Has there ever been a communist society that worked?

[Godbear]

Just curious I know we have lots of commies here. Has there ever been a communist run society that didn't collapse into dictatorship like the USSR and China?

[SlowwHand]

no.

[Bereta_Eder]

Yugoslavia untill communism collapsed. It wasn't that bad. But when communism went down...

[Starchild]

I'm trying to read more on the Paris commune but, as is typical, the local library has such absurd hours I can never get there in time.

[rah]

There were many communes in the US that were successful for many years that were run using communist ideals. In a small society where everyone knows everyone, it can be very very effective. But on a larger level, NOT A CHANCE.

[Kropotkin]

There was also a promising socialist development in parts of spain during the civil war before the commies came in and sabotaged everything.

[orange]

true communism or stalinism? If the former, I agree with Rah. If the latter, depends on your definition of works. It worked for some.

I'd say true communism has never existed except on small scale 'utopias'. Other than that, one could possibly make a case for a few native american tribes. But even they had a heirarchy of power.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Define 'worked'

[Nubclear]

True communism could only work with the total elimination of capitalism (And of course the unification of the entire race) if you were to apply it to a large scale.

Unfortunately, the chances of this happening are quite small

[Shi Huangdi]

Re: Has there ever been a communist society that worked?

Originally posted by Godbear
Just curious I know we have lots of commies here. Has there ever been a communist run society that didn't collapse into dictatorship like the USSR and China?

Communism has often provided societies with temporary advancement. In many communist countries once ther country goes red it has seen economic progress and social reform. Still however, though communist countries have advanced up to a certain point, they usually stagnate once in a while and countries which have kept their command economy have stayed pretty poor. Even worse, in every communist country that has stayed communist for a long period of time has developed an authoritarian system that disrespects it's peoples civil rights. From my standpoint at least, I wouldn't say any new form of government has "worked" if it has produced a dictatorship/oligarchy and there is a lack of political freedom.

Once of the worst parts of communism however is that it has proven to be a very difficult system to get out of. There are a multitude of cases where right-wing authoritarian system have collapsed in to healthy and prosperous democracies. But communism has proven to be a difficult system to transfer out of. There have been a few countries that have done a good job at reforming such as East Germany, Lithuania, and Hungary. However for the most part it has been more problematic. Russia is the best example where since the fall of communism, the country still faces problems of corruption, problems of the old entrenched bureaucrats, problems of developing civil right. You can also see good example of ultra-corrupt societies forming in Romania and Armenia and in some other cases. North Korea seems perpetually stuck in Stalinism. China and Vietnam lost their economic aspects of communism, but their authoritarian Communist Party leaders have still succeded in holding on to power in their now communist in name only states.

[Bereta_Eder]

Re: Re: Has there ever been a communist society that worked?

Originally posted by Shi Huangdi


Communism has often provided societies with temporary advancement.

Wrong.
Itr has provided a 3rd world country a superpower status in just 70 years.

Still however, though communist countries have advanced up to a certain point, they usually stagnate once in a while and countries which have kept their command economy have stayed pretty poor.

Not unless they're an enemy they have to buy guns to counter.

Even worse, in every communist country that has stayed communist for a long period of time has developed an authoritarian system that disrespects it's peoples civil rights.

That is exactly what the US (who was for democracy) has done to its own satelites , so no difference whatsoever there.

Once of the worst parts of communism however is that it has proven to be a very difficult system to get out of.

That's a too simplistic view. They are dozens of situations with dozens of different end results.

The chez republic, slovenia and even hungary are more advanced than "capitalistic" states who have been "free" for years.


They are a myriad of shades of communism and NKorea types is just one of them.

Still communism is to thank for for the social state of Europe. It's impact on the world was more beneficial than if it never existed.

It also helped tear down the masks of what west's democracy is all about.

And it will never really go away. Just evolve and evolve.

[Immortal Wombat]

There's never been a true communism. So no.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Itr has provided a 3rd world country a superpower status in just 70 years.

Do you actually consider China to be Communist?

[Provost Harrison]

Hungary in 1956 is a very interesting 'what ifs' until their revolution was crushed by the Soviets. That's what the degenerated workers state of the Soviet Union's view on proletarian revolution is, quite clearly. The Soviet Union wanted dominance and control and that spreading of the revolution was seen as dangerous to them now. Why Leon Trotsky wound up dead...

[Bereta_Eder]

Russia, actually.
I was talking about the USSR