Communism - why does America hate it?

[Valjean]

Thats because Communism has never worked....anywhere.
Why would you WANT somebody ruling over you, telling you everything that you should do? The government owns your house, and your car. With technology that America has, they could shut down your car. They can essentially do whatever they want. Try Communism with Americas congress, etc. So you say that you dont like the patriot act? Multiply that by a billion

You seem to think communism is necessarily totalitarian. Why can't a "Communist" society be Democratic? Why can't national affairs be decided by general vote, representatives or a parliament? Why can't local affairs in a communist society be decided by a local council or citizen's committee? -- and why does it need to own your house?

Not writ in stone:
How much is owned by the government? Is it just the commons -- those public services like police and fire departments, the military, electrical grids, currency, courts, food and water inspection, &c? Does it extend to factories producing consumer goods? Does it extend to real estate or even personal use items?
The only "communist" societies I can think of offhand that actually own your house and car are Hutterites -- and they're very happy with their communities.

 

[Valjean]

Privatized industries work quite well in an ideal situation. The mutual competition and greed fuels further development which helps the economy which then repeats.

I'm tempted to paraphrase our friend shortfade: Friedman's economics has never worked -- anywhere.
Like Communism, fine in theory, but ****-poor in execution -- Robber Barons, S&L crisis, Enron, Argentina.

 

[Twilight Hue]

One look at Tibet or Falun Gong practitioners should demonstrate how "wonderful" Communism is. It's already proven to be a hideously brutal system toward those or anyone who happens to share differing political/religious views and has the courage to voice it. I would rather see the weapons for the most part pointing outward, rather than inward.

Democratic freedom, free speech, press and a free market all the way for me. Its obviously not perfect but works wayyyy better than living in any kind of oppressive mandated/surveillance oriented environment where there are existing restrictions placed on personal choice and movement resulting in harsh penalties met out to those who don't fall in lockstep of the ruling class.

No thanks to the Hammer and Sickle.

 

[Zephyr]

Hmm, I'm neither rich, nor powerful - nor, am I a slave to anyone. Living in this country has given me the freedom and opportunity to start at the extreme end of poverty, and, through a little work and my natural abilities, end up making a very decent salary and build a very satisfying life.

The American Dream is a myth. The vast majority of Americans die in the same social standing they were born in. Our social mobility is far lower than the rest of the developed world. If you want to start poor and end rich, America is really one of the worst places to do it.

One look at Tibet or Falun Gong practitioners should demonstrate how "wonderful" Communism is. It's already proven to be a hideously brutal system toward those or anyone who happens to share differing political/religious views and has the courage to voice it. I would rather see the weapons for the most part pointing outward, rather than inward.

Democratic freedom, free speech, press and a free market all the way for me. Its obviously not perfect but works wayyyy better than living in any kind of oppressive mandated/surveillance oriented environment where there are existing restrictions placed on personal choice and movement resulting in harsh penalties met out to those who don't fall in lockstep of the ruling class.

No thanks to the Hammer and Sickle.

Who says communism is incompatible with free speech, democracy, freedom of press, or freedom of movement? Communism seeks to abolish the ruling class that capitalism has created.

 

[Mr Cheese]

Seeger was persecuted and blacklisted. Hill was railroaded and executed.

Americans have been subject to several waves of anti-Communist propaganda plus a good deal of negative propaganda against a couple of repressive, totalitarian regimes calling themselves Communist. The prejudice is deep-seated.

Today, most anti-Communist Americans are unable to explain Communism or exactly why they oppose it. Nor are they able to differentiate Socialism from Communism. Nor do they have any knowledge or understanding of any current Socialist or Communist societies.

I'm afraid American politics has become largely emotion-driven, in the absence of any intellectual grasp of the issues and mainstream media's devolution into entertinment and sound-bite journalism.

Americans vote for who looks good on tv (a certain percentage)

Need more be said?

 

[Mr Cheese]

The American Dream is a myth. The vast majority of Americans die in the same social standing they were born in. Our social mobility is far lower than the rest of the developed world. If you want to start poor and end rich, America is really one of the worst places to do it.

Who says communism is incompatible with free speech, democracy, freedom of press, or freedom of movement? Communism seeks to abolish the ruling class that capitalism has created.

It also supports uniformity...

which have its postives and negatvies

 

[Twilight Hue]

Who says communism is incompatible with free speech, democracy, freedom of press, or freedom of movement? Communism seeks to abolish the ruling class that capitalism has created.

Then what form of government is China using then? or what was Russia's past form of government(during the Warsaw pact era)? Both don't look like bastions of free speech, press, movement, and democracy from what I had gathered. And definitely both have/had a terrible reputation whenever individual human rights are involved.

Do you view Communist China as more of a free and humane country than the U.S. today in regards a persons individual liberty?

 

[Zephyr]

Then what form of government is China using then? or what was Russia's past form of government(during the Warsaw pact era)? Both don't look like bastions of free speech, press, movement, and democracy from what I had gathered. And definitely both have/had a terrible reputation whenever individual human rights are involved.

Do you view Communist China as more of a free and humane country than the U.S. today in regards a persons individual liberty?

Both were authoritarian, and thus extremely flawed. Not all Communism is Authoritarian in the least.

 

[shortfade2]

Then what form of government is China using then? or what was Russia's past form of government(during the Warsaw pact era)? Both don't look like bastions of free speech, press, movement, and democracy from what I had gathered. And definitely both have/had a terrible reputation whenever individual human rights are involved.

Do you view Communist China as more of a free and humane country than the U.S. today in regards a persons individual liberty?

It doesnt matter, because pro communist ppl just say, "Well it has never worked before, but iit was run by a dictator. Why cant it be a communistic republic? Its bullcrap.

 

[Zephyr]

It doesnt matter, because pro communist ppl just say, "Well it has never worked before, but iit was run by a dictator. Why cant it be a communistic republic? Its bullcrap.

But why is it bullcrap? What part of communism necessitates a dictatorship?

 

[sandandfoam]

Stalin said he was a communist so communism = Stalin
by the same reasoning
the DDR was democratic. Says so in the name. Democracy must be terrible.

 

[Wandered Off]

What part of communism necessitates a dictatorship?

No part of communism necessitates a dictatorship IMO. I do think there is a tendency toward dictatorship only because all ownership is concentrated to the state, which makes agents of the state powerful pretty much by default. The structure with its concentration of power is tempting and draws in those who crave it.

Maybe some kind of separation of powers, along the lines of what the framers of the Constitution were trying to achieve, could mitigate this.

 

[madhatter85]

to the OP: See, i am a Christian and would love to see the US adopt perfect communism with a democratic election process. If the guy in power is a jerk the people have the power to overthrow and elect a new leader.

 

[whereismynotecard]

I'd like communism if it was real communism.
I don't like the pretend kind where there is actually
still a leader who gets benefits over everyone else.
I'd like real communism, where everyone is equal.
Everyone helps. And everyone gets his/her/its
fair share of everything.

Like in the pretend place I made up, The Gorge.
Some people build houses, some fish, some grow
crops, some build boats, some make jewelry and
dishes. (We're on a tropical island) Except in my
mind, I was the leader. My job was to make
shell necklaces for everyone, because I'm not good
with manual labour.

I'm completely normal.

 

[Valjean]

I agree with Stephen. Don't be fooled by labels. A wolf in sheep's clothing is not a sheep.

 

[shortfade2]

But why is it bullcrap? What part of communism necessitates a dictatorship?

Its not a matter of it being a dictatorship, but a matter that the government has too much power! Communism is not just slightly more socialist than socialism. Thats just a high level of socialism. Communism is when the government controls everything. That actually means EVERYTHING. Would you honestly trust the current politicians to run your life? They dont care about you! They care about themselves! They care about getting re-elected. They care about the power involved in it. And people are just corrupt, evil, idiots. Period.

 

[shortfade2]

I'd like communism if it was real communism.
I don't like the pretend kind where there is actually
still a leader who gets benefits over everyone else.
I'd like real communism, where everyone is equal.
Everyone helps. And everyone gets his/her/its
fair share of everything.

Like in the pretend place I made up, The Gorge.
Some people build houses, some fish, some grow
crops, some build boats, some make jewelry and
dishes. (We're on a tropical island) Except in my
mind, I was the leader. My job was to make
shell necklaces for everyone, because I'm not good
with manual labour.

I'm completely normal.

Yes. And with all of that money that the government has...you know, the -$10 trillion? Yeah, your normal life would be you living in a cot in a gym, with a bunch of other people. Your bathroom would probably be a latrine....AND who decides who gets what job? The government. The government knows who you are based on a number. Remember...your social security number. Not your name....You are a number, not a person. You dont make shell necklaces. You probably will end up planting pineapples....just saying. Communism never works, and will never work Dictatorship or not.

 

[Bismillah]

Its not a matter of it being a dictatorship, but a matter that the government has too much power! Communism is not just slightly more socialist than socialism. Thats just a high level of socialism. Communism is when the government controls everything. That actually means EVERYTHING. Would you honestly trust the current politicians to run your life? They dont care about you! They care about themselves! They care about getting re-elected. They care about the power involved in it. And people are just corrupt, evil, idiots. Period.

Ideally there is no government in Communism

Also what is your opinion of FDR

 

[shortfade2]

Ideally there is no government in Communism

Also what is your opinion of FDR

really? i thought that that was anarchy....
FDR....Hmmmm....Great man. Great guy....but his politics were not to my liking. I loved how he handled the depression and WWII. If we had him giving fireside adresses today people would be more calm about the economy. Instead we have somebody yelling at us to do what he wants, or we will never see this nation turned around....basically, Obama needs to emmulate FDR. He has the oppurtunity to be that president who we look back on and say, "Well who cares if he had liberal policies, because he was a stand-up guy, who genuinly cared about us."

 

[shortfade2]

Oh, and Communism might have worked in a Polis.