Type whatever comes into your head

Mwah, I was kidding. I like communism as an idea. In reality it's shockingly bad, but in theory it's brilliant.

Much like cannibalism.

I dunno about cannibalism, but I agree with you there Sindred.

China's doing relatively well with communism.

In the end though, I don't care. :silly:

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Originally Posted by Oneironaught

In an over-simplified nutshell:

It provides very little to no incentive for doing well and advancing. Yet, it provides handouts for those who do nothing. And by these being true, it basically punishes those who try to better themselves because, after all, it's "not fair" that some one should do well when others are not. If you start doling out everything and removing the ability to better one's self socially and economically then quality and advancement suffers dramatically.

Look at the state of socialized medicine as featured in Canada and many other countries. Now look at the hordes of people - worldwide - that clammer to the US for their important medical treatments. There's a reason why that is so and it's not because we have pretty nurses. Now look at all the talk of socialising medicine in the US (of course, it's not being referred to as that but it is) by the Democratic candidates (especially Clinton) right now and you'll catch a small glimpse of why I worry for our future.

That's the short of it. But it's also one of the major reasons why communism is bad policy. Nearly every important advancement (in nearly every field) is the work of the private, free market sector. There's a reason why that is the case.

EDIT: Socialism/communism is one step away from dictatorship when it comes to government control over the citizens.

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I disagree with you on a few points... I can see how in a world of american values and ways of thinking, one would feel the need to mooch of the system, but this is not so everywhere in the world (lets face it, you guys like being pampered :P). One of the reasons communism sprouted up in Russia was because it was necessary for survival, people would literally starve to death if they didn't pitch in; so say everyone plays their part, it turns out to be a vastly more efficient system than anything else, like a factory working perfectly in sync.

There is no way I can see universal healthcare as being bad. If you don't have 1000$ dollars for a possibly life-saving MRI, then you get one anyways; if you do, then you don't wait 6 months for it (we have private clinics here too).

Again, saying that communism would stagnate scientific progress or other advancements is purely due to Western mentality. The Soviet Union made immense technological and scientific progress during the Cold War, despite all of the adversities it had to overcome.

And lastly, I believe that the fact that most attempts at communism have ended in dictatorships is more related to geopolitical instability than communism itself. If you look at Russia, Stalin (when the Soviet Union really became a dictatorship) came to power not two decades after the largest social upheaval in russian history, and in the midst of the tensions preceding WW2. In such unstable conditions, it's not hard to see how a man could claim total control over a famined and impoverished nation, communist or not (same goes for North Korea and more or less with China). Now if you take a peaceful, socialist country, Switzerland for example, and gradually turn it communist, I doubt some madman would easily claim all powers...


P.S. I swear that all just came into my head just now :D...

^ Oooh. :content:

Plain and simple, communism is a government of greed at the expense of the people. Arguably, all government types could be given that label but, not in such an appropriate manner.

I never said communism stifles all scientific progress. I'm saying that it stifles the advancement of the private sector. That's the part that must not be overlooked. The government is all. And when the government is all, the people are nothing but tools to get the job done. All incentive and motivation for free market to work its wonders is squashed.

Free market private citizens and businesses ALWAYS find better, cheaper, more efficient solutions for challenges and problems than government: when they are allowed to flourish because they know that the best product/service is the one people will buy. In communism (and socialism) if you do well it's taken from you.

Why would you try to better a product, method, social formality, etc... when there is nothing to be gained? Sure, some people like to give but, what makes things better is competition, not status quo. Remember: Money is what drives business. Money is what drives innovation. Money is what betters society by proxy. Money is motivation. The pursuit of money by the private sector is what's really at work in a capitalist (more correctly, non-communist/socialist society. That's where the magic happens.

Communism/socialism is not a good idea. It will not sustain and flourish a free society. The words political correctness comes to mind. We can't have inequality, now can we? :roll:

And no, a purely socialist medical system is not the way to go. The excuse that "some can't afford medical care" doesn't fly here. Anyone who can not afford care in America is still accepted and treated when needed. Hell, you don't even have to be a citizen. They receive at least the same level of care as they would in a socialised system, except maybe better. And they typically don't have to wait for months and months to get non-emergency care as they very often do in socialised systems.

To put it bluntly and rhetorically, since when is government even 'competent' at playing the part of Mother, Father, guardian and doctor? Answer: Never. I don't want uncle Sam being my medical provider. He/they screw(s) everything... repeat: everything... up. Such is the nature of government.

When there is no competition between medical providers, everyone receives the lowest level care because it's the cheapest.

I could easily go on...



... but I won't.

Totally ignores the page above.


So, who wants Chinese?

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Originally Posted by Man of Steel

Totally ignores the page above.


So, who wants Chinese?

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Me! :drool:

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3 posts above

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Meh, you just proved why western ideology isn't ready for communism yet, not that it's flawed :P...



And now for something completely different...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcxKIJTb3Hg

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Originally Posted by Xox

Me! :drool:

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I'll pick you up in about ten, then?

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Originally Posted by Man of Steel

I'll pick you up in about ten, then?

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Yes ^___^ How about something with shrimp?

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Originally Posted by Xox

Yes ^___^ How about something with shrimp?

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Lol, you were talking about shrimp last night.

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Originally Posted by Xox

Yes ^___^ How about something with shrimp?

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Ugh. How 'bout not. You get what you want, but I must have my Mongolian Chicken.

Yeah lol, I love shrimp.

I must get some chicken too!

Now I am hungry. :drool:

Well I actually have been. :D

The white death is upon us.

...I wants Chinese! :shock:

Food. Not people. I mean food. There's nothing wrong with the people. Food.

I love Chinese food. American Chinese food, not the real thing.

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Originally Posted by Spartiate

Meh, you just proved why western ideology isn't ready for communism yet, not that it's flawed :P...

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Most people don't realise it but, America tried a very socialist structure in its earliest days: it failed. It's all part of the actual Thanksgiving story but is omitted from the legend taught to the children in school.

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Originally Posted by Spartiate

And now for something completely different...

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Seconded.

England are shit!

2000th post in this thread :breakitdown:!!!

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Originally Posted by Adam

My Englandish are shit!

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I agree

I dissagree

I neither agree nor disagree.

I'm a yes man.

I'm a no woman.

I'm a self-deprecatingly arrogant wise-ass, but then you already knew that.

How presumptuous of you to assume what I know.