Joseph Stalin once said “Democracy in the USSR is democracy for all”. Stalin’s “democracy” was communism and Communist Manifesto and Communist ideology has some very good ideas, but even those ideas can't be discussed without fear of censure.
True Stalin went at the end of his so called “reign” against the ideology he professed, he however had some very good ideas for the Soviet Union. Didn't Soviet Union in Stalin's reign rise from the ashes of WW2 and become an industrial superpower.
The Capitalists have labeled communism with all kind of names, and blaming Communism of being repressive, tyrannical, treasonous and what not, but how many Capitalists have actually studied communist ideology before pointing to its evils? Very few. Most of them were tutored into believing Communism as a big evil. The Capitalist states even pitted Communism against Religion, the very presence of which is now a source of major conflicts.
So Is communism really bad? I think not. The virtues of communism are very simple: provide the masses with a fair, equal and balanced system of government and work, and personal freedoms kept in check.
Capitalists would refute this by saying. Look at communism under Lenin and Stalin!” However, communism under Lenin and Stalin can't be compared to the core concept of communism. Communism seeks to eradicate famine, poverty, war. At a meeting at the U.N., Scott Nearing, the representative of the Communist party, said: “Abolish war by organizing the economy of the world and building up a world administrative mainly on the basis of economy; in place of the nation-state, a world state.
The communists were not looking to conquer the world militarily. The communist were simply trying to provide social, political, and economic stability worldwide. They would achieve this by using their ingenious system of government. The whole problem with communism is that people are afraid of it. It is a fear that is unnecessary. Terror is not a core value. Nothing about communism relates to terror of the peoples. It is a free, equal, nondiscriminatory way of government. Karl Kaustky, Marxist writer, once said relating on the subject of terrorism and communism “Terrorism…begins with the abolition of every form of freedom of the press, and ends in a system of whole sale execution.” (Leone 46) Kauskty is absolutely right about terrorism. Communism does not promote this in anyway at all. Communism is fair to everyone and everything. Mikhail Krutogolov once said at a conference: “The right of soviet citizens to unite in public organizations-trade unions, cooperative societies, youth organizations, spot and defense organizations, cultural, technical and scientific societies and professional unions-is guaranteed by article 126 of the constitution of the USSR” (Leone 53) This is not to say that communism is only effective in the USSR. The principles were merely founded there. Communism can work anywhere on the globe, the key factor rests in the peoples hands. It is not the leader who makes communism not work, it is the inflexibility and stubbornness of the people. The second point that needs to be proven about communism is its ability to create an industrial and political powerhouse, one that can never be challenged. Karl Marx once said: Labor is a commodity, like any other, and its price is therefore determined by exactly the same laws that apply to other commodities. In a regime of big industry or of free competition – as we shall see, the two come to the same thing – the price of a commodity is, on the average, always equal to its cost of production. Hence, the price of labor is also equal to the cost of production of labor. (Marxist.org) This proves that in a communistic society, that labor is at the core of it all. Strong work force= strong empire/regime. Now, of course people will look upon history and insist that this is a false statement because when communist mention “work force”, people automatically think “slave labor”. Not true. The communist work force provides hard working citizens the ability to advance themselves and their communities into a progressively advancing culture of technology and science without being “forced or tortured” into working. The Communist Manifesto, written by Karl Marx and Fredric Engles, stated: The average price of wage labor is the minimum wage, i.e., that quantum of the means of subsistence which is absolutely requisite to keep the laborer in bare existence as a laborer. What, therefore, the wage laborer appropriates by means of his labor merely suffices to prolong and reproduce a bare existence. We by no means intend to abolish this personal appropriation of the products of labor, an appropriation that is made for the maintenance and reproduction of human life, and that leaves no surplus wherewith to command the labor of others. All that we want to do away with is the miserable character of this appropriation, under which the laborer lives merely to increase capital, and is allowed to live only in so far as the interest of the ruling class requires it. (anu.edu) This spells out the working world in communism. People strive to make the world more advanced and better for themselve and still get trated with the same respect as everyother person. All social status is cast aside, the people are no longer divided into poor, middle-class, and wealthy, the people would be one collective, free society. A great example of this productive society in action was once described in the Communist Manifesto: National differences and antagonism between peoples are daily more and more vanishing, owing to the development of the bourgeoisie, to freedom of commerce, to the world market, to uniformity in the mode of production and in the conditions of life corresponding thereto. In laymen’s terms this simply means that the social boundaries that once existed are slowly being vanquished under the rule of Communism. If we, the people, pull together under one collective unit under a communist government, we can achieve wonders in our deplorable society. Finally, the point must be proven that Communism is the only ture form of government that will work successfully. The evils of capitalism must be exposed. John Reed, an American citizen who was a member of the communist party, once said in a speech: “…But why do the American capitalists promise aid and food to Armenia? Is it out of pure philanthropy? If so, let them feed the peoples of Central America and help the Negroes of America itself. No. The main reason is that there is mineral wealth in Armenia, and that it is a big reservoir of cheap labour which can be exploited by American capitalists. The American capitalists want to win the confidence of the Armenians with a view to getting their claws into Armenia and enslaving the Armenian nation. It is with this aim that Capitalist missionaries have established schools in the Near East. But there is also another very important reason: the American capitalists, together with the other capitalist nations, united in the League of Nations, are afraid that the workers and peasants of Armenia will follow the example of Soviet Russia and Soviet Azerbaidzhan, will take power and their country’s resources into their own hands, and will work for themselves, making a united front with the workers and peasants of the whole world against world imperialism. The capitalists are afraid of a revolution in the East.” (cddc.vt.edu). This is just an example of the evils of capitalism. The capitalists are only looking out for themselves and no one else. They care nothing for the lower and middle class citizens as they call them, but only for the rich and wealthy who essentially run the country. In communism however, the dictator and his government care and look out for the entire population, leaving no one behind. Leon Trotsky, once a person against Lenin but who later joined his side, once said in his essay titled The USSR and its Defense: “Why does capitalist society find itself in a blind alley? Because it is no longer capable of developing the productive forces, either in the advanced countries or in the backward countries. The world imperialist chain was broken at its weakest link, Russia. Now we learn that in place of bourgeois society there has been established a new class society. Craipeau has not yet given it any name nor analyzed its internal laws. But that does not prevent us from seeing that the new society is progressive in comparison with capitalism, for on the basis of nationalized property the new possessing “class” has assured a development of productive forces never equaled in the history of the world. Marxism teaches us, does it not, that the productive forces are the fundamental factor of historic progress. A society which is not capable of assuring the growth of economic power is still less capable of assuring the well-being of the working masses, whatever may be the mode of distribution. The antagonism between feudalism and capitalism and the decline of the former has been determined precisely by the fact that the latter opened up new and grandiose possibilities for the stagnating productive forces. The same applies to the USSR. Whatever its modes of exploitation may be, this new society is by its very character superior to capitalist society. There you have the real point of departure for Marxist analysis!”( architexturez.net).
Trotsky makes VERY valid points. When this essay was written, the U.S. and other capitalist nations were lagging far behind in forces and production. Following WWI the U.S. wanted to become isolationist like the Japanese. Woodrow Wilson was elected on a campaign promising not to enter WWI. What happened after 5 months of his reelection? War. The people cannot have an indecisive person as their leader. A leader must be strong and must stand behind what he says, not change his mind all the time. The communist form of government promises equality to all peoples no matter what race or color you are. Capitalist society on the other hand has separated whites from blacks in the sixties, and is now stereotyping middle easterners throughout the country.
Scott Nearing said it perfectly when he stated: “Before the masses, the people all over the world, lie two possibilities. Capitalist imperialism, declining, disintegrating, dying, a rotting social system-that is one possibility. The other possibility is a socialized, planned world economy under working class control, out of which grows the new social order” (Leone 33)
Communism was abolished with the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. A fatal error. One can argue forever and a day that communism is repressive and tyrannical, but the facts are simple: the world has yet to see true communism in place. True communism is perfect. There are no flaws in its design. Capitalism on the other hand as seen economic crashes twice, leaving the country in massive recession and economic doom, while communist nations underwent a massive reform that changed the face of the world forever. Stalin’s two five year plans totally overhauled the Russian government and society transforming it from a mass farming land to one of the biggest industrial countries in the world. During the cold war era, communism was on par with the United States in a matter of ten years. An unprecedented short span to catch up with the most powerful country in the world.
Now the tough part comes: convincing the masses that communism is the best way to run the government. I pose my question still: Is communism really bad? I think not. From the proceeding one has to be the judge. But looking at our current state today and seeing the deplorable state it’s in, these ideas would clean that mess up. The people must make a choice. Do you want a repressive, harsh, discriminatory capitalist society, or do you want a free, equal, powerful, nondiscriminatory communist regime. The power rests within your hands now.
True Stalin went at the end of his so called “reign” against the ideology he professed, he however had some very good ideas for the Soviet Union. Didn't Soviet Union in Stalin's reign rise from the ashes of WW2 and become an industrial superpower.
The Capitalists have labeled communism with all kind of names, and blaming Communism of being repressive, tyrannical, treasonous and what not, but how many Capitalists have actually studied communist ideology before pointing to its evils? Very few. Most of them were tutored into believing Communism as a big evil. The Capitalist states even pitted Communism against Religion, the very presence of which is now a source of major conflicts.
So Is communism really bad? I think not. The virtues of communism are very simple: provide the masses with a fair, equal and balanced system of government and work, and personal freedoms kept in check.
Capitalists would refute this by saying. Look at communism under Lenin and Stalin!” However, communism under Lenin and Stalin can't be compared to the core concept of communism. Communism seeks to eradicate famine, poverty, war. At a meeting at the U.N., Scott Nearing, the representative of the Communist party, said: “Abolish war by organizing the economy of the world and building up a world administrative mainly on the basis of economy; in place of the nation-state, a world state.
The communists were not looking to conquer the world militarily. The communist were simply trying to provide social, political, and economic stability worldwide. They would achieve this by using their ingenious system of government. The whole problem with communism is that people are afraid of it. It is a fear that is unnecessary. Terror is not a core value. Nothing about communism relates to terror of the peoples. It is a free, equal, nondiscriminatory way of government. Karl Kaustky, Marxist writer, once said relating on the subject of terrorism and communism “Terrorism…begins with the abolition of every form of freedom of the press, and ends in a system of whole sale execution.” (Leone 46) Kauskty is absolutely right about terrorism. Communism does not promote this in anyway at all. Communism is fair to everyone and everything. Mikhail Krutogolov once said at a conference: “The right of soviet citizens to unite in public organizations-trade unions, cooperative societies, youth organizations, spot and defense organizations, cultural, technical and scientific societies and professional unions-is guaranteed by article 126 of the constitution of the USSR” (Leone 53) This is not to say that communism is only effective in the USSR. The principles were merely founded there. Communism can work anywhere on the globe, the key factor rests in the peoples hands. It is not the leader who makes communism not work, it is the inflexibility and stubbornness of the people. The second point that needs to be proven about communism is its ability to create an industrial and political powerhouse, one that can never be challenged. Karl Marx once said: Labor is a commodity, like any other, and its price is therefore determined by exactly the same laws that apply to other commodities. In a regime of big industry or of free competition – as we shall see, the two come to the same thing – the price of a commodity is, on the average, always equal to its cost of production. Hence, the price of labor is also equal to the cost of production of labor. (Marxist.org) This proves that in a communistic society, that labor is at the core of it all. Strong work force= strong empire/regime. Now, of course people will look upon history and insist that this is a false statement because when communist mention “work force”, people automatically think “slave labor”. Not true. The communist work force provides hard working citizens the ability to advance themselves and their communities into a progressively advancing culture of technology and science without being “forced or tortured” into working. The Communist Manifesto, written by Karl Marx and Fredric Engles, stated: The average price of wage labor is the minimum wage, i.e., that quantum of the means of subsistence which is absolutely requisite to keep the laborer in bare existence as a laborer. What, therefore, the wage laborer appropriates by means of his labor merely suffices to prolong and reproduce a bare existence. We by no means intend to abolish this personal appropriation of the products of labor, an appropriation that is made for the maintenance and reproduction of human life, and that leaves no surplus wherewith to command the labor of others. All that we want to do away with is the miserable character of this appropriation, under which the laborer lives merely to increase capital, and is allowed to live only in so far as the interest of the ruling class requires it. (anu.edu) This spells out the working world in communism. People strive to make the world more advanced and better for themselve and still get trated with the same respect as everyother person. All social status is cast aside, the people are no longer divided into poor, middle-class, and wealthy, the people would be one collective, free society. A great example of this productive society in action was once described in the Communist Manifesto: National differences and antagonism between peoples are daily more and more vanishing, owing to the development of the bourgeoisie, to freedom of commerce, to the world market, to uniformity in the mode of production and in the conditions of life corresponding thereto. In laymen’s terms this simply means that the social boundaries that once existed are slowly being vanquished under the rule of Communism. If we, the people, pull together under one collective unit under a communist government, we can achieve wonders in our deplorable society. Finally, the point must be proven that Communism is the only ture form of government that will work successfully. The evils of capitalism must be exposed. John Reed, an American citizen who was a member of the communist party, once said in a speech: “…But why do the American capitalists promise aid and food to Armenia? Is it out of pure philanthropy? If so, let them feed the peoples of Central America and help the Negroes of America itself. No. The main reason is that there is mineral wealth in Armenia, and that it is a big reservoir of cheap labour which can be exploited by American capitalists. The American capitalists want to win the confidence of the Armenians with a view to getting their claws into Armenia and enslaving the Armenian nation. It is with this aim that Capitalist missionaries have established schools in the Near East. But there is also another very important reason: the American capitalists, together with the other capitalist nations, united in the League of Nations, are afraid that the workers and peasants of Armenia will follow the example of Soviet Russia and Soviet Azerbaidzhan, will take power and their country’s resources into their own hands, and will work for themselves, making a united front with the workers and peasants of the whole world against world imperialism. The capitalists are afraid of a revolution in the East.” (cddc.vt.edu). This is just an example of the evils of capitalism. The capitalists are only looking out for themselves and no one else. They care nothing for the lower and middle class citizens as they call them, but only for the rich and wealthy who essentially run the country. In communism however, the dictator and his government care and look out for the entire population, leaving no one behind. Leon Trotsky, once a person against Lenin but who later joined his side, once said in his essay titled The USSR and its Defense: “Why does capitalist society find itself in a blind alley? Because it is no longer capable of developing the productive forces, either in the advanced countries or in the backward countries. The world imperialist chain was broken at its weakest link, Russia. Now we learn that in place of bourgeois society there has been established a new class society. Craipeau has not yet given it any name nor analyzed its internal laws. But that does not prevent us from seeing that the new society is progressive in comparison with capitalism, for on the basis of nationalized property the new possessing “class” has assured a development of productive forces never equaled in the history of the world. Marxism teaches us, does it not, that the productive forces are the fundamental factor of historic progress. A society which is not capable of assuring the growth of economic power is still less capable of assuring the well-being of the working masses, whatever may be the mode of distribution. The antagonism between feudalism and capitalism and the decline of the former has been determined precisely by the fact that the latter opened up new and grandiose possibilities for the stagnating productive forces. The same applies to the USSR. Whatever its modes of exploitation may be, this new society is by its very character superior to capitalist society. There you have the real point of departure for Marxist analysis!”( architexturez.net).
Trotsky makes VERY valid points. When this essay was written, the U.S. and other capitalist nations were lagging far behind in forces and production. Following WWI the U.S. wanted to become isolationist like the Japanese. Woodrow Wilson was elected on a campaign promising not to enter WWI. What happened after 5 months of his reelection? War. The people cannot have an indecisive person as their leader. A leader must be strong and must stand behind what he says, not change his mind all the time. The communist form of government promises equality to all peoples no matter what race or color you are. Capitalist society on the other hand has separated whites from blacks in the sixties, and is now stereotyping middle easterners throughout the country.
Scott Nearing said it perfectly when he stated: “Before the masses, the people all over the world, lie two possibilities. Capitalist imperialism, declining, disintegrating, dying, a rotting social system-that is one possibility. The other possibility is a socialized, planned world economy under working class control, out of which grows the new social order” (Leone 33)
Communism was abolished with the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. A fatal error. One can argue forever and a day that communism is repressive and tyrannical, but the facts are simple: the world has yet to see true communism in place. True communism is perfect. There are no flaws in its design. Capitalism on the other hand as seen economic crashes twice, leaving the country in massive recession and economic doom, while communist nations underwent a massive reform that changed the face of the world forever. Stalin’s two five year plans totally overhauled the Russian government and society transforming it from a mass farming land to one of the biggest industrial countries in the world. During the cold war era, communism was on par with the United States in a matter of ten years. An unprecedented short span to catch up with the most powerful country in the world.
Now the tough part comes: convincing the masses that communism is the best way to run the government. I pose my question still: Is communism really bad? I think not. From the proceeding one has to be the judge. But looking at our current state today and seeing the deplorable state it’s in, these ideas would clean that mess up. The people must make a choice. Do you want a repressive, harsh, discriminatory capitalist society, or do you want a free, equal, powerful, nondiscriminatory communist regime. The power rests within your hands now.
