What is it about communism that makes it so "bad"?

Question

I never really hear anything good about communism in my community, nor do I really know what it is. Based on what I've read from Animal Farm, it seem that it has right motives but wrong users. I don't really know, and If I'm wrong, please correct me. Can someone explain it to me. Thanks!

Answer 1

Hi. Great question. Consider communism in two ways: in theory and in practice. As a theory, a philosophy, communism was the vision of an ideal state where all people would share equally, there would be no poverty or exploitation, no war or classicism. It was almost a religious ideal for many people. The philosopher who shaped that vision the most into a practice was Karl Marx. At the turn of the century, his attack on capitalism set in motion as political force that challenged the political status quo. It frightened the rich and powerful with the image of working people rising up to take over the government for themselves. In practice, Marxism has been tried to various degrees in different countries. In Russia and China, for example, it was the state system, but in truth, this kind of Marxism had little to do with the original image of communism for a free society. Both the Soviet Union and China were dictatorships. In Vietnam and Cuba, communism has been much more successful, although they were severely stunted by the economic pressure put on them by the United States through boycotts to starve them out. In the end, classic communism has yet to be tried. There are many communist parties still around, but there is no clear vision for this philosophy and the memory of the old Soviet regime still haunts the reputation of the communist hope. Study Antonio Gramsci of Italy (1920's-1930's). This is a good communist thinker,

Answer 2

it does sound nice but it does not work because it depends upon a fiction to function. the fiction is that human are naturally altruistic. they are not. they are naturally selfish.
that is that.

it did one time show promise when the Oneida community practiced it but that was because instead of altruism as the only motive to cooperate, they gave a religious or spiritual reward and depended upon fear and love of GOD to motivate the practice.

The non-religious atheistic brand of communism tried by Russia and China and some others too now, is doomed to fail because the people just do not like the basic principle that everybody gets what they need and contributes what they can. there is no connection between how much you do or work or contribute and how much you receive in return. this is unnatural and fails. people tend to goof off and get what they can for the least effort, that is human nature. It rewards the needy and punishes the productive.

also , technically, it calls for a period called the dictatorship of the proletariat (people) that is always prolonged by the dictator and the true communism never gets to start or flourish. it just becomes an excuse for a totalitarian regime to romp and stomp all over people and rob them & looting the coffers of the public by the special few.
other than that, its fine!

Answer 3

There's much negative propaganda about Communism... however, let us look into the past here in the USA for a moment. If you were to compare the 1920's Communist platform for the Presidential elections and compare with the 1960s Presidential election, you'd see that the 1920's Communist political platform essentially the same as those shared by the Republicans and the Democrats... social programs for the poor, the elderly, disabled and the disenfranchised... affordable housing, affordable medicine and medical care, free education, etc!

And if you were to read the Soviet Union's constitution (yes, when Russia was a communist nation), you'd see how "Utopian" it seemed... but the HUMAN element (greed, lust for greed and power, corruption, abuse of powers, social class distinctions where none were supposed to exist; not the same education, medical or social opportunities for all, etc) destroyed any and all semblance of what the constitution mandated.

If you look at any religious institution, you might find that it is pretty much communist as practiced by past/present tyrannical governments; they are NOT very democratic in any practical sense but authoritative in nature. They demand that the populace not listen to their opposition's point of view or opinions to prevent the public from learning (and/or as a means of keeping the public uninformed and misinformed), they tend to use slogans and propaganda to brainwash the populace and rule by fear and threats. Read George Orwell's "Animal Farm," and "1984."

In fact, many of the practices of the old Russian regime, as in other still Communist nations, are now practices here in the USA, for example, many of the aspects of the Patriot Act where citizens can have their conversations wiretapped, or can be incarcerated without being charged with a crime indefinitely, without legal counsel, can be tortured until admitting whatever the torturer wants the person to admit to (where it's true or not), the government can spy on people and keep tabs on what they read in libraries, arbitrarily single out people for questioning and searching their properties, random searches without court orders, limiting freedom of speech and expression... certain groups are allowed to profiteer and receiving tax exemptions... sound familiar?

Communes are based on communist principles. The problem is that in a communist society there is no room for man's ego, man's desire to supersede his fellow man, for individual thought and for excellence and to break away from the chains of conformity and mediocrity. Read Ayn Rand's "The Fountainhead."

If you want to see a Communist "society" which works, I'm afraid you'll have to look at an ant colony or a beehive... that's the only functional state of Communism you'll find... because there's no human element to contend with.

Answer 4

Communism is bad because nothing belongs to you. Everything is controlled by the government. You cannot be successful because you cannot own a private business or none of the sort. Your status among the people is determined by the government. Communist governments usually have command economies in which the government controls and oversees all economic decisions. No free markets. No competition between businesses. No rich, middle, or poor class. Everyone is pretty much poor and the government gets to distribute the wealth. The goal of Communism is to have a classless society in which everybody is equal. Sounds good but it really isn't.

Answer 5

Quite simply, it doesn't work in the real world. As an ideology it might seem the best way to have people on an equal financial footing, but the reality is "some people are more equal than others". The collapse of the Soviet Union was the outcome of the biggest experiment in the history of the world. Need I say more?

Answer 6

A political system ought to be based on the nature of man; not be at war with it. If it’s in harmony with man’s nature, the system tends to promote [good] life.

So, what’s man’s nature? Is he an individual (capable of setting his course, producing, trading, and advancing his values…)? Or, is he merely an element within some whimsically defined social order (meant to serve others, never to seek nor obtain his highest values, have no motivation to push his personal envelope…)?

One system – capitalism – permits the individual to exist; the others – communism most notably – don’t.

Answer 7

I think Orwell's insight reflected in "Animal Farm" is valid and mature. As I get older, I have come to believe that idealistic systems can't be imposed on society and have to evolve in a natural way, else ideals get corrupted. There is something artificial about communism, paradise can't be given to a people on a platter, it can only come through evolution and enlightenment as we transcend along this continuum from the beast to human, from evil to Godliness, in other words, justice and love. effect what is supposed to bring about liberation becomes incarcerating to the point that the state has to build walls, as in Berlin, to prevent citizens from escaping, and truth is replaced by slogans. I think you are on the right track, and the picture will become clearer as you read progressive literature by people like Chomsky and Parenti, and articles and films by those who aren't published in mainstream media. And You'll learn much from the likes of Christ, too, though not through the numerous Sunday sermons you hear on the tele by these so-called evangelists, etc.

Answer 8

Like I have said before, due to the fact that it relies as much on government owning everything as it does equality, it would require someone greedless, a saint in these days, for it to work. Just about everyone who's been a Communist leader has turned out to be a greedy tyrant.

Answer 9

In communism, even if you worked harder and longer hours than your neighbor you would both get paid the same amount. Everything is "communal" meaning it belongs to the group.
Everything but the power - and you usually don't have much of a choice in that area. Once in power - they stay there and will over power anyone who tries to take over.
Read about the history of Russia before it's reformation and it was broken up into all those little countries.

Answer 10

communism is bad because if the working class owned the means of production there would be no need for the capitalist class who own the media and the tools of statecraft.

Very few (if any) of the respondants to this question seemed to actually know what communism is...