Quote:
Originally posted by johnny:
I'm not so sure if there ever was a reason to fear communisme to begin with. Who made that fable up anyway ? Is communisme per se a bad thing ?
I'd say if that's what the people want, then let them have it. They have a right to choose now, haven't they ?
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I was recently reading a book by V.S. Naipaul called "Among the Believers" and there's a man in it with whom the author travelled in Iran. The guy was a communist and this was around 1980.
Anyway, this guy and many of his friends had a real taste of revolution 'cause the Islamic revolution had just happened in Iran. He mentions on several occasions that there needs to be another revolution and that many, many people will have to die. All of the Bourgeoisie, all of the priviliged people. This guy though Stalin was one of the greatest revolutionaries of all time because Stalin had the guts to go through with the 'necessary' purges.
This is a radical example, naturally, but applied communism is a less "natural" form of government than democracy (free-market capitalism) because it forces unnatural ideals on people. It doesn't allow for basic human behaviour (flaws), like greed or fickleness.
Not everybody wants to be a farmer, factory worker or a beaurocrat.
And, in order to create a "pure" communist state, you would have to purge the bourgeoisie.
But so far applied communism--on a large scale--has been a failed experiment. It works ok in small groups of like-minded people. IMHO, it would be interesting to combine some ideals of communism/socialism with more liberal attitude and come up with a worthwhile alternative to the much vaunted democracy of the west, specifically the U.S. I mean, for all America's bluster, it doesn't even have a true presidential democracy. Electoral college anybody? And once you vote for a congressman they start hammering out their own agendas.
I think communism isn't such a bad IDEAL. But, as with all ideals, it is the idealists who get lost in their visions and wreak havok on regular people's lives.
Hell, with all that oil money pouring in I'd LOVE to see a communist experiment in Iraq. They could have one of the highest standards of (islamic) living in the world! It'll never happen, though. Bush is a McCarthy man deep down...to him it's black and white (and 'red') world.