man, the idea of a workers revolution is that the workers revolt.

That's great that you went and "found another job" just in the snap of some fingers. But for a lot of people, switching jobs can be traumatic.

Seeing as when my mom did it, she lost her home and her car and had to move into free housing because she had NO way of going right into another job.

Capitalism is based on profits over people. The market dicates what jobs you can have. It isn&#39;t like capitalism is "clean" at all. How "punk" of you. <_<


The market will automatically set the price for what&#39;s a decent wage. Of course doctors will make more than a janitor - it takes much more time, energy, intelligence and overall comprehension to be a doctor.


Will the market set the price for what&#39;s a "decent" wage? Is that why the government had to ensure a minimum wage? Even then, minimum wage is not livable.

Doctors make more than a janitor because they are grossly overpayed by a bloated pharmeceutical profit margin and people don&#39;t realize how much they&#39;d miss getitng shit cleaned up.

Without janitors life would suck, they don&#39;t deserve being paid less then people who play football for four years pro.


I have seen this example of "free" schooling - I went to one. The gov&#39;t can never, ever run any business, especially schools in an efficient manner. To do this requires profit - people don&#39;t work for free - and the gov&#39;t can not run a business in such a manner b/c there is simply on accountability.


READ: To do this in capitalism requires profit.

Public schools seem like shit because they are run on tax funding.

Under communism public schools are based on teachers who want to teach. They can get their license and teach.

Unlike now where it isn&#39;t well paying, and getting a license can interfere with you know, a job.


Look at any two schools: public and private, the private school always has the superior education. It&#39;s funny even most of the socialist bureaucrats send their kids to said schools.


Note, social bureacrats are our enemies too.

If I could, I would have loved to go to a private school, because public schools are shit. Because of, as I&#39;ve explained, capitalism.

See how there is this thread combining everything...


So yeah, you want to live in a commune off in the woods somewhere? Great.


So when you tell us to "go off in the woods somewhere" and start a commune that&#39;s "being fair". When we tell you that you can "go off in the woods somewhere under communism if you don&#39;t agree" thats forcing our will upon you.


Good luck, I will fight to the death for my personal freedom to live as I please.


So why live as a faceless drone to make some rich white male a bunch of unearned money?

On one last note:


I am running into the very same, circular, re-hashed defenses of communism.


Wow... I can make blanket generalizations with absolutely no backing up to:

Babies are sheeps.
Butter is poisonous if eaten with air.
Water&#39;s natural color is red.

See? Easy.

It is obvious you have some thinking going on in your head, so don&#39;t make statements like that with no backing unless you want all mutual respect to sink.

Black Dagger
15th August 2005, 10:03
Don&#39;t continue to give communism an even worse name and censor the anti-commies.

This board is a discussion place for revolutionary leftists, anti-communist garbage does not aid that discussion, nor is it very often well written. The majority of capitalists who waste their time here no nothing about communism, and their &#39;critiques&#39; invariably fall into box labelled &#39;clichéd arguments&#39;.

Here&#39;s a &#39;newsflash&#39; for you, no communist here gives a fuck what you think about communism. And only a moron would relate their restriction on a board for revolutionary leftist discussion, with an &#39;inherent&#39; lack of &#39;free speech&#39; in a non-existant &#39;communist&#39; society.



bla bla bla... Castro/Mao/Tung weren&#39;t true communists... well, here&#39;s a newsflash, they much closer to the left/commie side than not. That is without debate.

&#39;Newsflash&#39;, you&#39;re talking out of your arse. Not only would you not know what &#39;true&#39; communism is, you&#39;re clearly not aware of the controversy created by "Castro/Mao/Tung" in communist circles. Whether or not these figures are/were legitimate marxists or communists is fiercely debated, to this day. Maoists and anti-authoritarian marxists would be a place to start, &#39;authoritarian vs. libertarian&#39; approaches to marxism would be another, &#39;marxist vs. anarchist&#39; constructions of &#39;communist&#39; and &#39;communism&#39; would be another.



But on a world-wide scale: This can never happen.

What can&#39;t? And why?




The market will automatically set the price for what&#39;s a decent wage.

Except that history has shown us that this is not the case. Workers and capitalists just never seem to be able to come to an &#39;understanding&#39; about what entails a &#39;decent wage&#39;, and usually the workers are the ones pushing for this to change, &#39;the market&#39; just never seems to agree with them. Historically the state had to step in to curb some of the overt exploitation that took place, ie. minimum wage standards. Why? Because capitalists are not concerned with the living standard of workers, but about how much profit their company can generate. And besides, how does something like &#39;the market&#39; come to these determinations? How does &#39;the market&#39; decide what is a &#39;decent&#39; wage&#39;? What does &#39;decent wage&#39; even mean?



Of course doctors will make more than a janitor - it takes much more time, energy, intelligence and overall comprehension to be a doctor.

So wages should be determined by intelligence? Have you ever done maintenance duty, ie. janitor &#39;work&#39;? It&#39;s difficult, energy-consuming, what is usually referred to as hard-work. Being a janitor is not only hard-work, but it&#39;s boring and for most people unfulfilling. If everything janitor&#39;s should get paid more than they do in a capitalist society because of these things. They do an important, and valuable service for the community, that is not only laborious, but boring, unfulfilling, that is not respected or even valued and is at times degrading (cleaning toilets/vomit/etc), although it could be argued that it is always degrading. Like shining shoes for pennies.

Urgh, i can&#39;t be bothered.

Mujer Libre
15th August 2005, 10:20
I&#39;m just passing through; got to get back to writing essays, but something Political Punk said bugged me...


I have seen this example of "free" schooling - I went to one. The gov&#39;t can never, ever run any business, especially schools in an efficient manner. To do this requires profit - people don&#39;t work for free - and the gov&#39;t can not run a business in such a manner b/c there is simply no accountability.

Look at any two schools: public and private, the private school always has the superior education, smaller class sizes, smarter students. It&#39;s funny even most of the socialist bureaucrats send their kids to said schools.
I suggest that you move to Australia then. Almost ALL of the top achieving schools (at least in New South Wales) are government run schools. School fees are optional, and usually less than &#036;200 a year. Admittedly, not all government schools are like that, but they&#39;re not the hellholes you make them out to be.

Private schools are where the kids who want to go horseriding or play rugby all day go. :P Either that or their parents force them to... And they are NOWHERE on the academic results lists.

Newsflash: lots of very smart students can&#39;t afford private schools. Also the students at private schools may appear to be more intelligent because they have access to better resources and other learnng aids.

violencia.Proletariat
15th August 2005, 15:46
Originally posted by [email protected] 15 2005, 12:39 AM





But from all the communist readings I&#39;ve read, (Leninism, Marxism, Castro, Guevera, Mao) - and any countries in the world that even approach communism, (I know there&#39;s no true example of communism on an int&#39;l scale) they all are very totalitarian, violent and tyrannical in nature, compared to the Western World, for example. Anyone who didn&#39;t agree w/ the gov&#39;t was either thrown in jail, killed or somehow otherwise abused, and that just wasn&#39;t corruption, that was a formal policy - to destroy the dissenters. I am not trying to be inflammatory or argumentative on that point, it is simply true.

these people were marxist/leninist, and you dont have to be a marxist leninist to be a communisnt, there are other theories, MUCH BETTER, in my opinion on how to obtain communism, such as anarchism, council communism, etc.




So, assuming this revolution is successful, can the communists really guarantee that anyone wanting a more individualist/freedom-oriented life live on their own without interference or force from the communist gov&#39;t (or &#39;social democratic contract&#39;)??

of course you would have freedom, thats the whole point of trying to create communism, WORKERS CONTROL PRODUCTION THEY ARE FREE FROM BOSSES, PEOPLE RULE THEMSELVES IN THEIR COMMUNITIES&#33; You seem to have an american made view of communism ;)


Furthermore, it is completely ignorant, paranoid and cynical to assume that you are just the shit off your boss&#39; shoe. If someone agrees to work for someone else under any given conditions, then that&#39;s their business. No one has the right to step in and force them to do otherwise. I hated a job I had, so I went and found another one.

i doubt its anyones choice to work a shitty minimum wage job, they have to, or they starve. now if for some strange reason people pass up the opertunity to control their own workplace in order to follow someone else&#39;s orders, then fine, they can go ahead and do that.


under your world-wide commune though, people won&#39;t be encouraged to push themselves to their full potential b/c they apparently already have a number of luxuries by default, but since that very nature will breed laziness and not improvement and competition, you will become lazier or at least stagnant at a lower level than if you were forced to absolutely work for everything you had.

and yet these minimum wage workers who never got the chance of a good education are being pushed to their full potential :lol: in communism, its all by choice, people are interested in things, take science for example, people dont do it just because of pay, they do it because they are INTERESTED&#33; thefore with lots more people having a lot more acess to education, there will be a lot more thinkers, and society will reap these benefits.

bombeverything
16th August 2005, 00:43
bla bla bla... Castro/Mao/Tung weren&#39;t true communists... well, here&#39;s a newsflash, they much closer to the left/commie side than not. That is without debate.

So they claimed to be leftists. So what? As Clarksist rightly noted, this post is absurd.


Again, I said, if anyone wants to live under such a system, then by all means, I agree w/ your right to choose.

But on a world-wide scale: This can never happen.

Why? Because the American government will intervene to prevent any dissent? I did not choose to live under capitalism.


Furthermore, it is completely ignorant, paranoid and cynical to assume that you are just the shit off your boss&#39; shoe. If someone agrees to work for someone else under any given conditions, then that&#39;s their business. No one has the right to step in and force them to do otherwise.

It would be ignorant to think otherwise. You clearly misunderstand the nature of a system that produces for profit. By it&#39;s very nature it has to benefit the bosses.


I hated a job I had, so I went and found another one.

Yay for you.


The market will automatically set the price for what&#39;s a decent wage. Of course doctors will make more than a janitor - it takes much more time, energy, intelligence and overall comprehension to be a doctor.

Like the "fair" wages we have in developing countries?


under your world-wide commune though, people won&#39;t be encouraged to push themselves to their full potential b/c they apparently already have a number of luxuries by default, but since that very nature will breed laziness and not improvement and competition, you will become lazier or at least stagnant at a lower level than if you were forced to absolutely work for everything you had.

Yes they will. If they do not work they will not benefit from the fruits of the community. Competition is hardly progressive. Instead, it is competition that breeds the worst in people. Co-operation and mutual aid, on the other hand is necessary for life and is far from a denial of liberty. Solidarity means associating together as equals in order to satisfy our common interests and needs.


I have seen this example of "free" schooling - I went to one. The gov&#39;t can never, ever run any business, especially schools in an efficient manner. To do this requires profit - people don&#39;t work for free - and the gov&#39;t can not run a business in such a manner b/c there is simply no accountability.

This is exactly it. Schools are not meant to be a business. You go on about "freedom" but have little understanding of the term. Freedom is not brainwashing children into a blind acceptance of the capitalist system through promoting social institutions such as schools as businesses. What you are promoting is a capitalist dictatorship. Under capitalism freedom is only possible for the rich, and even then, this is only a minority of the population and thus freedom does not exist. Human freedom can only exist when everyone is free.


Look at any two schools: public and private, the private school always has the superior education, smaller class sizes, smarter students. It&#39;s funny even most of the socialist bureaucrats send their kids to said schools.

Yeah, and only rich people can afford this "superior" education. And you call this freedom? Yeah, people have the freedom to starve.


So yeah, you want to live in a commune off in the woods somewhere? Great. Are you going to force your will upon me on a worldwide scale? Good luck, I will fight to the death for my personal freedom to live as I please.

True communism refers to a stateless, classless society. Hence there is no belief in external authority. Your the one that keeps insisting on protecting your rulers, the ruling class. This makes you an idiot.