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Originally posted by fadedface
Originally posted by NavyDoc
I thought "true" socialism hasn't been tried? You contradict youself.
No I said 'full' communism has never existed.
The fact you can't seem to tell the difference between socialism and communism completely invalidates your arguments and shows your diatribe against communism as the typical right wing ignorance that it is.
Also I'm guessing your from an affluent background (smug middle American?) which would explain your preference for capitalism.
Also from what I've read I'm also assuming you've never actually experienced socialism only read about it in biased right wing treatises. Well I've actually been affected by both capitalist and socialist policies and I know that socialism as an ideology is fairer and more equal to ordinary working class people.
Originally posted by Astrocyte
reply to post by NavyDoc
Fact is, centralization is too controlled. On the other hand, anarchy is too uncontrolled. Whats needed is a middle way, a decentralized political system (which only a free market economy can insure), with a moderately sized state that collects taxes and provides ad hoc programs.
Simply compare communism and capitalism - the soviet union and the United States - and witness how farther ahead, socially, economically, scientifically and technologically, the United States was over the Soviets. You have to be blind not to see it.
Originally posted by fadedface
reply to post by jiggerj
I don't care what you think of me and I'm not interested in discussing this with you or getting into any argument.
But how full communism would operate and the possibilities of social structures it offers can easily be read about I won't patronize you by giving any links to the necessary information.edit on 17-5-2013 by fadedface because: (no reason given)
Originally posted by fadedface
reply to post by oonkala
Capitalism condemns those who do not have the competitive edge to survive in the social darwinistic order it imposes on society. Capitalism inherently favours privilege and entrenches class divisions which creates poverty and inequality.
So you can keep your social darwinistic capitalist rhetoric.
And I do believe equality exists in the context of a communist system which propagates a classless society in which decisions on what to produce and what policies to pursue are made in the best interests of the whole of society, a society 'of, by, and for the working class', rather than one in which a rich upper class controls the wealth and everyone else works for the rich on a wage basis.
And you should do some reading about Lenin before you go assuming anything about his character because he was reported to be a modest and unassuming man.
edit on 17-5-2013 by fadedface because: (no reason given)
And you should do some reading about Lenin before you go assuming anything about his character because he was reported to be a modest and unassuming man.
Lenin was responsible for one of the worst genocides in history. His name goes alongside Hitler and Stalin. He killed over two million people through what was consider The Red Terror.
Originally posted by jiggerj
1. The people in POWER, where do they live as opposed to the common people?
2. Do they eat the finest steak while everyone else eats Spam?
3. Who controls the leaders?
4. Why should scientists and doctors strive to find cures when they get the same of everything as everyone else?
5. In manufacturing, where is the incentive to create quality products.
Originally posted by fadedface
reply to post by NavyDoc
Communism and socialism are not exclusively the same thing though and Lenin considered socialism to be a transitory stage to communism. A distinction can be made between socialism as primarily economic and communism as both political and economic. There are other distinctions as well.
Capitalists claim to work hard but the truth is they are given the opportunities to climb the social ladder through mutual self interest and association with the upper classes (its not what you know its who you know) for every capitalist who claims to have worked hard and done it all by themselves (the usual capitalist drivel) there is some poor person who tried and failed because they didn't know 'the right people' etc.. All these capitalists who have succeeded have had the opportunities and breaks at some-point (not to mention they've probably trampled over so called 'smaller people' on their way to the top) which have been denied to others but they will never admit it.
Originally posted by bozzchem
Can socialism or communism be implemented without the use of force?
History seems to indicate that both societal structures require a mass culling of the population to *accept* their utopia.
Socialism/Communism is the best ideology for the one(s) making the rules.
We are not ants nor are we bees.
Those who disagree with the *utopian* view are seen as dissidents that must be silenced.
edit on 17-5-2013 by bozzchem because: (no reason given)
witness how farther ahead, socially, economically, scientifically and technologically, the United States was over the Soviets