What would a true communist society/country look like?

[Trolldor]

Ohh, a near miss.

[Coito ergo sum]

Ohh, a near miss.

Otherwise known as a hit.

Here's one they just made up: "near miss". When two planes almost collide, they call it a near miss. It's a near hit. A collision is a near miss. - George Carlin

[sandinista]

It's not shared if anyone can take it and use it without consideration.

If nobody is in charge of distribution, as he said, then there is nothing to stop anyone from claiming that an individual must share some of what he has, and if there is no ownership (as implied by his question, "why is it so important that you own your own house?") then on what basis does one deny something to another?

Who decides what is sufficient sharing? Each individual? If so, how would that be different than what we have now?

What we have now is America producing the world's largest hamburger while children starve in the third world.

That's what we have now.

Sounds like a pretty shit system. 5 pages of "whah whah I want my own stuff, can I have my own stuff!!!" Good shit, very entertaining!

[Coito ergo sum]

It's not shared if anyone can take it and use it without consideration.

If nobody is in charge of distribution, as he said, then there is nothing to stop anyone from claiming that an individual must share some of what he has, and if there is no ownership (as implied by his question, "why is it so important that you own your own house?") then on what basis does one deny something to another?

Who decides what is sufficient sharing? Each individual? If so, how would that be different than what we have now?

What we have now is America producing the world's largest hamburger while children starve in the third world.

That's what we have now.

Sounds like a pretty shit system. 5 pages of "whah whah I want my own stuff, can I have my own stuff!!!" Good stuff!

Well when you describe your suggested alternative with some reasonable degree of specificity, someone might take your suggestion seriously. Until then, you're just pissing into the wind.

And, yeah, it's so unreasonable for individuals to want their own stuff. That's just crazy talk. Stuff should just be up for grabs.

[sandinista]

Well when you describe your suggested alternative with some reasonable degree of specificity, someone might take your suggestion seriously. Until then, you're just pissing into the wind.

someone being you?

And, yeah, it's so unreasonable for individuals to want their own stuff. That's just crazy talk. Stuff should just be up for grabs.

Not up for grabs, more equally distributed.

[Coito ergo sum]

Well when you describe your suggested alternative with some reasonable degree of specificity, someone might take your suggestion seriously. Until then, you're just pissing into the wind.

someone being you?

For one.

And, yeah, it's so unreasonable for individuals to want their own stuff. That's just crazy talk. Stuff should just be up for grabs.

Not up for grabs, more equally distributed.

LOL - so, in your world people still get to "have their own stuff."

I'm sure you'll have some evasive response, but .....dare I ask..... In your world, how and by whom would the distribution be made?

[sandinista]

fucking hell man, you think under a socialist system people will be sharing toothbrushes and underwear don't you.

[Coito ergo sum]

fucking hell man, you think under a socialist system people will be sharing toothbrushes and underwear don't you.

You're the one who said things would be distributed more equally. It's not unfair to ask how things would be distributed and by whom. I didn't say anything about toothbrushes and underwear.

[Robert_S]

fucking hell man, you think under a socialist system people will be sharing toothbrushes and underwear don't you.

Are we talking socialist or communist?

[sandinista]

haha OK. fucking hell man, you think under a communist system people will be sharing toothbrushes and underwear don't you.

[Thinking Aloud]

This thread is GREAT!

[Robert_S]

haha OK. fucking hell man, you think under a communist system people will be sharing toothbrushes and underwear don't you.

Would we be able to decide how many we go through in any given time? Will there be some toothbrush regulatory agency doling them out? Will I have to fill out forms if I prefer a green toothbrush? Will I have to fill out a form explaining my needs if I want to wear pink boxers on Fridays?

[PsychoSerenity]

haha OK. fucking hell man, you think under a communist system people will be sharing toothbrushes and underwear don't you.

Would we be able to decide how many we go through in any given time? Will there be some toothbrush regulatory agency doling them out? Will I have to fill out forms if I prefer a green toothbrush? Will I have to fill out a form explaining my needs if I want to wear pink boxers on Fridays?

No there's no choice at all. But it's OK because we'll all be wearing really cool robes.

Trigger Warning!!!1! :

[Coito ergo sum]

haha OK. fucking hell man, you think under a communist system people will be sharing toothbrushes and underwear don't you.

Would we be able to decide how many we go through in any given time? Will there be some toothbrush regulatory agency doling them out? Will I have to fill out forms if I prefer a green toothbrush? Will I have to fill out a form explaining my needs if I want to wear pink boxers on Fridays?

It's interesting that there is laughter generated when sandinista attempts to belittle my general question about how the "distribution" would take place. He mocks my question by bringing up toothbrushes and underwear.

However, even at the level of toothbrushes and underwear, the question is a fair one. Under the communist systems that we have seen implemented in the real world, shortages of consumer goods has been a real problem, with very real shortages occurring over long periods of time.

In the Soviet Union, every kind of food was rationed. Non-rationed foods and non-food consumer goods had virtually disappeared from state owned stores by the late 80s. In U.S. News & World Report (3/25/1985) it was noted that most Soviets were suffering from "shortages of food and consumer goods." A New York Times article dated Nov. 11, 1980, reported food lines in Moscow getting longer, with "shortages of meat and dairy products" worse than "usual" (some shortages were "usual"). The article reported that people in a food line wondered if the sausage this time would be ground bones and mashed toilet paper, another individual replied, the article noted: "No, candle wax – toilet paper is in short supply." On July 11, 1980, BBC news reported there was a light bulb shortage in the Soviet Union. A July 7, 1980, story in Newsweek magazine tells of a "chronically short supply" of milk, butter, cheese and meat in the city of Tyumen. In the city of Arkhangelsk, "diplomatic sources say milk is sometimes sold only by doctor's prescription to nursing mothers." In Moscow, "cabbage, which is usually available, disappeared from the market for most of the spring and.... shops are running out of milk." A piece in the Jan. 5, 1980, issue of The Economist says: "Endemic shortages of consumer goods, poor quality and limited choice are nothing new in the Soviet Union."

Similarly, in Poland, reported in a Jan. 14, 2000, piece in European Banker it was said, regarding the formerly communist Poland: "There remains a pent-up demand for almost everything after 45 years of state socialism when shortages were endemic, there were no choices in domestically produced consumer goods, imports were limited, and political controls rationed who could buy cars and who could get flats and telephones."

So, since this is the real world experience with communism, it doesn't seem unfair to ask someone who advocates communism to maybe explain what they mean a bit, and how the "distribution" will be effectuated. No matter how much one might like to whine and moan about how "unfair" the US and Canada can be, it's nothing like what communist Russia was.

[sandinista]

haha OK. fucking hell man, you think under a communist system people will be sharing toothbrushes and underwear don't you.

Would we be able to decide how many we go through in any given time? Will there be some toothbrush regulatory agency doling them out? Will I have to fill out forms if I prefer a green toothbrush? Will I have to fill out a form explaining my needs if I want to wear pink boxers on Fridays?

I guess that's part of the point. In a more equal society the "haves" indeed would have to make sacrifices. Not everyone on the planet can consume like the West. We would need a few more planets, its simply not sustainable. I'm sorry to say, most likely, even though you "prefer" a green toothbrush and use a new one every other day, you may not get to. Personally, I think that, in an effort to allow all people to have food, clothes, and shelter, I would be willing to use a red toothbrush for a month.

Even in this society I have to give things up for, sometimes the greater good, and sometimes for things i am very opposed to. I currently am helping to pay for a war I want no part of, I pay for social services, police, roads, healthcare, etc. In any society an individual is not simply free to do whatever they please. It's not like liberal democracies are a free for all...yet.