What is your definition of Communism?

[Danarok]

Not that we've seen it in every communist state so far - look at this state currently! What is it but selfishness and greed that caused the current U.S. economic, and world economic, problems. It's greed. That is the result of unfettered capitalism - nothing to do with communism. My question is, who's watching the players, and who is watching those watching the players?

I would go so far as to say that greed is an integral part of human nature, a factor that any societal structure must take that into account. The difference here is that in a captalist society, greed is expected (ambition and desire for personal gain), where sometimes business sectors overstep bounds of safety and risk financial damage (and in this case, with severe and collateral consequences); whereas in a communist state greed undermines the very ideology on which the nation is founded. At least in captalist state it is in the best interest of the national leaders to get the problems under control.

 

[CIA]

Idiot.

Wow, thanks a lot... Read into it, guy. I mean, really read into it and don't just flick through a Wikipedia entry like some crap-flinging baboon. Then you'll see the similarities, and if you look up some quotes from the man himself (Hitler, y'know) then you'll clearly see that at the very core marxism and nazism are basically the same. I know they are generally considered polar opposites, but when why and how this misunderstanding was born is beyond me, because it's extremely ignorant.

And check this out: The nazi and communist parties of Germany and Russia respectively were collaborators during the first years of WWII until Stalin reckoned he'd be better off if he could pretend to stem the tide to the east and emerge from the war as some sort of saviour.

For a great little history lesson that's generally totally ignored, check out the Latvian documentary "The Soviet Story".

Thanks for your time. Idiot.

If I understand you correctly you are drawing comparisons between facisim's "for the good of the nation" and communism's "for the good of everyone." I would just like to point out that a nation's people are not the same as the nation itself.

Also the core principal of facisim, which is not very sound anyway, was greatly distorted under the Nazis.

EDIT: Zero to Godwin's in under ten seconds.

 

[Pikka Bird]

Communism is: BS. Basically the same as nazism (which was in fact based on exactly the same writings and social ideals) with the main exception that the two can't agree on which group of society needs to be eradicated to achieve something akin to socialism.

At the core of it lies a... let's say 'beautiful idea' for lack of a better term. However, I can't see it working on a large scale, what with human nature n' all.

You earn a slap by the mighty Silly Stick, my good sir.

The main idea of the Nazism (in layman's term) was "the good of one above the good of all else" (in terms of groups not individuals). The main idea of the Communism (in lame man's terms again) was "the good of all(collective) above the good of one(individual)."

Silly stick? Oh please... I see by your avatar that you're gonna be hard to convince... This quote comes directly from the mouth of Hitler himself (though I expect it to have been in German orginally, see):

"I want everyone to keep what he has earned subject to the principle that the good of the community takes priority over that of the individual."

Community over individual. Sure, there's still a concept of ownership in a nazist state, but the wellbeing every individual is still secondary to the common good.

 

[McClaud]

EDIT: Zero to Godwin's in under ten seconds.

You make it sound 4chan dirty. Godwin's Law is always in effect, you silly person.

 

[Pikka Bird]

If I understand you correctly you are drawing comparisons between facisim's "for the good of the nation" and communism's "for the good of everyone." I would just like to point out that a nation's people are not the same as the nation itself.

Also the core principal of facisim, which is not very sound anyway, was greatly distorted under the Nazis.

Well, I am sorta drawing parallels because that's basically where nazism branched off from communism in that during Hitler's Third Reich the terms 'nation' and 'the people' seemed to have been interchangable.

edit: Godwin's law or not, I think the comparison between nazism and communism is very valid, and I'm sick of teenaged neo-hippies with a Che shirt and a hammer/sickle pendant telling me how awesome communism was when in fact the Soviet model that they bear the symbol of was a complete and utter travesty that thoroughly trumped nazi Germany on the field of cruelty.

 

[UpSkirtDistress]

Im fascinated by communism i love the idea and am astonished it ever took off and was actually tried. The general idea is good but it will never work George Orwell said it beautifully in animal farm ,pointing out in communism everyone is the same but the leaders are just better (Damn Pigs!!!! love the hard working horse alone). Communism will never work because people are selfish could you imagion George Bush or Gordon Brown earning the same salary as a coal miner or supermarket clerk? Pure Communism never really worked anyway From Lenins New Economic Polic(N.E.P) to the reward system for business that vastly exceeded their quotas in Stalins 5 year plans. Each Communist dictator has never been a true Marxist.

 

[CIA]

EDIT: Zero to Godwin's in under ten seconds.

You make it sound 4chan dirty. Godwin's Law is always in effect, you silly person.

I know I was just surprised with the speed at which the possibility came up.

 

[hiks89]

christianity is communism

 

[The_Valcanon_Effect]

Communism is basically this as I see it. The Government has this pie, you see... They give some pie to the people that support the whole of the nation. Athlete that represents the nation gets pie. Businessman that runs a conglomerate gets pie. No-good guy gets no pie. Communism is also based around the idea that things have value based on the amount of work it takes to make or do them.


I'm pretty sure the second part is right but I think I might have the beginning mixed up with Socialism or something.

Actually, in real communism (i.e.- Marxist communism) there is no government because it has been overthrown. It more runs on it's own from there rather than being some pie based around how people work because in the end it's a warped example of, "You reap what you sow," wherein someone who doesn't do any work will piss off everyone else because they can't reap the part that that lazy one didn't sow (or sowed badly, whatever). But theoretically everyone is supposed to work together so that kinda thing doesn't happen.

Yeah, basically that's what I was trying to go for. The people have to work for the group as a whole to get some of the "pie", but the individual who does not work for the better of the nation gets no "pie".

As for lack of government in communism, I think you're off. Would you not agree that Communist China is a state? There are 4 requirements to be a state. First you need territory. Next you need population. After that comes sovereignty and from that comes the final government. Government is a thing that is required for a nation to be a nation.

 

[CIA]

If I understand you correctly you are drawing comparisons between facisim's "for the good of the nation" and communism's "for the good of everyone." I would just like to point out that a nation's people are not the same as the nation itself.

Also the core principal of facisim, which is not very sound anyway, was greatly distorted under the Nazis.

Well, I am sorta drawing parallels because that's basically where nazism branched off from communism in that during Hitler's Third Reich the terms 'nation' and 'the people' seemed to have been interchangable.

edit: Godwin's law or not, I think the comparison between nazism and communism is very valid, and I'm sick of teenaged neo-hippies with a Che shirt and a hammer/sickle pendant telling me how awesome communism was when in fact the Soviet model that they bear the symbol of was a complete and utter travesty that thoroughly trumped nazi Germany on the field of cruelty.

Wow you just dropped me into a stereotype that doesn't fit me at all. I'm insulted.

You're "sorta" drawing parallels? You apparently shit parallels and the thing about shit, it doesn't smell good. See the parallel I just made? Childish, I know.

Keep in mind that comparisons can be made with anything, if you look hard enough.

 

[The_Valcanon_Effect]

I think we should look at Hitler and realize that yeah, we would have voted for him too if we were grieving barely-surviving Germans. After all, I don't want to pull a Benito and get "demanned" on a pole if you know what I mean.



EDIT: Dammit, Godwin!

 

[hiks89]

let me tell u y christianity is communism reason1: they brain wash people
reason2: they make people belive in dis shit so they can donate money
reason3: they tell u how to think and wat to do

additional: if u belive in a light that created the universe u r a RETARD!!!!

 

[Avatar Roku]

Communism is: BS. Basically the same as nazism (which was in fact based on exactly the same writings and social ideals) with the main exception that the two can't agree on which group of society needs to be eradicated to achieve something akin to socialism.

Dude, the Nazis were Fascist, and the Communists (as we know them, you know, the USSR) and Fascists tend to hate one another.

Don't be fooled by the fact that Nazi stands for something along the lines of "German socialist party", as they simply chose that name because Socialism has/had positive connotations in Europe.

 

[Zaac]

I personally will say that communism is impossible in a human society along with the original definition of anarchy. The original concept of anarchy was that one day humans may live without a supreme power who must dictate what we can and cannot do. We would theoretically maintain all the things that the government would provide (roads, schools, parks, and the like) as if it were our own possession. Now communism originally, to be honest, wasn't a bad idea. There is no way that humans could ever live in a true communist society out of greed because there would be some person who would want what another person has. Although I am not a political scientist, and thus do not hold a degree in political science so I am not an expert upon such thing. Feel free to attack my claims

 

[CIA]

let me tell u y christianity is communism reason1: they brain wash people
reason2: they make people belive in dis shit so they can donate money
reason3: they tell u how to think and wat to do

additional: if u belive in a light that created the universe u r an RETARD!!!!

Stop typing like that.

Please.

 

[fulano]

Communism is basically this as I see it. The Government has this pie, you see... They give some pie to the people that support the whole of the nation. Athlete that represents the nation gets pie. Businessman that runs a conglomerate gets pie. No-good guy gets no pie. Communism is also based around the idea that things have value based on the amount of work it takes to make or do them.


I'm pretty sure the second part is right but I think I might have the beginning mixed up with Socialism or something.

Actually, in real communism (i.e.- Marxist communism) there is no government because it has been overthrown. It more runs on it's own from there rather than being some pie based around how people work because in the end it's a warped example of, "You reap what you sow," wherein someone who doesn't do any work will piss off everyone else because they can't reap the part that that lazy one didn't sow (or sowed badly, whatever). But theoretically everyone is supposed to work together so that kinda thing doesn't happen.

Yeah, basically that's what I was trying to go for. The people have to work for the group as a whole to get some of the "pie", but the individual who does not work for the better of the nation gets no "pie".

As for lack of government in communism, I think you're off. Would you not agree that Communist China is a state? There are 4 requirements to be a state. First you need territory. Next you need population. After that comes sovereignty and from that comes the final government. Government is a thing that is required for a nation to be a nation.

Actually, Commie China is the name we give to it. They are no more communists than the U.S. As they both have an actual working state in place to dish the law neither are communists since for true communism to exist there has to be no state government. By definition, China is not really communist. Whether they, and people elsewhere, call them commies is another matter entirely.

 

[Horticulture]

Communism is like Baskin-Robbins...31 flavors.

I like Strawberry-Leninism.

 

[Avatar Roku]

let me tell u y christianity is communism reason1: they brain wash people
reason2: they make people belive in dis shit so they can donate money
reason3: they tell u how to think and wat to do

additional: if u belive in a light that created the universe u r an RETARD!!!!

You show no understanding of Communism or Christianity (this coming from a Jewish Agnostic, if that even makes sense) beyond the McCarthyist ideas shoved down our throats by the media. Please read up before you post again.

 

[Hunde Des Krieg]

let me tell u y christianity is communism reason1: they brain wash people
reason2: they make people belive in dis shit so they can donate money
reason3: they tell u how to think and wat to do

additional: if u belive in a light that created the universe u r a RETARD!!!!

You type like a chimp, and seriously get some developed theories instead of cliched recycled dribble.

 

[Pikka Bird]

Wow you just dropped me into a stereotype that doesn't fit me at all. I'm insulted.

That paragraph was a pretty general statement directed at noone in particular...

You're "sorta" drawing parallels? You apparently shit parallels and the thing about shit, it doesn't smell good. See the parallel I just made? Childish, I know.

Keep in mind that comparisons can be made with anything, if you look hard enough.

The thing is that I've actually provided a bunch of reasons why this parallel of mine actually holds, and all I've had in return has been "nah". Oh, and how I love those analogies about shit. Yours was about as relevant as that "opinions are like assholes"-bit.

Dude, the Nazis were Fascist, and the Communists (as we know them, you know, the USSR) and Fascists tend to hate one another.

Don't be fooled by the fact that Nazi stands for something along the lines of "German socialist party", as they simply chose that name because Socialism has/had positive connotations in Europe.

Dude, I know... Read what I'm saying. I'm not saying that everything was the same in Germany and the USSR, but that there were more similarities than people who romanticize the idea of communism are willing to acknowledge.