Could Communism ever work in a society which is made yp of greedy bas****s?
402718
Communism will never work.  Why would you bother to work hard when you get the same for your hard work as some lazy ass?  The biggest problem with communism is it doesn't take into account one simple factor:  human nature
1017835
The idea of communism itself is not bad. It fundamentally seeks to create equality for everyone. Were true communism implemented for anything else besides humans, it would work quite well. It is the human nature of greed that destroys all communistic ideologies.\n\nThe communists countries that exist today (as well as in the past) don't stand a chance because it is essentially impossible for everyone to be equal. Inequalities exist as a rule in human hierarchy.\n\nThe hate (I'd rather refer to it as fear) that Americans have for communism stems from the things we've witnessed communism can do. Russia, China, Vietnam, Cuba, and the list goes on.\n\nA democratic nation would therefore be more desireable than a communistic one, since it acknowledges this hierarchy but also allows room for change. Another good point about it is that a capitalist economy can be supported, which is definitely good for the consumer since companies have to provide quality to survive in such a market. \n\nA true democracy would be like utopia, too, just like communism. But the U.S. also does not have a true democracy. If we did, the electoral college wouldn't exist.
108581
The only way you reform Capitalism is to move toward a Socialist or Communist type of government then you will find Capitalism practicing the largest self control to the point of becoming noncompetitive.  Under those types of government most people are poor and without hope.  In a Capitalist Economy maybe everyone is poor, but there is hope of climbing out of it.  It is Capitalism's Greed that feeds the machine and makes it healthy.
643609
The initial premise for the question, a group of perfect people,does not exist.Various communist leaders have recognised the problem but have come nowhere near solving the problem of how to create the perfect man to fit into their theoretically perfect societies.\n\nIn "Communism y el hombre" Che roughly said that "to build communism simultaneously with its material base, we must also build the new man. He will represent neither the ideas and values of our own decadent and corrupt society nor those of the past.... it will take a long time."\n\nPol Pot, having spent part of his youth in a Theravadaian monastery, believed in nihilism ie just as an individual needs to purge himself of selfishness and indeed of self in order to reach perfection, so to build a socialist society it was firstly neccesary to destroy the old society. However, re-education, the abolition of money and transporting most of the population to the country for agricultural work did not solve the problem. Cambodian agricultural production actually fell as people produced only enough for their own needs and the factories didn't work because most of the people needed to run them were dead or working in the country.The regime lasted for less than three years.\n\nNo man made system is ever going to work anything like perfectly or produce anything like a perfect man. The only perfect man I know is Jesus, and as I get to apply His cross to my life and to know Him more intimately, so I can become more like Him.
162043
Absolutely. No doubts about it. It is our greedy nature combined with unnecessary aggression that makes life difficult for us and others also. If there is no greed then people won't  be aggressive, if they are not aggressive then they won't hurt others. However, it is human nature to be greedy and that can't be avoided. The best way is to channelise it in a positive way (easier said than done).
1113669
China isn't a shining example of communism any longer. In fact, they're about as capitalist and exploitative of their workers as any industrial age country has been. They're also been pretty crafty with their currency by tying it to the US currency, which has been key to their economic boon. Look at the rest of communism for your answers though. Cuba. Ukraine. Russia. Hardly triumphant. I would even say that a large part of India's woes right now are tied to the heavy socialist lein in government, not an excess of capitalist ambition.
640938
I would say yes. The problem would be that "truly good and decent" people can be defined in more than one way. They would need laws demonstrating they respect eachother's varying choices, even if those choices all seem inherently good to each individual member.\n\nAn example would be in cooperative relationships and commerce. Likely these people would cooperate and would need laws or agreements to do so. \n\nOne person may believe their society will be communistic and perhaps act in a manner to fulfill this with truly good intentions, and violate another's capitalistic ideas.\nThey will need agreements on property and privacy as there can be varying approaches that are inherently good, yet conflicting.\n\nI think inherently good people could easily construct the laws needed and they would not have to include such petty laws as we have in societies filled with injustice, inequity and even evil.\n\nGreat question.
1079474
You mean communism?  If so it was practiced in Soviet Union(Russia) and in its satalite countries(mostly Eastern Europe nations controlled by the Soviets), but spread into Vietnam and China where it still is today.
906841
There has yet to be a functional government that was actually communistic, and very few socialistic ones that lasted more than a couple of years, no matter what they advertised themselves as being.\n\nI'll take free enterprise any day, over socialism, communism, capitalism or fascism all of which have the unity of government control of business as a shared sin.
992888
Not quite.  Communism doesn't work because people like to get the fruits of their own labor.  If I work very hard at what I do, and do it very well, and my neighbor is mediocre and doesn't work hard at all, why should I not be rewarded more than he is?\n\nCommunism rewards the slipshod, stupid, and lazy, while the bright, disciplined and dedicated are punished.  When the bright, disciplined and dedicated get fed up and say forget it, the whole system falls apart.
603553
If the Soviet Union were the only remaining superpower, the world would be a living hell.\n\nThe problem with the Communist system is that it perverts man's true nature.  The Communists said they had a noble ideal, that they were creating a selfless man, so that everything would be shared, everyone could live as equals, and poverty would be eliminated.\n\nHowever, Communism only creates poverty for everyone. People generally despised their jobs because they knew that putting forth more effort would give them and their families nothing in return.\n\nTwo common refrains were:\n\n1)  They pretend to pay me, and I pretend to work.\n2)  If you don't steal from the State, you are stealing from your family.\n\nCommunism was just another word for slavery.  You had the top Communist bosses who enjoyed luxuries forbidden to the masses.  The State told you where you could live, and what kind of job you could perform.  You had no voice.\n\nIf the old, Communist Soviet Union were in charge of the world, everyone would blame their problems on them, but not openly, or they'd have tanks running through their streets like 1968 Czechoslovakia.\n\nIf the old, Communist Soviet Union were in charge the world would be more backward, unstable, and poorer.\n\nIf you want to see the true evil face of Communism, rent this movie in the Foreign Films section of your local rental store:  "Dark Blue World" (Tvamomodry Svet).  You will see the absolutely vile nature of Communism.  The movie recounts how Czech pilots fled to England to join the fight against the Nazis.  After the war, the Communists occupiers sent these heroes to prison because they feared  these men had been to exposed to Western ideas about democracy and freedom.
112139
It's been tried. It's called communism. \nThere were a few problems with that concept. One being that the masses only got what they needed, not more. Another being that those in charge (there always has to be someone in charge), always seemed to have a lot more than everyone else.\nAlso, why work then? If you are going to be provided with everything you need. Which brings up the problem...if no one wants to work then, who's going to provide what's needed?
95793
There is no incentive, other than total fairness.  But it does not work and never did.  Socialism is just the government owning the means of production, not like communisim which is that and running the entire economy of the nation.  It does not work, and innovation, and freedom are stifled completely.  Life isn't fair, and making it so didn't work for Russia and will not ever work.
731135
No such thing as too much money in a free market capitalist system. Hmmm what would you suggest happen? Income redistribution, give some to the poor folks? Nope, they can go to work and make there own!\n\nDonna H down below me, for your information rich Americans are the most benevolent givers of any nation. We give to charities every year more money then the gross national product of most nations on this planet. So don't say they don't give anything back because that my dear.......is a lie!
775021
of couse it depends on who gains the upper hand , like at current America is probably the most powerful country ( not to mention the most ignorant ,fat & stupid). I would hate to imagine what a one world government would be like under the backers of a neo-facist , pro-life , racist bastard like George Bush.\n\n And then you have this wonderful crap called human nature which is too easily enticed by greed and corruption , anyone with Half a brain knows communism is a wonderful system in pure theory but combine it with human nature and it has become one of the most oppressive systems ever known, no system of government can operate free from this influence and as a result this NWO would fail like all the empires before them.\n\nMy third point is it's already happened, its been slowly intergarted into our lives since the late 70's early 80's.....The UN , the WTO , the fact that every currency in the world is set to the U.S dollar , Lies and government policy to encouragr disharmony between ethnic groups  and take away our rights to potect ourselves I could go on all day .\n\nDon't get me wrong i love the theoretical concept but the reality of it sucks, You'll probaly find the 'secret socities' that have that type of agenda have their foundations within the governing parties of a counrty .... a classic recent example of this is the influence a right wing fanatical group known as "the Brethren" has on Australian Politics. So really they are just part of the internal structure of these governments who push for these changes there is no differentiation
360265
There really has never been a real communist state in the world. Only totalitarian governments that called themselves communist. I don't think it works.\n\nOn the other hand. A government made up of several types of ideals I beleive is the way. Like the US or Canada. A democracy with a capitalistic base, seasoned with socialism works very well. As long as it doesn't get too one way or the other, business booms, and the poor get help.
453106
Capitalism is an other word for greed. Communism is about sharing, neither work very well in its entirety. However some socialism in a mix with capitalism would work if you could get the capitalist to see that it would restore order to a chaotic society.