Communism. Good or bad. What do you really know about Communism?

[palo5]

Originally Posted by Wendigo

Our ancestors could not be communists as they could think for themselves and painted without a central committee telling them what they could draw

Actually, communism means a community of equals, more or less. Extremely difficult to achieve, but it's a deathless ideal

[Enrico32]

Originally Posted by bowlinggreen

Obviously, they get together and kill the chief, and appoint someone else in his stead.
Happens with tribes and nations.
The Russians killed their chief (Tsar Nicholas II), but most of their new chiefs proved unsatisfactory too, so they ditched the whole system that was enabling communist chiefs in 1991.

Why not just limit the chiefs' power? Surely you don't need two thousand years of senseless wars and intrigues to achieve that?

Please give at least one reason for the widely known "oriental despotism". If each "despot" was necessarily deposed (the words are even similar) but each successor was an exact copy.

[Enrico32]

Originally Posted by palo5

Actually, communism means a community of equals, more or less. Extremely difficult to achieve, but it's a deathless ideal

If you do believe in "prehistoric communism", why, do you think, it ceased to be?
Engels concentrated totally on the emergence of economic surplus.
But why couldn't the rich and the poor still have the same political power? Given the only weapon was a stick, and each man could wield a stick more or less the same.

[palo5]

Originally Posted by Enrico32

If you do believe in "prehistoric communism", why, do you think, it ceased to be?

Who told you I believe that? I don't. But it is very likely that people co-operated more or less fairly. Until someone saw they could steal more

[Enrico32]

Originally Posted by palo5

Who told you I believe that? I don't. But it is very likely that people co-operated more or less fairly. Until someone saw they could steal more than they could by trading

Just who would make a society with thieves?

Normal men (apemen) would defend themselves with sticks against thieves.

[bowlinggreen]

Originally Posted by palo5

Actually, communism means a community of equals, more or less. Extremely difficult to achieve, but it's a deathless ideal

Only achievable when you have a relatively small group of humans.

Once things get to a certain point, you have city-states, and then the chief builds himself a palace, and has his warriors guard it, and start collecting tribute, and there you go - no more "Communism".

In America, we got rid of the monarchs and palaces. But then some of the merchants got rich enough to build their own palaces, and pay politicians to pass the laws they want.

Still, they do not bother me on a day-to-day basis, and I don't begrudge them their mansions, or yachts, or private planes, so long as they are courteous enough to leave me alone.

None of them try to tell me what I may say or not say, or what to draw or not draw, or what books I may read or not read.

This would not be the case with Communists, who would be interfering with my private life via the secret police, in order that everyone remain "equal".

Originally Posted by Enrico32

Why not just limit the chiefs' power? Surely you don't need two thousand years of senseless wars and intrigues to achieve that?

Please give at least one reason for the widely known "oriental despotism". If each "despot" was necessarily deposed (the words are even similar) but each successor was an exact copy.

The answer to that is simple. Just take a walk through your city and look at
all the churches.

Many humans crave a god. They NEED something all-powerful above them in order to give meaning to their lives. In the old days, emperors in many cultures were considered god-like or actual living gods.

Never underestimate the human need to follow.

Abasing one's self before an Emperor in the old days was likely akin to entering a religious rapture.

I would wager there are still religious old ladies in England who get all quivery in the knees at the thought of being personally blessed by the Queen.

[Enrico32]

Originally Posted by bowlinggreen

Still, they do not bother me on a day-to-day basis, and I don't begrudge them their mansions, or yachts, or private planes, so long as they are courteous enough to leave me alone.

Nobody likes a despot - your answer says it all.

People have been always deposing despots...

...then why the despots still mushroom around?

Just run through a history book. Always the same thing, as if people never learn. Not a single peaceful king!! Not a single happy king! Very rare a long-reigning king! Isn't it a natural maxim that within a society one can be happy only when everybody is...at least not terrorized and persecuted?


Sometimes I wonder if the ancients were despotic because their etiquette guidebooks required so. Then one would blame the etiquette-makers.

[scoundrel]

Communism in early civilisations...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUfs5Am81ic

[Estreeter]

Originally Posted by Wendigo

Will someone wake me up when this current anthropology 101 nonsense is all over.

Santa is a Communist .... every kid gets a gift no matter how much they misbehave ...... plus that red suit is a dead give away

[Enrico32]

Originally Posted by scoundrel

Communism in early civilisations...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUfs5Am81ic

Spoiler: It shows a movie depicting violent ritual sacrifice in an ancient civilization.

But what is the relationship between the priest and the people? If it is forced, why? Would then the bakers also force you to buy their produce?

I cannot believe the nonsense that the priest's discovery of heaven was more important for human multitude than the baker's discovery of grain. People that superstitious would not build the very colosseum on which the priest stood.