Why would someone not want to live under communism?

Question

It is equality. I don't know why you wouldn't like the idea of equality.

Answer 1

Ever been to North Korea? I didn't think so!

Answer 2

I don't think communism is the idealistic way to live, but at the same time, I like the idea they strive for.

Equality.

I will agree upon the fact that the communist ideal is executed a bit poorly, but it does prevent homelessness and destroys the gap between the rich and poor. My mother and father both lived in China when they were young, and both remember it differently.
My mother was born into a wealthier family and could only remember how she had to share her things with random people of less fortune. She found it strange and a bit irritating, because some people would take advantage of her family's wealth.
Meanwhile, my father sees Mao Zedong as an impressive leader. He lived in a more urban area, near farmlands and such. So it was very different to the both of them. Sometimes they argue when I bring up Mao Zedong in the car. -_-

Even though communism strives for this sort of "utopia", it is slightly unrealistic in the sense that it ignores competitive human nature. Which is probably why communism is bad, because it doesn't satisfy human nature/desire of accomplishments, etc.

But these are just all my opinions. :] I hope they help.

Answer 3

JJ,

Seriously, you need to do some actual research on the theory of communism.

It is not possible.

People are not wired that way. Someone or some group always will take control.

Besides, it is not actually a system of equality. It is a system of autocracy.

There is no communist state in anything other than title on Earth. There never has been. There never will be. It is always just another excuse for a very tiny group of people to control the masses.

If you would like to live in a system of equal destitution, then by al means move to Cuba. But don't fool yourself into believing that Castro's kingdom is an example of true communism. It IS an example of a relatively benevolent dictatorship.

Answer 4

Many different styles of government go by the name of communism, but very few have anything to do with equality. For example, the former USSR had a very rigid class system which divided the peasants, the city-dwellers and the communist elite. Those with Communist Party connections shopped at better stores, lived in better housing, had superior medical care, etc... Upward mobility was unimaginably more difficult than it is in the United States. The systemic corruption of the former USSR seems to be the inevitable trajectory of any large-scale implementation of Communist governance. Smaller Communist and Marxist groups have, however, had some success. Look at the Kibbutzim in Israel. They've mostly gone capitalist at this point, but they functioned under Communist ideals for a very long time.

Answer 5

The berlin wall, manned by armed troops with machine guns. what was "equal" about that? nobody in, nobody out and if so, very tightly controlled. Let alone those that didn't want to live under communism were shot on site trying to get over the berlin wall. What's "equal" about that?Government is in control of your entire life -- from where you travel, why you are traveling, if you are a member of the communist party, how much food you are allowed, how well your helathcare is--or if you receive any, and your freedom as a human being taken away because the government owns you. How many were slaughtered because they refused to join the communist party or submit to a totalitarian ruler.
Yeah, ain't communism great?

Answer 6

It's funny how people who never lived in a communist country have opinions about communism.

Well, communism does work for a lot of people. My parents grew up under communism and my mom liked how nobody was ever unemployed, nobody was ever homeless or had to go without food, shelter, clothing - the basics were always available.

Crime was strictly punished, children's education was given very high priority.

Under communism you worked hard and you didn't get rich - but to live you didn't need to be rich either! You were taken care of.

I think a lot of people confuse communism with Stalinism - he was a brutal maniac and paranoid. His successor Kruschev came right out and called Stalin a criminal (of course only after Stalin's death, only a fool would call Stalin a criminal while he was still alive because Stalin would make you disappear permanently in the middle of the night).

And people may complain.....but China is still a communist country and in spite of lead in paint, etc.....they still have a very well educated population in the cities. My co-worker at my last place of work was from China and she told me about many of the politics and things there.

It's a form of government that works for a population such as China has (over 1 billion people). Not bad!

But communism would never work in the USA - people are too darned pig-headed, suspicious and too much the gun-toting big shot.

edit: Quote from Karl Marx:

"From each according to his ability, to each according to his need"

From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/From_each_according_to_his_ability,_to_each_according_to_his_need

also read:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Marx

It's a highly ideal system. But the people in Russia are very independent minded and Stalin required and implemented brutal bloody force to make this system work among the Russian people.

It's supposed to be an entirely voluntary system but when people refuse to cooperate, Stalinism is the end result.

Answer 7

All people under communism are equally miserable. No communist country in the world today is prosperous or free. See: China, North Korea, Laos, Cuba, etc.

Answer 8

Because the people who go through all that school to be a doctor or engineer will be equal to those that never went to college at all.

Answer 9

No creativity
No opportunity
No motivation
No economic freedom or choice
More and more government control
Standards of living will go down because govt not effective with money
It we give up freedoms to suite communists, where would this stop? Do you like the idea in 1984?

Answer 10

Equality for whom?

Answer 11

Equal misery. And why would I want to be economically equal to burger flippers?