Communism in other countries

[JazzRemington]

Carolina Communist's previous thread about where anarchists and communists are more respected has prompted me to ask a similiar question. We all know how anarchism and communism is basically pursecuted and ridiculed in America, but what about the rest of the world? Are other countries the same way when it comes to communism and anarchism? Is there the same level of propaganda?

[Zeruzo]

The level of propaganda is certainly lower then in the U.S. where they were even capable of getting in some anti-communist propaganda in the Fucking MLK-museum. But there is this level and prejudice. Actually as far as i have noticed is that Americans are far more accepting towards communism then Europeans even considering the much higher level of indoctrination. Maybe because most were never actually challenged into thinking about the ideology whereas it does happen in Europe.

[UndergroundConnexion]

France , communist parties make about 12-15% at the elections.

[RGacky3]

One thing I've noticed about Americans as different from Europeans, is American thinking is more down to earth and real, whereas a lot of Europeans have trendy sort of new age mystical/philisophical thinking. I think thats why Americans "after a little chat about what Communism IS" are a little more accepting, because they are more honest and down to earth.

[Knight of Cydonia]

Are other countries the same way when it comes to communism and anarchism? Is there the same level of propaganda? it's the same way in Indonesia, not a single propaganda.

even though a comrades which is a member of this board told me that there are some group of Trotskyist in Indonesia, but i&#39;ve never heard about &#39;em. That group maybe somekind of underground movement, coz in Indonesia, when the people knew that you are convince a communist....whoa, the people surely banned you....from this world. the Indonesian people won&#39;t even see the Hammer & Sickle symbol, it&#39;s suck isn&#39;t it? <_<

EDIT: oh and i forgot to tell that the Indonesian doesn&#39;t even put some respect on anarchism or socialism.

[cantona]

Communism and anarchism aren&#39;t the most popular things around here, you can even say that most of the people hate them. After the USSR collapsed, everything leftist was disgraced. For most of the people, communism=stalinism and anarchy=chaos. As for propaganda, it really is horrible. Politicians accuse each other of being anarchists, TV show hosts call random thieves and murderers anarchists, then there&#39;s this blabber about banning the ideology of communism for the crimes against "our people"...

[Zeruzo]

Originally posted by knight of [email protected] 16, 2007 07:33 am

Are other countries the same way when it comes to communism and anarchism? Is there the same level of propaganda? it&#39;s the same way in Indonesia, not a single propaganda.

even though a comrades which is a member of this board told me that there are some group of Trotskyist in Indonesia, but i&#39;ve never heard about &#39;em. That group maybe somekind of underground movement, coz in Indonesia, when the people knew that you are convince a communist....whoa, the people surely banned you....from this world. the Indonesian people won&#39;t even see the Hammer & Sickle symbol, it&#39;s suck isn&#39;t it? <_<

EDIT: oh and i forgot to tell that the Indonesian doesn&#39;t even put some respect on anarchism or socialism.
This prolly has something to do with Suharto...

[Prairie Fire]

In the USSR, and most of the ex-socialist world, you will find much more sympathy for communism/socialism. A rencent survey by the Chinese state newspaper found that even to this day, 2/3 of Soviet peoples have a favourable outlook on Lenin. In my poersonal experiences (sorry for the anecdote), I have never encountered a Russian who was ashamed of their past/communism. In fact, the majority of Russians I&#39;ve met still have a favourable outlook on communism.
Many millions miss Communism there.

The same goes for countries that have never had much to begin with in the third world. Communism has a lot more street cred in countries of Latin America, Africa and capitalist asia (although it carries brutal penalties in many of them). Nepal, of course, is a country where it is quite in Vouge to be a proud bolshevik.

[Vargha Poralli]

"Communism" as a word is much respected in the country where I live. It is the communists and Communist parties which is disrespected in general.It because of their action not their idealogy.

[Knight of Cydonia]

Originally posted by [email protected] 17, 2007 04:54 am
This prolly has something to do with Suharto...
yeah...that little prick actually using Indonesian Communist Party as a scapegoat for his coup against Sukarno (the first Indonesian president which i admire the most).

[Djehuti]

In Sweden communism is quite accepted, except in the media (especially during the last three years of conservative and anti-communist trend). I guess maybe 8% of the population concider themselves communists, but if they were asked to choose between communism and capitalism I think it would be quite a close one. Mayhaps 40/60 in favor for capitalism. At an unpolitical youth internet forum there was a poll on this matter. 106 participated and communism got 67 votes (57.8%) while capitalism got 49 votes (42.2%). Also two thirds concidered themselves collectivists while one third concidered themselves individualists. I have also noticed that quite many swedes know that the USSR was not communist, etc. Still, the general tendency in sweden is toward a more liberal economy and a more conservative stand in social issues etc. And that is sad. But our side are making a lot of progress too.

[Matty_UK]

I find people tend to be sympathetic to communism when you explain what it is to them in England, (at least the north, I don&#39;t think it&#39;s even worth talking to Home Counties arseholes) but most people parrot that it&#39;s "good in theory but not in reality" or "against human nature" but usually can&#39;t justify this. I think people repeat what the media says to avoid being ridiculed but when I explain it most people (young people, anyway) say "well it probably will happen one day" or words to that affect.

But no-ones interested in doing anything. :(

[Prairie Fire]

...most people parrot that it&#39;s "good in theory but not in reality" or "against human nature" but usually can&#39;t justify this

:D Man, if I had a Nickle for every time I heard those pearls of wisdom...
Well, I guess then I would be a rich bourgeosie pig, and you would need to try me as an enemy of the people.

[More Fire for the People]

I think it’s widely accepted that the masses of the western world are disaffected by the obsolete communism of the Soviet experience. No one in their right mind would wholeheartedly agree with the backwards programmes of most Leninist parties. Leninism has shown some prospects in the countries affected by neo-colonialism but I would say this is on a decline.

For example,
(1) The Nepali Maoists have cut off any links with the revolutionary peasantry. Instead they have assimilated into the bourgeois state apparatus. In addition to their open class collaborationism they’ve taken up an anti-queer line towards sexual minorities.
(2) The most advanced moments of class struggle in the past decade have been self-created acts by the exploited. The 1999 WTO protests, 2001 Argentinean riots, Nigerian oil strikes, the Katmandu strike, the 2006 May Day strike in America, etc.

I would say the international emphasis has shifted from ideological anti-capitalism to practical, day-to-day, ordinary language anti-capitalism, and since this shift it has spread like wildfire.