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Communism fell not because of the Cold War. Not because of military might. It fell in the end because nobody wanted to wear Bulgarian shoes*.
The reason most countries have moved away from Marxism is because it doesn't work. Mao was wrong -- political power isn't derived from the barrel of a gun. It truly does come from a mandate by the masses. And pointing guns at people only works for so long. Government either evolves to become a reflection of the views of the people (like China). Or eventually out come the pitchforks.
* P.J. O'Rourke wrote this in one of his books, so credit given where it's due.
It's only 100 million deaths and counting to prove that it don't work.
I was reading intelligent discourse and then it came to a screeching halt with this post.
This is just as bad as a "just because" answer.
Since I am a teacher, I will ask you to clarify your remarks so things can get back on track.
A. Where did you get the figure 100 million deaths? Please cite your source.
B. Are those deaths directly attributable to communism, or are these deaths attributable to the authoritarian regimes that practiced communism?
C. Secondly, as a means of comparison, how many deaths can be attributed to capitalism during the same time period? These deaths would include: deaths due to starvation through lack of wages and social programs in non-communist countries, deaths due to lack of medical care due to insufficient wages and government health programs, and deaths due to wars fighting against communism or for capitalist gains.
D. The use of the word "don't" in the phrase "it don't work" is incorrect grammar. The correct grammar would be "it doesn't work."
I was reading intelligent discourse and then it came to a screeching halt with this post.
This is just as bad as a "just because" answer.
Since I am a teacher, I will ask you to clarify your remarks so things can get back on track.
A. Where did you get the figure 100 million deaths? Please cite your source.
B. Are those deaths directly attributable to communism, or are these deaths attributable to the authoritarian regimes that practiced communism?
C. Secondly, as a means of comparison, how many deaths can be attributed to capitalism during the same time period? These deaths would include: deaths due to starvation through lack of wages and social programs in non-communist countries, deaths due to lack of medical care due to insufficient wages and government health programs, and deaths due to wars fighting against communism or for capitalist gains.
D. The use of the word "don't" in the phrase "it don't work" is incorrect grammar. The correct grammar would be "it doesn't work."
Since you are a teacher, if your student came to you with those questions, send them off to find their own answers would you not? Sorry, but just couldn't resist the temptation since I've had so many teachers over the years turn my questions for them into a research project for me.
Marxian economics, (i.e. socialist economics) policies are policies with populist goals.
I’m a proponent of many populist policies but I’m generally opposed to socialist policies.
Socialist policies lesser effectiveness or failures are due to their contradiction of what are generally human motivations. It is easier to change the situations than to change people’s behavior within the existing situations.
How many during US slavery?
How many under the crony capitalism of the Philippine and the like?
or are we going to start going into "this is a greater evil than that".
Judging either system by the atrocities committed by implementations of economic systems is a fallacy because one would need to somehow separate the impacts of the economic system from other factors.
Any system, infiltrated with corruption and left unchecked can deteriorate into such a state. That isn't necessarily the topic at hand. I believe there lies a balanced form in which lessons are taken from all systems that have existed in history.
Socialism has also has had a turbulent history yet many countries today that rank high with human well-being are at their root socialist leaning.
Marxian economics doesn't perform well in the real world compared to Capitalism. Belief in Marxian economics is sorta like belief in Astrology.
Capitalism alone doesn't work either. Every wealthy country in the world is capitalist *and* socialist for good reason, and nearly all of them are considerably more socialist than the US.
How many during US slavery?
How many under the crony capitalism of the Philippine and the like?
or are we going to start going into "this is a greater evil than that".
Judging either system by the atrocities committed by implementations of economic systems is a fallacy because one would need to somehow separate the impacts of the economic system from other factors.
Any system, infiltrated with corruption and left unchecked can deteriorate into such a state. That isn't necessarily the topic at hand. I believe there lies a balanced form in which lessons are taken from all systems that have existed in history.
Socialism has also has had a turbulent history yet many countries today that rank high with human well-being are at their root socialist leaning.
How long ago did slavery end?
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