Cyprus-Forum.com

[Carpe Diem]

Communism is dead...Actually it was never even alive!

The left, and more generally Socialism. Why anyone would want to live under a Socialist regime is beyond me. There is ample proof throught the world, that capitalist system is the best way to improve the lives of people, including their standard of living, income, life expectancy, etc.

The market always know best.

Even today's capitalist countries, even the great bastion USA is so far from pure capitalism, it's a disgrace. The advent of the welfare state throughout the Western world, especially after WW2, has been a massive drain and hindrance to economic and human development. Ever increasing taxes, to underwrite laziness, with a gun held to the head of those who refuse to pay taxes, is legalised theft by the government.

[Nikephoros]

Human rights, communism, socialism, international law, etc. were all though up by European philosophers in the 18th-19th Centuries mostly. So until you actually examine what these philosophers actually meant when they coined these terms and concepts such as Communism your opinion does not matter. All you are doing is spreading myths made by politicians and the media. The USSR wanted to pretend it was communist when it was not at all a Communist and classless society. The Capitalist Bloc let them get away with this lie to create a Cold War demonology of a Communist enemy.

So most the people ignorant of the real history can only spread myths created later for political expediency.

[mem101]

Carep Diem, capitalism is decadent and greedy by nature. The quest for power becomes more important than everything including the environment, human rights, and the brotherhood of mankind. How can this possibly be the best way for human society to live?

[Carpe Diem]

Carep Diem, capitalism is decadent and greedy by nature. The quest for power becomes more important than everything including the environment, human rights, and the brotherhood of mankind. How can this possibly be the best way for human society to live?

Can you show me where capitalism as a system is decadent and greedy? Certain people and companies may be, but is the answer to bring in some Socialist agenda where people give up their basic Individual rights to the Government.

Capitalism goes hand in hand with Individualism, the ultimate freedom a person can have. Some communal way of living, 'brotherhood' as you call it, where we live by the means of the weakest link is pathetic thinking. Where governments call the shots and we are but mere slaves. No thanks, thats not for me.

What are the human rights records like in Capitalist countries compared to Lefttish / Socialist ones? In which system do minorties fare better?

It is no coincidence that the wealthiest countries in the world are capitalist, and their populations have the highest living standards. And why is that people of Socialist countries, people of countries where democracy does not exist, flee to the great capitalist countries of Western Europe, North America, Australia, etc???? Because this is what people want and desire in life!!! ie Cuba...how many of these people desparately want to get into USA...and please dont start with the bleeding heart response that it's because of US sanctions and the like, because there are plenty more examples such as the old East / West Germany, the huge numbers of East Europeans who did or wanted to go to Western Europe while under Socialist / Communist rule, the massive amounts of Vietnames who fled after the communists won the war, the pathetic state of North Korea at the moment...the list is endless...

[mem101]

Capitalism is decadent because profit margins take priority over the state of the environment. Our current way of living is not sustainable in the long run. Anyone who knows anything about the greenhouse effect can see that. The capitalist way of thinking has brought the planet to this point. As for greed, I thought that was obvious. Every successful person in the capitalist system has manipulated or taken advantage of somebody or someone on the road to success. And the road to success never ends. On a larger scale, the USA does exactly the same thing. Oil is the most important commodity in the world right now. The fact that it will run out within 50 years or so is irrelevant to capitalism (due to its decadent nature, only now matters). This is why oil is at the top of the USA's agenda - she has lied, manipulated and used excuses to invade oil rich countries. Shouldn't the priority be to solve environmental issues and to solve hunger problems across the globe, followed by the advancement of mankind?

Communism has never existed in its true form in any state and still does not to this day. The Soviet communism which ruled over eastern europe was so very far from communism. Its was purely corrupt and actually bordered on fascist rather than communist. The rich had all the power. In a true communist state, there is no government - nobody has more power than the next man. The transition to a true communist state is where the problem lies as you have pointed out with your examples.

I don't think I have said that communism or socialism is the answer. All I said is that capitalism is NOT the long term answer. I personally think that the development of new ideas should be encouraged by universities and political institutions but this will never happen because no one with power wants to give it up.