I have read several discussion posts (for my business class) regarding the issue of communism. Apparently, several of my classmates believe that America's economy is heading towards- and has already become a communist economy. One reason was that the government is beginning to 'own' the economic system. Another reason was that we are starting to see a change in the choice of jobs. Or that the goods are being produced according to the government's needs and not the consumer's needs.
Here is a basic breakdown of the three major types of economies. Capitalism is the basis of a free society. People in this type of system have the freedom to own, buy, sell, and trade any goods that are legal and within the governments regulations. It allows people rights to choose products, markets, and jobs.
Ccommunism is the complete opposite of capitalism. Communism allows no choice for practically anything. While 'everyone' owns 'everything', the government is the distributor and the boss regarding all walks of life. They pick your job, house, and food. It seems like it would almost be worse than living in prison.
The third type is socialism, and it is a combination of communism and capitalism. In a socialist system, the government owns all the resources, but people still have slight freedom of life.
Now, I tried to make my case about why we are not in a communist economy. Basically, we have freedom. And our laws, economy and culture reflects the foundation of freedom. I do not see how anyone- no matter how much you hate the way America operates- could label the US as communist.
I think it's more business owning the government than government owning business right now.
Now what is wrong with communism?
Communisn is scary for starters, and secondly freedom has no place in that type of society. History proves it has not yet produced a progressive country/society. What do you think of communism?
I think communism can be better than capitalism, and being a progressive country may not necessarily a good thing. Stop it with this cultural superiority already.
It has absolutely nothing to do with cultural superiority- in fact - get your story right. It would have nothing to do with culture. . .how 'bout economy? but if you can name one country that is prosperous and has a communist system.. . .I will actualy start to defend your views.
Oh, and just to make it fun- it has to be a communist country that has never been sighted with nuclear weapons.
Capitalism with a conscience is the best we have now. Sadly, the American capitalist system is losing its conscience.
Many people (particularly liberatariens) believe that the US is already communist because of the welfare state and government controls on the economy. Communism by the way has never worked properly, it is incapatablie with personal choice as well any concept of individuality. Its not cultural superiority, its whats happened in the past. We know how communism works from what has happened to Camobodia, the Soviet Union, and China. Not too mention all the quasi-communist states in the world like Venzuela and Boliva.
I have to say- you have the facts right! No communist economy will ever succeed-and history is the tool to prove it.
America is a Communist State. Or at least partially a Communist State. It doesn't affect all people, it affects some people.
Two classes of people I can say it affects are:
parents who can come under investigation at any time with the slightest excuse, have their children taken away from them and they do not really get a trial. The government just says do this do that and you might get your kid back. They don't need ANY proof that you are a bad parent. They hold "hearings" in courts that are closed to the public, cannot have a jury decide if you are guilty or innocent etc. They don't really need any evidence at all. Mostly people who cannot afford to pay for their own attorney are targeted. If you are poor, you must be a bad parent. the federal government pays much many to them to do this. The longer they can hold your kid the better for them. So they are likely to come up with as many allegations as will prolong the process (with or without reason)
The other class is NONCUSTODIAL parents. If you fall behind or even just (allegedly) are behind on a child-support order, the government can seize your property. up to 50% of your income. Any tax refunds. They do not have to give you an opportunity to dispute it PRIOR to seizing your assets. They just have to have their records reflect you owe something. And they don't cooperate with efforts to work with them. They have been doing this to my boyfriend for the past 5 years when he HAS the children in his home. The orders are NOT legal, but we have not been successful in getting them to suspend the order because it would be in the best interest of the children (or even come up with one that IS within the law). He and his children are OWNED by the government. If that isn't communism, I don't know what it is. The federal government also pays them to do this. So not everybody DOES have freedom, even if some do. Whether this will spread and get worse before somebody stops it only time will tell. They don't exactly "pick his house, food, etc." But they make it hard for him to get those things, he can pick his own job, but whichever one he picks, they will take half of it away, and his EX-WIFE gets the money, she doesn't have to PAY anything for child-support herself, he will be obligated to his EX-WIFE, who doesn't even have the kids, for as long as the government wants him to stay obligated to her, and SHE isn't obligated to her children at all apparently.
Don't believe them when they say they are trying to look out for children. They certainly are not doing that, they are using the children as an excuse and it makes money for them.
Communism is an economic system characterized by state ownership of the factors of production.
What you just described was some sick sort of semi-totalitarian society. I agree that we are headed in that direction. Get the government off our backs! Vote Republican.
All communists states are totalitarian because people hate that form of economy and have to be forced to live that way. Usually the state murders the ones who refuse.
Not all totalitarian societies are communist. Fascism like in Hitler's Germany or in China are examples.
I definately agree with you that America is not a communist country. However, I would say that we are starting to lean more to the side of communism than capitalism. The public schools are just one example of the government trying to get more control. They no longer let people sing Christmas Carols that talk about Jesus during Christmas. Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to offend anyone. I'm just saying that the the goverment may not have complete control of our country yet, but unless we do something, they will jjust keep letting their power creep higher and higher.
Actually the United States is more fascist then communist, but the election could change that.
The government has not started murdering our citizens in mass quantities yet.
So I'm pretty sure we are not communist......yet.
But we have been imprisonign citizens on trumped up charges. Clearly Facsist in nature.
Freedom is fundamentally not compatible with high population density. Your freedom conficts with my freedom so I demand a law to prevent you from doing what you used to be able to freely do. As we get more urban we are going to get more fascist. Get used to it. Try living in the People's Republic of Boulder, CO sometime. Those free spirited people have a law against everything.
It is one of the big reasons why I am so anti-immigration. Immigration is driving 100% of our population growth.
Which citizens are you talking about? Ramos and Compean? If so, I agree.
Meh, it is when everyone respects everyone else and follows the two fundamental laws of nature. Larger governments also have a tendency to move toward totalitarian uses of power unlike our original smaller government did, except in the case of Washington sending troops against the farmers.
Both of them as well as Yoo and a gentleman who's name I forget, who walked up to Cheney at a mall and told him he thought the war was wrong only to be arrested a couple minutes later for threatening the Vice President.
I'lll bite.
What are they?
If the best we can up with is 4 political prisoners in the last 8 years then our government is about the best that has ever happened in human history.
There are more, I can't remember the names though. Switzerlands government is better than ours and Canada is up there.
Two fundamental laws are 1)do all you have agreed to do, and 2) do not encroach on other people or their property. Almost all religions and philosopies have these laws at their root.
Those rules may be fundamental but that does not mean that they are followed. The entire legal system in our country is basically built around the fact that people have not followed those rules. And look how many lawyers we have and how much money they are collectively making. Your rules are great but you seem to be ignoring the fact that large numbers of human (the word human being used only in the biological sense) beings have no respect or concern for their fellows and only follow rules, including your fundamental ones, if they are coerced.
I'll repeat my point. As population density increases, expect more fascism. It is much easier for people to follow those laws when they are living spread out then when they are packed tightly together. Something as simple as playing a stereo loudly makes no difference when people are spread out but can result in violence when people are packed on top of each other. People then demand a law and more police to enforce it. Largely because people did not respect their freedom and realize just because they can do something does not mean they should, they lose their freedom. Laws proliferate, freedom deminishes, soon you have a fascist police state.
Freedom and high population density are not compatible.
Our law system is political not common. Political systems mean that the strongest make the rules, Common Law systems are fair and rely on the two fundamental laws. Our law system was originally based of the old English Common Law, but it has slowly been turned into political law. Just because people are heartless fucks doesn't mean that the rules don't work. You can't coherce people but they will eventually tire of having no rules and so the fundamental laws should be taught so we have it to fall back on when people decided to pull their heads out their asses.
I still don't agree with you point because Somalia is high density and it is an anarchist nation.
You complain about our "political" system where "the strong makes the rules" and you have earlier asserted that it was moving towards fascism (which I agree with in a mild sort of way).
And then you talk about your two fundamental rules as something better.
And as an example you cite Somalia which is one of the Earth's true hell holes and is indeed anarchist and is run by warlords which is about the ULTIMATE example of the strong making the rules.
But I will grant you that there is more than one possible outcome of high population density. They all are bad. Fascism, anarchy, totalitarian. What you won't have is freedom.
If all religions and philosophies are built off those two laws that weren't made up but discovered, then how is that like Fascism. That is two discovered laws to live by and most people have those as the basis of their morals anyway, they aren't pushed on them, it's imbedded in who we are.
The warlords really only acting in a ceremonial sense. They follow a law system based off the British Common Law system which is based on the two fundamental laws. They aren't making rules but enforcing a tried and true law system. The warlords only real function is too enfore the laws within their clan and join forces with the other warlords when threatened by an outside force. They have no real power, the people hold all the power. Anarchy is the power in the people's hands with "rulers' who are nothing but the people's puppet, unlike in America.
You complain about our "political" system where "the strong makes the rules" and you have earlier asserted that it was moving towards fascism (which I agree with in a mild sort of way).
And then you talk about your two fundamental rules as something better.
And as an example you cite Somalia which is one of the Earth's true hell holes and is indeed anarchist and is run by warlords which is about the ULTIMATE example of the strong making the rules.
But I will grant you that there is more than one possible outcome of high population density. They all are bad. Fascism, anarchy, totalitarian. What you won't have is freedom.
communism does not allow people to be able to have freedom over their lives especially if the government becomes corrupt. the government would control everything what businesses flourish and ones that die out. but i also agree tat communism is part of america like in school freedom of speech and such is not acceptable in reality, students do not really have a choice regrading school topics. we students are just getting controlled and doing wat adults want us to do. we do not have a student union to represent what we want and so on. teachers have a union but why dont students.