Disabled and Unable to work in a communist society

[Dóchas]

How would disabled people and people unable to work survive in a communist society as they are obviously unable to work so it kinda goes against the communist work ethic. would they recieve benefit from the government or is that just free hand outs?

[LOLseph Stalin]

Haha! This was my question too.

[Dóchas]

we will soon find out what will happen to them

[LOLseph Stalin]

Indeed we will. We can't really run a Communist society without knowing what to do with disabled people!

[AutomaticMan]

I'm no expert, but I imagine they'd get supported by able-bodied people..? But, I mean, most disabled people, in one way or another, can still serve the community and do work. Of course though, it's 'from each according to their ability', so nobody's gonna starve because the lack they physical/mental capacity to work.

[Dóchas]

so as long as they make an effort to work they will be grand?

[Post-Something]

They would obviously be supported by the community. Communism is an economic system based on needs.

[red-carnations]

"From each, according to his ability; To each according to his needs" This was a slogan popularized by Karl Marx..In other words, if you cannot work, you will be taken care of by the "state".:)

[jake williams]

Virtually all "disabled" people can work. Name me a disability that means you can't do anything productive and useful.

Also a lot of disabilities are poverty-related (or class-related), in two different (but not totally separate) ways. First, in a communist society you'd have better healthcare, mental and physical. I don't know if it's most, but some huge percentage of disabilities and people receiving "disability benefits" are doing so because of mental disabilities - and a lot of these are closely related to poverty. "Disability" is often a reserve welfare in places without functioning welfare for what the state decides are people able to work. Secondly, a lot of disabilities are surmountable if you can afford it. For example, mobility disabilities are a lot less a barrier to working if you own a car, or if the place you live has a well-functioning public transit system, or if you're able to work from home. The jobs that the ruling class and the wealthier working class give themselves are far easier to do at home than the jobs the working class, especially its poorer elements, are forced to do.

The point is it's very unlikely you'd have anywhere near as many people being "unproductive" due to disabilities in a communist society. I don't know anyone who's on disability and doesn't want to help their community and be productive - some of them might not want to "work", but neither does anyone else because work is so atrocious in a capitalist society.

[ZeroNowhere]

"From each, according to his ability; To each according to his needs" This was a slogan popularized by Karl Marx..In other words, if you cannot work, you will be taken care of by the "state".:)
It's a slogan originating from Louis Blanc, and used by Marx only to detail that it would only be possible when 'labour was not a means of living, but life's prime want', and scarcity was eliminated.
Also, that's not what it means. At all.
Anyways, presumably most could work, and those that can't would probably be compensated by an agreed upon amount of labour credits. For schools and homes for the elderly, hospitals, etc, we'd probably have to put aside some amount of the production.
Of course, there's also the 'free access' form of socialism, in which those who can't work would presumably be allowed to consume a set amount, determined somehow. Alternatively, a really, really free market in which they'd be able to take whatever the hell they like, as would everybody else.


communist work ethic
What the hell is that?

[JimmyJazz]

They would obviously be supported by the community.

Emphasis on the obviously. Who really thinks communism/socialism would provide less good care for disabled people than capitalism does?

Still, I'm glad the OP understands that socialism is not about generously giving handouts to nonproductive people, it's about giving those who actually do productive work the full value of their labor. In the U.S. at least, virtually everyone mistakenly thinks it's the former.


What the hell is that?

"Equal liability of all to labor".

[F9]

How would disabled people and people unable to work survive in a communist society as they are obviously unable to work so it kinda goes against the communist work ethic. would they recieve benefit from the government or is that just free hand outs?

As some comrade above said "From each according his abilitys, to each according his needs", but the commune will provide him what he needs not the state because in communism there isnt a state:p
I have told it a lot of times, all people will get what they need, beside if they work or not, beside all other factors, people will have what they need!

Fuserg9:star:

[ernie]

Still, I'm glad the OP understands that socialism is not about generously giving handouts to nonproductive people, it's about giving those who actually do productive work the full value of their labor. In the U.S. at least, virtually everyone mistakenly thinks it's the former.
I don't know about socialism, but communism is the former. In general, everyone should be take care of, no questions asked! That's what freedom means.

[bellyscratch]

There are currently alot of disabled people who want to work but aren't in a position where employers want them or in a position to support themselves properly. Often they work casually in the voluntary sector, such as charity shops, and get help from social workers, but are still on state benefit as they wouldnt be able to cope in 'proper job'. However, from my experience in the voluntary sector, there are only so many disabled people that they can take on and have to reject most as they don't have the structure or funding.

I think this would be a model that would be extended and adjusted to fit with a communist/socialist society to help all disabled people achieve what they can and contribute to society in one shape or another. The main difference between a capitalist and socialist society in this aspect would be that disabled people will feel that they can actually contribute to society in 'proper jobs' instead of being cast aside and disheartened by the capitalist society stopping them making the contribution that they would like.

[JimmyJazz]

I don't know about socialism, but communism is the former. In general, everyone should be take care of, no questions asked! That's what freedom means.

Not really. It may entail the former, but you can't say that it is the former. Even most capitalist societies recognize basic subsistence/welfare rights (although grudgingly). So it's not the most defining feature of communism/socialism. The most defining feature is the absence of idle profit-making capitalists and the equal liability of all to work.

There's a discussion of this here (http://www.revleft.com/vb/each-according-their-t94020/index.html?t=94020).

[red-carnations]

As some comrade above said "From each according his abilitys, to each according his needs", but the commune will provide him what he needs not the state because in communism there isnt a state:p

Fuserg9:star:

That's why I put "state" in quotation marks!! :confused: It was to prove a conceptual point.. Jeesh..Comrades.. lay off a bit will you!! Some of us might not have all the proper words and concepts 100% accurate , but our hearts are in the right, or shall I say "left" place!!

[Black Sheep]

Some of us might not have all the proper words and concepts 100% accurate
What!?
ban!

Fuserg9 just made a clarification, chill.

[ernie]

Not really. It may entail the former, but you can't say that it is the former. Even most capitalist societies recognize basic subsistence/welfare rights (although grudgingly). So it's not the most defining feature of communism/socialism. The most defining feature is the absence of idle profit-making capitalists and the equal liability of all to work.

There's a discussion of this here (http://www.revleft.com/vb/each-according-their-t94020/index.html?t=94020).
OK. I misunderstood you. I thought you were saying that communism wasn't going to have that feature. That's why I responded in the way that I did. I certainly didn't mean to define the word communism with that famous slogan.

[F9]

That's why I put "state" in quotation marks!! :confused: It was to prove a conceptual point.. Jeesh..Comrades.. lay off a bit will you!! Some of us might not have all the proper words and concepts 100% accurate , but our hearts are in the right, or shall I say "left" place!!

i understood it, but as bulk sheep said i just made a further clarification, the point wasnt you to understand it(you have shown even with "wrong" word) but the one who asked, thats why i explained it a little more!

And believe me you are talking to the no1 around here who finds it difficult to express himself with the right words, nowadays i can do it pretty much ok, but in the past i was like useless with words!:lol:So i understand you and not in a moment i wanted to make you feel down(you see i dont know how to express it correct:lol:), so excuse me if you felt "attacked" or "humiliate" or any other word may fit there!;)

Fuserg9:star:

[red-carnations]

i understood it, but as bulk sheep said i just made a further clarification, the point wasnt you to understand it(you have shown even with "wrong" word) but the one who asked, thats why i explained it a little more!

And believe me you are talking to the no1 around here who finds it difficult to express himself with the right words, nowadays i can do it pretty much ok, but in the past i was like useless with words!:lol:So i understand you and not in a moment i wanted to make you feel down(you see i dont know how to express it correct:lol:), so excuse me if you felt "attacked" or "humiliate" or any other word may fit there!;)

Fuserg9:star:


Thank-you for the clarification, Comrade.. Perhaps I was a bit defensive, and misunderstood this icon:p in your reply. I'm new to this board, and I do see an awful lot of "correction", and "clarification" on here. We are all in this fight together; Some of us the "brains" behind the movement.. Some of us, the "heart" of the movement (myself in this catagory):)

[Dóchas]

so just taking from what people have been saying, the disabled and unable to work will be supported by society/community and as one poster pointed out they will probably be able to do some sort of work how ever small and contribute to the economy as best they can.

[Module]

Unless they're like a vegetable, there would be something they would be able to do.
This is not to say that I think it's absolutely vital everybody has to do a day's work, no matter what, obviously that'll be harder for some, but also because I think that it's important, for somebody's own feeling of well being, to contribute towards a society that they are a part of.
Regardless, they would be supported by the community just like anybody else.
From each according to their ability, to each according to their need.

[Oneironaut]

Thank-you for the clarification, Comrade.. Perhaps I was a bit defensive, and misunderstood this icon:p in your reply. I'm new to this board, and I do see an awful lot of "correction", and "clarification" on here. We are all in this fight together; Some of us the "brains" behind the movement.. Some of us, the "heart" of the movement (myself in this catagory):)

Just give it time comrade. The only reason I began to study Marxism was I felt it to be right. As long as you are dedicated, which sounds to be the case, you will begin to understand the ins-and-outs of concepts and how they relate to us.