Modern arguments for communism?
 

Does anyone here support communism, and if so, why? (and how?)

I was recently dumbfounded by a post on another forum I visit when the poster openly support communism. I thought most people simply gave up on it when the Soviet Union fell apart... wishful thinking I guess. But what are the modern arguments used my communists to explain what seem to me to be spectacular failures.


John

Re: Modern arguments for communism?
 

They would argue that communism as practised in the USSR and elsewhere was never proper communism in the way that Marx describes it. Russia was not an industrialised nation and was still semi feudal. It was therefore not at the right stage of history to be able to make a move to communism. Developed industrialised nations were the likely candidates in Marx's theories. Of course the welfare state put any chance of that happening on hold because it gave something back to the prole's. Marx was also unaware of the effect gloabisation would have in sustaining the capitalist model and communism couldn't compete against states that embraced gloablisation and free trade. Those are just a few thoughts on it. To fully understand why it may have been a failure you'd need to read up on Marx and other alternative communist theorists.
I would support communism if I felt it was atainable. It suffers to much from being too utopian. It is also not possible at present to have a global revolution (another thing Marx thought neccessary). In Russia this model was ignored believing single state communism could flourish.
Small scale and communal communism is possible if you reduce the standard of living and find a niche that is self sustainable, but the world the way it is makes this unlikely to ever develop to anything more.

Re: Modern arguments for communism?
 

One of the biggest reasons why communism has not happened, is, as the other responder said, Marx had not heard about the welfare state, and other modern regulations to capitalism, like unions and socialized health care.

It is easy to look at Russia as a failure, but bear in mind that in 1914 they were unable to even defeat Austria in combat, and by the 1960s were undisputably the second most powerful nation in the world. While I do not even begin to justify the human rights abuses that occured under the Stalinist regime there are other causes of the failure of the Soviet Union than simply that their economic model was flawed.

There is considerable evidence that throughout the Cold War the Russians wished to disarm but NATO would not allow it. Western Europe and America essentially spent the Russians to their death, forcing them to spend higher and higher precentages of their GDP on military and not economic or social spending.

Furthermore, it is my contention that if communism is possible (and to a limited degree it has great success in Canada and Northern Europe) than it is important for it to occur in an open democracy. No society can be expected to survive the withering constraints of a dictorship, be it of one man or the proletariat.

Is communism possible or just a pipe dream? Look at the Kibitizs of Isreal, the Mennonite farming communities of rural Ontario, thousands of African tribes, the Native Americans of yesteryear and the conquering Mongols. You tell me.

Re: Modern arguments for communism?
 

Is communism possible or just a pipe dream? Look at the Kibitizs of Isreal, the Mennonite farming communities of rural Ontario

Socialist organization is possible in small, homogeneous communities. On a grand scale, since it is by nature coercive it will always fail where concepts like freedom and individualism are valued.

Re: Modern arguments for communism?
 

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On a grand scale, since it is by nature coercive it will always fail where concepts like freedom and individualism are valued.

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Like any government where the leaders are unaccountable, human nature will turn them into totalitarian regimes. Kings of the middle ages honestly thought they were doing what was best for their people, but their view of the situation is deistorted by the position they are in.

Re: Modern arguments for communism?
 

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Is communism possible or just a pipe nightmare?

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Lots of things are possible. It does not make them right.

Re: Modern arguments for communism?
 

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Is communism possible or just a pipe nightmare?

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Lots of things are possible. It does not make them right.

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Like making useless responses!

Re: Modern arguments for communism?
 

[ QUOTE ]
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Is communism possible or just a pipe nightmare?

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Lots of things are possible. It does not make them right.

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Some things are real or happening, doesn't make them right either.

Re: Modern arguments for communism?
 

[ QUOTE ]
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Is communism possible or just a pipe nightmare?

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Lots of things are possible. It does not make them right.

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Like making useless responses!

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You're entitled to your opinion, but I didn't think it was useless. Are there legitimate arguments for communism? I don't think so, but the original question in the thread title was much more interesting than whether it's possible. I think whether it's possible or not is much less interesting than whether it should even be considered. However, the op seemed somewhat confused as to which question he was asking.

Re: Modern arguments for communism?
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
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Is communism possible or just a pipe nightmare?

[/ QUOTE ]

Lots of things are possible. It does not make them right.

[/ QUOTE ]

Like making useless responses!

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You're entitled to your opinion, but I didn't think it was useless. Are there legitimate arguments for communism? I don't think so, but the original question in the thread title was much more interesting than whether it's possible. I think whether it's possible or not is much less interesting than whether it should even be considered. However, the op seemed somewhat confused as to which question he was asking.

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Of course there are legitimate arguments for communism, true egalitarianism is a pretty perssuasive one to me. Basically the arguments for communism are the same today as they were when marx wrote em down. The working class is in no better situation (even though the upper classes trick them into thinking they are).