What do you think about Communism? Positive-negative sides?
97370
in a way: (+) side: everyone is equal\n(-) side: no one is free.
185266
Communism will never work.\n\nHumans all have different strengths and weaknesses.  In a capitalistic, you are able to discover and take advantage of those strengths.  You are compensated commensurate with amount of effort, education or innovation you apply to a specific task.  You are rewarded for creativity.\n\nNot so with communism.  Regardless of your efforts, you are compensated the same as everyone else.  Take the day off; get paid the same as someone that worked a double-shift.  What do you think you'd do?  Work or relax?\n\nThe Soviet Union was the classic example.  They would set quotas for steel pipe production.  They could crow they were the top producers in the world, and they were.  The problem was, no one would buy their pipe, because the quality was horrible.  There is no incentive for excellence, and that is required in today's world.\n\nThe responder that mentioned China is a bit disingenuous.  They have started modeling capitalistic standards after decades of being passed by the west.  More and more, they are allowing private enterprise to flourish.  Even in state owned industry, managers are given bonus' for meeting quality and production goals.  Clearly, not Marxist dogma...
474234
COMMUNISM IS A MUCH BETTER CHOICE IF HUMANS WERE NOT GREEDY. THE CONCEPT OF COMMUNISM IS EVERYBODY IS EQUAL . THE PROBLEM WITH COMMUNISM IS THERE  ARE LIMITED  ECONOMIC RECOURSE , FOOD WATER CLOTHING OIL NOT ENOUGH TO GO AROUND, IF EVERYBODY IS EQUAL THEN WHO GOES WITHOUT?  CAPITALISM ON THE OTHER HANDS SAID THE MARKET SHOULD SET THE PRICE FOR THESE GOODS AND SERVICE ,  THE TOUGH IS IF YOU CHARGE TOO MUCH FOR AN ITEM THEM YOUR COMPETITION  WILL COME IN AND TAKE ALL YOUR BUSINESS AWAY, THE PROBLEM WITH  CAPITALISM IS THE MARKET HAS NO HEART,  HOW MUCH WILL A DIABETIC PAY FOR INSULIN?  THERE IS NO COUNTRY IN THE WORLD THAT PRACTICE EITHER  ONE IN ITS PURE FORM, SO THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION IS A HYBRID BETWEEN THE TWO.
149969
I'd choose communism between the two.  Pure communism is NOT a bad thing.  It's the social system set up by the early Christian church as described in Acts 2.\n\nIt is the ABUSE of communism by the people in power that has given it a bad name.
800427
Welcome to the world of political philosophy vs political propoganda.  Okay a couple of things socialism means that the government has more control over business.  MAking sure there is money for healthcare, welfare, education, etc.  There are many socailistic countries in Europe that are democratic and doing fine.  Communism is further left.  Communism is an economic model and not a political one.  You could have a democratic communism.  What has happenned is a lot of solcialistic dictatorships.  There is yet to be a true communist country.  Unfortunately human greed always ruins communism as it will do with capitalism (according to marx) and there is examples of it starting to happen now (outsourcing jobs for penny wages).  Captilism will expand until it cannot expand any further and then collapse upon itself (basically once the rich have starved the poor whats left?).  It is a very confusing issue.   Anarchy is a political model and I would say is the opposite of socialism...which is no governemnt at all.  However I have been an anarchist for awhile, not because of punk, but because I have no faith in the politcal process today.  Too much business influence and lobbyists to really help most individuals.  But the pistols do rock.
603553
If the Soviet Union were the only remaining superpower, the world would be a living hell.\n\nThe problem with the Communist system is that it perverts man's true nature.  The Communists said they had a noble ideal, that they were creating a selfless man, so that everything would be shared, everyone could live as equals, and poverty would be eliminated.\n\nHowever, Communism only creates poverty for everyone. People generally despised their jobs because they knew that putting forth more effort would give them and their families nothing in return.\n\nTwo common refrains were:\n\n1)  They pretend to pay me, and I pretend to work.\n2)  If you don't steal from the State, you are stealing from your family.\n\nCommunism was just another word for slavery.  You had the top Communist bosses who enjoyed luxuries forbidden to the masses.  The State told you where you could live, and what kind of job you could perform.  You had no voice.\n\nIf the old, Communist Soviet Union were in charge of the world, everyone would blame their problems on them, but not openly, or they'd have tanks running through their streets like 1968 Czechoslovakia.\n\nIf the old, Communist Soviet Union were in charge the world would be more backward, unstable, and poorer.\n\nIf you want to see the true evil face of Communism, rent this movie in the Foreign Films section of your local rental store:  "Dark Blue World" (Tvamomodry Svet).  You will see the absolutely vile nature of Communism.  The movie recounts how Czech pilots fled to England to join the fight against the Nazis.  After the war, the Communists occupiers sent these heroes to prison because they feared  these men had been to exposed to Western ideas about democracy and freedom.
1164299
it works for the communists...lol..seriously...it is not an easy type of government to live under... most communist countries have a  horrible economy.. there is a sense of hopelessness among the people... the majority  live in  poor conditions, while the government officials and special elite   citizens  like  athletes etc  are treated like royalty..it could be thought of as an idealized society... where everyone is equal  but unfortunately  everyone has no food or money or decent housing except the special few...
577924
No, communism only works on paper. In real life application it fails miserably
920574
Is Communism a threat, no.  Are countries that are led by Communist Parties a threat.  Yes.  Nobody can deny that there have been seroius threats to world security by countries that rally behind a banner of Communism.  Even though the Communist societies do not really in many respects reflect the Ideals of Karl Marx.  Think of a Communist country that has a decent standard of living and looked after it's own people.  Now try think of one that didn't.\n\nI do not believe that a country that has a long track record of violating the human rights of their own citizens and filtering and in some cases deleting information and freedom of expression can really be trusted.  Say what you like about America, but the most basic of freedoms enjoyed in America are like heaven to the average peasant in China.  \n\nAlso have a look at the foreign policy initiatives.  They are along with Russia one of two Permanent Security council members who are making a united concensus difficult in the UN with regards to Iran.  In addition to this they are supporting corrupt reigemes in Africa just when the world was begining to get a stomach about dealing with these broken states.  Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe refered to China a "close friend and ally"\n\nNeither one of these societies is perfect, however in this case it is a choice between the lesser of two evils.  And the US wins that by a long shot.  Maybe Communism isn't a threat, but the countries who claim to be Communist certainly are.
584375
They're trying to stir up trouble just like the people who post topic after topic spouting "Bush is Hitler!" and "Should Bush be impeached?".\n\nBuncha flamers.\n\nBy the way, Communism 99% of the time won't work unless it's a very small, agrarian community. When it comes to larger, more prosperous countries it won't work. There will always be people in the government that are greedy and feel they are better than everyone else, plus don't you think Communism is unfair? A server at McDonalds would get the exact same amount of everything as a doctor or lawyer, do you think anyone would be motivated to go to college anymore?
340610
i think it is good - there  should always be alternative ideologies - helps keep the balance in the world.  I am not a socialist by the way...  oh yeah, nor do I see any evidence of it rising..
332013
Your description of Communism shows a lack of understanding of what Communism is and how it works. I suggest that before you start painting Jesus as a communist you first gain an accurate understanding of what Communism is.
782371
You bring up a good point.\n\nAs I began to educate myself concerning 20th century USA history, a compelling question leaped out at me, '..since all the wars evolved around stopping the spread of communism, WHY or HOW did communism threaten our way of life or our capitalist structure?"\n\nI mean seriously... our leaders felt so threatened by the spread of communism that they literally went to war REPEATEDLY and sacrificed American lives to stop it. Why? If communism is so bad and capitalism is so grand then what is the threat? Wouldn't the ppl themselves reject it?\n\nI honestly think the answer to that question is that when ppl truly do understand the fairness and equality of communism they tend to choose that over the class system of capitalism... that is what we feared. That is my opinion.\n\nBtw, your 80s data is a little off. We didn't have an encounter with Iran in the 80s. There was the Iran/Contra scandal in 1979 but that didn't result in military action. Gulf War 1, involving Iraq, was in 1989.
95780
Well, this country is neither pure communist nor capitalist. Neither works. We have a capitalist, democratic republic that uses socialist programs (sometimes too much) to help citizens and the economy.\n\nAs for me, I generally vote against things that drive us more towards socialist or communist ideals. The great thing about a free country should be/is that you have the right to succeed or fail. It is up to you as an individual to make something of yourself. The government should do its job of protecting the country as a whole, protecting our rights, and protecting the constitution, but it should not bring us to a "share the wealth" or "redistribution of wealth" system.
280924
Well, for one thing, communism is an economic system while democracy is a political system.  They are not, as most people seem to believe, opposites of each other.  It is completely feasible to have a democratically elected government that pushes a communist agenda.\n\nCommunism refers the the economic system proposed by Karl Marx in "The Communist Mannifesto".  In this system, the state controls the means of production with an equal share going to each member of society.  In theory, it's not really all that bad, but it is unworkable and forgets the people are inherantly greedy.  Communism should be compared to Capitalism, not democracy.\n\nDemocracy refers to the method of governing whereby the people choose their leaders directly.  Democracy should be compared to totalitarianism, theocracy, or other governments not chosen by the people.
576825
pure d Communism, whats this world coming to? HAND have a nice day!
106787
ask a communist country how well that little experiment went