Why is communism a bad thing?

Question

I'm not really well-informed on what communism is, and what it means. But everywhere I read about it, it describes communism and makes it sound like a wonderful thing.

If it's so wonderful, Why have former presidents and politicians think it was horrible, and citizens had witch hunts and communists were prosecuted, and it was a horrible thing to be considered a communist? Why was it such a controversial thing? Help, I'm missing something here.

Thanks, I "get it" now. Thanks for all the helpful answers, I wish I could choose more than one best answer.

Answer 1

A lot of people seem to be mistaking the ideal of communism for the way communism is carried out. Karl Marx only ever really intended communism for Germany. Russia wasn't really run with communism, it was run by a dictatorship or fascism. People in the West, particularly Americans, put a great deal of stock in freedom of speech. In communist Russia (and other so-called communist countries), freedom of speech is not encouraged and is even severely punished. As well, it goes against the American ideas of capitalism. The idea behind communism is everything is shared. No one goes without and no one has more of anything than anyone else. In the States, the American dream is based on free enterprise. Both communism and capitalism have great points and disadvantages. Its not the ideals that are the problem, it is the people in power who pervert the ideals. Many people in Russia did without during communism while others lived quite well. This is contrary to the ideal of communism. As well, people who spoke out against this in Russia were punished quite severely. For a country such as the States which holds freedom of speech in such high regard, this makes communism a way of life to be avoided at all costs. There really are no communist countries if you look at true communism. Certainly Cuba is not communist, even though it claims to be. It is actually run by a dictator. I guess it all depends on your viewpoint. I'm sure a lot of people who do without and see people with an abundance of things probably think communism would be great.

Answer 2

There has never been a really communist state. There have been socialist countries run by communist parties, but that's as far as they got. They never advanced beyond Marx's idea of a socialist state to the next level of true communism.The entire concept runs counter to human nature, which is why it never worked. "From each according to his ability, to each according to his need" may sound nice, but examine it closely and you see it is a nightmare. If you get the same thing no matter how hard you work, what incentive is there to work? A centrally planned economy results in shortages of everything at all levels, including waiting ten years just to get an apartment or a car. There are only 4 communist-controlled countries left in the world today, Cuba, China, North Korea, and Vietnam. Less than 5% of the population of China is communist, and China has managed to become a major economic factor in world markets by way of military dictatorship that exploits slave labor at barely subsistence wage. Even China has been forced to allow a limited free market economy because this is the real economic powerhouse, not one that labors under the bogus assumption that the "people" own everything.

I noticed a long time ago that almost every country with "North" or "East" in its name, and that also included the words "Peoples Democratic Republic of..." in its formal name, were all backwards, impoverished police states. The best example is the DPRK, or "Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea" or North Korea for short, which is both North and Democratic Peoples... also desperately impoverished.

Answer 3

Communism, in a nutshell, wants everyone to be equal. This is unfortunate for there are nothing to actually motivate the people to work hard. Of course some will work "for the good of others" but generally most of the population will be too dependent on the hard-working few. Thus by making everyone equal, communism unknowingly put everyone equally impoverished. Secondly, it is impossible to delegate the planning of a whole nation's economy to a selected few in the government. The economy isn't something that can be managed easily. As we have seen, even capitalist countries in the world had and are currently having too much problems with their economy. Thirdly, terrible leaders are prone to use Communism to establish their own dictatorship 'for the people'. It is so easy to manipulate Communism and turn it into a shroud for the creation of a totalitarian state.

Answer 4

The ideology of Communism is so varied from the Capitalist ideology present in America.
Americans cherish their ability to own private property and the various freedoms afforded to them. Communism, consequently, eliminates private property and sets everyone on an equal level.
In addition... Communism, as seen in the Soviet Union, was not exactly a successful means of government in the long run. Horrible things occurred because of it.
However, I'm probably wrong on most points. The books of Ayn Rand help give perspective on some of the Communist beliefs, though it's biased towards Capitalism/ Objectivism.

Answer 5

Primarily it's controversial because it is different to democratic capitalism which is what the US and other western nations spend billions of dollars trying to convert other nations to. The decades of the cold war and the propaganda during the 1950's of the McCarthy and Hoover anti-communism drives, and later the US loss in Vietnam have given communism an overly negative view in the West.
At a very simplistic level communism is a communal ownership model, where there are no classes and the an egalitarian society.
It has historically been a very attractive ideology because in theory it solves many of the deficiencies seen in hierarchical democratic societies. Sharing of wealth through society, equal health care, equal sharing of resources. An apparent solution to the many deficiencies of western leadership styles.
The reality of course is that human nature is fundamentally incompatible with this model in the long term. The human 'deadly sins' ultimately make communism an untenable social governance model, as greed and power, in the words of better people than me, corrupt powerfully.
Aside from democracy and communism there are a number of other governing models each with their own pro's and con's. Many countries, especially the US and Muslim countries, could learn much by taking the time to tolerate and understand other ways of leading their people.
At the end of the day, no political system is perfect, there are many significant short comings.

Answer 6

Communism in theory is the best thing going. It basically entails that the government controls business, and makes things equal for everyone. The reason it is tabu in the United States is just left over sentiment from the cold war. We were against Russia and Russia was the poster child for communism. America has been the guiding light for capitalism for more than 200 years. Basically the thing that makes capitalism more efficient than communism is a private sector. People can establish their own business, and build it up and obviously if they are responsible for their own finances and time tables they will get things done in a more cost effective and timely manner. Communism isn't horrible, it just hasn't proven to be capable of sustaining for a long time.

Answer 7

The fact that every time it gets tried it results in oppressive dictatorships with inferior economic performance to capitalist states has a lot to do with it.

The real problem though is that Marxism as a theory is wrong because the predictions it made did not come true and so we can conclude that Marxism violates reality.

Answer 8

The CONCEPT of communism is not a bad thing. The philosophy behind communism is the greatest good for the greatest number of people. In PRACTICE however, every communist country has become essentially a fascistic dictatorship, an oppressive, paranoid, police state with minimal freedom and the greatest bad for the greatest number of people.

Also, as a side note, NOTHING scares a greedy capitalist more than the threat of having to share his wealth with 'the people'.

Answer 9

Communism, in idea, is the ideal form of government. Everyone shares everything, and the country is a perfect utopia. But Communism put into practice never works and Communism becomes Fascist Dictatorship. It would be perfect, if a government could make it work, but they can't so it ends badly.

Answer 10

Because it interferes with the corporate elites. Communism was is also hated because of the invokement of laziness due to human nature. You see, why should someone strive hard to better themselves and contribute the most to society if they are getting paid the same as everyone else? Why should the genious elite scientist get paid as much as a janitor?