I don´t know a communistic country that would also be democratic. Communism as practised in Eastern europe was dreadful. The idea of getting rid of social classes and making everything everybody´s possession might not have been that bad in theory but in practice it resulted in catastrophe. If everything belongs to everyone then it belongs to no one. Vandalism, laziness and not caring stemed from it. Everybody had to work. It seems not a bad idea but...no matter how badly you worked you wouldn´t get fired. Hence a saying "Whether you´re standing or lying down, you´re entitled to the dough"
Communistic economy resulted in empty shops with vinegar on shelves only. To buy food you had to spend half of your day in a queue, food was rationalised and you needed vouchers. I´d see oranges (Cuban ones) only at Christmas, sanitary things like cotton wool or toilet paper were a luxury. To by a Russian colour tv you had to spend 3 days in a queue. Fun, right?
And that´s just an average citizen life, if you were a person who cannot keep silent about not having the right of freedom of speech, you´d be arrested, tortured and imprisoned. Workers´ protests were "pacified" with guns. Many people lost their lives to free our country. Ordinary people, shipyard workers, miners, factory workers...I´m glad they did as now I can enjoy freedom. Communism? Never again!
Yes, I know DD. I´m just talking about the abstract ideal of "communism" It´s a system that I don´t think would ever work other than in a community of Saints. Even then, people need to get credit for their efforts. Some do more, some do as little as they can. If they do more, or better, I think they should be rewarded for it.
I do think we have very unfair exploitation process via who has the most capital to capitalize on...and they get more capital....and on it goes. I don´t know what the perfect system is, but where those with wealth compound it generation after generation, not based on any inherent value they add, but just based on the fact that they have it and others don´t isn´t great either. When I see the saleries some of the Financial people got, and the public bailout funds they got...AIG, Goldman Sachs....) and what a mess
they made, it makes me see red.
What you mention about lack of freedom of speech and all, really has nothing to do with the ideal of communism. Ideally if things are shared, everyone would have an equal voice...no?
If I make a better mouse trap, why shouldn´t I benefit? On the other hand, there are entities who only capitalize on the efforts of someone long dead making benefit off their inventions, and they have not invented anything, they just exploit.
The Capitalist system leaves a bad taste too. To often the poor get poorer....common resources are privitized....even water. I can´t believe they are privitizing water.
Vandana Shiva has something to say about it
I had a dance company once and was concerned how to equitably share profits. It was hard, but I figured giving the members shares based on the amount they put into the project was the best way. Some only got one share, others got two or three shares. I got the most shares, but I put in the most work....and $$$.
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