Communism: Questions & Answers

[Laika]

hey everyone,

I'm currently working within the communist only subforum to come up with a sort of "overview" of Communism for future reference for the subforum. it would be useful just to do a thread of members questions to see if I am missing anything obvious out. Assuming shared knowledge isn't the wisest thing to do especially on something typically so controversial.

"Communism" is probably going to be defined in such a way as to be broad enough to include not just Marxists but also anarchist and religious varieties, as well as creating overlap with Socialism (so it doesn't necessarily exclude members of the Socialist Only subforum who often share similar beliefs).

Ask Any Question on Communism you want and I'll try to answer it. It doesn't matter if you think the question is stupid, it will probably be useful just to gauge what is would be most useful to go in to the overview.

Ask Away.

 

[YmirGF]

If it was truly Communism wouldn't the overview be the result of a committee undertaking rather than the writing of one individual?

 

[Kirran]

To what degree are non-Marxist forms of communism derived from a stream of thought emergent from Marxism?

 

[Laika]

If it was truly Communism wouldn't the overview be the result of a committee undertaking rather than the writing of one individual?

The committee has received your complaint and will investigate to produce a report concerning these anomalies. They will reply to your request in approximately 48 hours..

..oh wait. I mean years.

To what degree are non-Marxist forms of communism derived from a stream of thought emergent from Marxism?

There is a lot of overlap as Marxism had an influence much wider than orthodox/Soviet style Communism. Anarchists and Marxists have worked together and tried to create ideologies that would combine them (I don't think they got very far). I don't know how much influence Marxism had on explicitly religious communism.

 

[Augustus]

If it was truly Communism wouldn't the overview be the result of a committee undertaking rather than the writing of one individual?

#siberia, #purge, #showtrial

 

[Augustus]

Ask Any Question on Communism you want and I'll try to answer it. It doesn't matter if you think the question is stupid, it will probably be useful just to gauge what is would be most useful to go in to the overview.

Ask Away.

Can you make it illegal for people to say "Actually there were many forms of communism, even religious communists like early Christians and Mazdakists" when you are *very obviously* talking about Soviet Communism?

Also, in the name of rationality, can you please confirm that there was absolutely zero connection between atheism and Marxist Communism and that all of the political theory that discusses this link in minute detail never intended to imply that there was any link whatsoever between atheism and Marxist Communism and the only people who suggest otherwise are desperate theists?

 

[Augustus]

"Communism" is probably going to be defined in such a way as to be broad enough to include not just Marxists but also anarchist and religious varieties, as well as creating overlap with Socialism (so it doesn't necessarily exclude members of the Socialist Only subforum who often share similar beliefs).

I'll stop derailing your thread and ask a serious question.

What do you see as the boundary that defines communism from 'not communism'? What characteristics are essential for a political system to be considered communism?

 

[Shrew]

Why has communism failed everywhere?
It seems communism produces dictators (Stalin, Mao, the Kims) but nothing more.

 

[Laika]

I'll stop derailing your thread and ask a serious question.

What do you see as the boundary that defines communism from 'not communism'? What characteristics are essential to for something to be considered communism?

This is what I get for saying "don't be afraid to ask a stupid question" isn't it?

Lenin defined the boundary between Communists and non-communists as acceptance of the necessity of the dictatorship of the proletariat as "revolutionary terror unrestricted by law". There is a coherence to that view and a logical consistency when you "do the math" and figure out how he got there. However "swallowing" that definition is difficult given where it led. I'd fall outside of it.

I'm still figuring out the definition for use on RF but I'd go for a very broad one to be as inclusive as possible- a socio-economic system characterised by common ownership. That can cover a huge variety of positions.

Why has communism failed everywhere?
It seems communism produces dictators (Stalin, Mao, the Kims) but nothing more.

You going to have to define "failed" for me to give a meaningful reply to that one.

E.g. Many people would say it failed because Communism collapsed. But we wouldn't say the Roman Empire or the British Empire failed because they are no longer with us given there lasting impact.

The fact Communism produced dictatorships does not mean it's automatically wrong or a failure either.

 

[MD]

Do you think Communism failed because it's incompatible with human nature or because the cultural forces of the 20th century were strongly against it?

 

[Akivah]

Does communism allow for an individual to earn more tangible gain than the average person due to working more than the average person?

Can individuals implement ideas that work in their particular facts and circumstances that deviate from central planning?

 

[Revoltingest]

Any examples of successful application of communism to small groups
within a larger capitalistic system, eg, Americastan, Canuckistan?

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Do you think Communism failed because it's incompatible with human nature or because the cultural forces of the 20th century were strongly against it?

There have been so many societies that have functioned, and very successfully, that can be loosely defined as Communist (given communal ownership of resources and lack of private property), that there is no reason to suspect it is counter to any notion of "human nature."

 

[Laika]

Do you think Communism failed because it's incompatible with human nature or because the cultural forces of the 20th century were strongly against it?

I'm going to say the same thing as for shrew: your going to need to define "failed". It's not self-evident what "failed" actually means.

Does communism allow for an individual to earn more tangible gain than the average person due to working more than the average person?

Can individuals implement ideas that work in their particular facts and circumstances that deviate from central planning?

Depends on the model but yes, it is possible. Stalin's Russia had considerable income inequality as a material incentive to increase productivity (I.e. Work harder, produce more, get paid more).

Again, it depends on the model but yes it is possible. The New Economic Policy of the 1920's in the USSR gave considerable scope for private enterprise and individual iniative. Decentralised systems of planning were tried during Khruschev's era (late 50's/early 60's) in the USSR as was in Gorbachev's time (late 80's) and of course China today is an example.

Any examples of successful application of communism to small groups
within a larger capitalistic system, eg, Americastan, Canuckistan?

America actually has quite a long history of utopian communities as I recall. Robert Owen moved to the U.S. established "New Harmony" in Indiania (it went financially under in two years).

New Harmony, Indiana - Wikipedia

The list below may be worth a look but it's not exclusively communist.

List of American Utopian communities - Wikipedia

The co-operative movement is also worth a look at as trying to establish communistic principles within capitalist-market economies.

History of the cooperative movement - Wikipedia

 

[Shrew]

You going to have to define "failed" for me to give a meaningful reply to that one.

I mean that communism was abolished in most countries.

E.g. Many people would say it failed because Communism collapsed. But we wouldn't say the Roman Empire or the British Empire failed because they are no longer with us given there lasting impact.

The Roman empire lasted for several centuries and has a great impact on the development of Europe.
What is the impact of communism on the development of the countries where it was practiced?
Failed national economies where citizens are equal in poverty and mass graves?

The fact Communism produced dictatorships does not mean it's automatically wrong or a failure either.

Non communist countries can be rules by dictators.
But I have never heard of a communist country that was not ruled by a dictator.

 

[Laika]

I mean that communism was abolished in most countries.


The Roman empire lasted for several centuries and has a great impact on the development of Europe.
What is the impact of communism on the development of the countries where it was practiced?
Failed national economies where citizens are equal in poverty and mass graves?


Non communist countries can be rules by dictators.
But I have never heard of a communist country that was not ruled by a dictator.

The lasting historical impact of Communism was the transformation of the USSR from an agricultural society to an industrial superpower in the space of a generation. All communist countries in eastern Europe after world war II had economic growth. Communism provided a wide range of social services such as free education and health care, as well as a variety of cultural and scientific achievements.

Here are some examples of Anarchist Communist societies in the 20th century without dictators:
Revolutionary Catalonia - Wikipedia
Anarchist Aragon - Wikipedia
Free Territory - Wikipedia

 

[Shrew]

The lasting historical impact of Communism was the transformation of the USSR from an agricultural society to an industrial superpower in the space of a generation.

I don't know about the costs of that transformation in USSR, but in China the transformation from an agrarian society to an industrial nation had the price of several millions of lives.

All communist countries in eastern Europe after world war II had economic growth.

So had non-communist countries.

Communism provided a wide range of social services such as free education and health care, as well as a variety of cultural and scientific achievements.

These advantages are also provided by non-communist countries.
My country never was communist but we have a free healthcare system, schools for every child and a social security system.

Here are some examples of Anarchist Communist societies in the 20th century without dictators:
Revolutionary Catalonia - Wikipedia
Anarchist Aragon - Wikipedia
Free Territory - Wikipedia

In comparision to China, USSR, Eastern Europe, North Korea and Cuba these territories were rather small and didn't exist very long.

 

[Laika]

I don't know about the costs of that transformation in USSR, but in China the transformation from an agrarian society to an industrial nation had the price of several millions of lives.


So had non-communist countries.

These advantages are also provided by non-communist countries.
My country never was communist but we have a free healthcare system, schools for every child and a social security system.

In comparision to China, USSR, Eastern Europe, North Korea and Cuba these territories were rather small and didn't exist very long.

You have retreated from one criticism and replaced it with another. I find that a little evasive. Perhaps you would want to be more frank and direct in your criticism? Is there a personal reason for you to think of communism in this way?

 

[Shrew]

You have retreated from one criticism and replaced it with another. I find that a little evasive. Perhaps you would want to be more frank and direct in your criticism? Is there a personal reason for you to think of communism in this way?

Nothing personal but I grew up in a country bordering to the iron curtain and I was alsways glad to be on this side.
Seeing what capitalism does to people I wished I could believe that communism was an alternative.

 

[Laika]

Nothing personal but I grw up in a country bordering to the iron curtain and I was alsways glad to be on this side.
Seeing what capitalism does to people I wished I could believe that communism was an alternative.

Well, thats something. I could have looked up your personal profile and I might have realised. I believe vienna was under soviet occupation at the end of world war II until 1955. Did you have family live there or something? I could certianly relate to that.