How Would Things Work? - In Socialism and then in Communism

[Klondike]

In socialism, after the power is seized by the revolutionaries, how would the power be distributed? An elite class working in the best interest of the people? Would there be a representative democracy, where the people elect leaders? Would there be a direct democracy? After this dictatorship of the proletariat, how would the power be concentrated? Please i need answers! I find myself so god damn lost when it comes to the post revolution.

[redstar2000]

I find myself so god damn lost when it comes to the post revolution.

Don't we all?

Because there is no simple answer...at least not one that will withstand critical examination.

If you hang out at this or any leftist message board for a while, you will run across the Leninist formulas from 20th century proto-communism...probably because it's just easier to memorize a formula and repeat it on ritual occasions than it is to actually think about this stuff.

But there are people here who have different ideas, speculative ideas, bits and pieces of what we would like to see or even what we absolutely demand as the minimum that we would accept.

So you need to do two things...which are not hard but not easy, either. You need to read the threads where people discuss different aspects of communist society as it might be and you need to begin thinking yourself about what kind of post-capitalist society you would want to live in.

If people press you for a glib "sound-bite" explanation of how things will "work", simply inform them that reality is too complex for sound-bites...and that communist society will, in the long run, be what the majority of the working class wants it to be and it will work the way they want it to work.

Meanwhile, you are already on your way. I think there will be quite a lot of direct democracy involved.

:cool:

[Lardlad95]

Quote: from Klondike on 11:14 pm on June 13, 2003
In socialism, after the power is seized by the revolutionaries, how would the power be distributed? An elite class working in the best interest of the people? Would there be a representative democracy, where the people elect leaders? Would there be a direct democracy? After this dictatorship of the proletariat, how would the power be concentrated? Please i need answers! I find myself so god damn lost when it comes to the post revolution.



Like red star said there is no set course of action

it all depends on your ideaology how you feel society should run and the nature of the nations people

and not everyone here will agree on what to do.

I'm not even a communist, I'm a socialist so my plans would by totally different from someone else on here's plans


The best thing to do is to analyze the failures of other societies, the sucesses of others, and your nations history to see what works est

[Acolyte Of Death]

Well, here's (http://www.che-lives.com/cgi/community/topic.pl?forum=13&topic=817&start=0) my idea for a post-revolutionary society.

The internet is a greater force for free speech and democracy than anything in human history. Let us use it!

[zorkon]

Even if there are no answers, can we at least agree on the inherant questions?

The complaint most often raised up against communsm by the uninformed or the conservative is motivation. How does one motivate workers to action if all workers are paid the same?

The other questions follow this primary one. The only anser I've found is one I developed (somewhat) myself. This question of motivation will stop having meaning. People need to see themselves less as rugged individuals, struggling to survive on their own, and more as part of a greater whole. A job devided among many is many times easier. Our motivation must then come from the satisfaction of knowing that at every oppurtunity we have helped our brethren.
I'm hopping to see some other major quiestions, and am quite currious to see the response to my answer.

[Lardlad95]

Quote: from zorkon on 4:24 pm on June 14, 2003
Even if there are no answers, can we at least agree on the inherant questions?

The complaint most often raised up against communsm by the uninformed or the conservative is motivation. How does one motivate workers to action if all workers are paid the same?

The other questions follow this primary one. The only anser I've found is one I developed (somewhat) myself. This question of motivation will stop having meaning. People need to see themselves less as rugged individuals, struggling to survive on their own, and more as part of a greater whole. A job devided among many is many times easier. Our motivation must then come from the satisfaction of knowing that at every oppurtunity we have helped our brethren.
I'm hopping to see some other major quiestions, and am quite currious to see the response to my answer.


THese aren't worker ants they are people.

Motivation isn't overcome simply by telling people it's for the greater good.

It's a larger problem than just morale