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67
88
Good Bad
Debate Score:155
Arguments:54
Total Votes:188
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Is communism good or bad?

There are different opinions on this issue. Tell me yours.

Good

Side Score: 67
VS.

Bad

Side Score: 88
8 points

The idea: Good.

Reality: Bad.

This concept is wonderful in imagination form where everybody is treated equally and there is no unfairness.

However, in reality (eg: China), it doesn't quite work out. It ends up being over-controlled by the government. So it is both good and bad. It is a wonderful idea in concept where everything is fair; but in reality, it will never work because nobody can be equal. It's always competition. :(

Side: Good
6 points

Humanity just needs to ripen up some more and then it will be fine in theory and practice, not just theory.

Side: Good
5 points

Honestly, i think that more than communism, we should talk about Marx; mainly because, as a wise man said almost a century ago, not a real communist society has ever come true, so to pretend to know whethere communism is good or bad, has, practically, no sense. What Marx idealized was, theoretically "good": in reality, it is so different, Marx's concept of man, from those of profets' ? To me, Marx's dream, can occur only when the whole humanity has understood its concept of man, along with profets' one. Only after having understood it, the man has a chance to build up a more "sane" society. Let me tell you another thing: if you consider communism, which is to say Marx, only by comparing compensations, you haven't got the point.

Side: Good
4 points

Communism is good in theory, and in small populations, but it does not work in large groups of people. In theory, communism makes everybody equal, but it does not scale well to large populations. Many native American villages were communist, because the villagers shared everything and worked for the good of the village, rather than themselves. In these villages, though, there were only a few hundred people at most, most of whom agreed with the system.

On a large scale, any attempts at communism have failed. All of them were accomplished by oppressive governments, and many of them stopped being communist because of economic problems. Now, the only large country that calls itelf communist, China, is actually closer to fascism because it has let private corporations enter but is still totalitarian.

Side: Good
3 points

Communism is as good as Capitalism. Both have unrealistic theories which have never been actually practiced.

Side: Good
3 points

I think communism is simply bad that is because of the lack of kindness the citizens receive and how many communist presidents are greedy.

Side: Good
3 points

I think communis, should be stopped immediately because how the people are treated in communist countries

Side: Good
skylapotimus(2) Disputed
4 points

I don't think that you can use this to refute the idea of communism, mainly, because there has never been a true communist state. Until there is, we have nothing to measure the idea with except for our own personal perception.

Side: Bad
Amarel(5669) Clarified
3 points

What would true communism look like? .

Side: Good
3 points

Communism - in general sense is a system where everybody is granted equal rights and services, many young folks think Communism is similar to dictatorship, which absolutely bullshit but the history of our world has shown that Communist nations had been under control of dictators like Stalin. I think Karl Marx saw communism as an improved version of Capitalism in a sense that every man and woman must be granted equal rights, the growing distance of poor and rich caused a major social crisis in our community. However, Communism, when implemented never turns out to be fair, the government always seems to have greater access than the people, the nature of human beings does not let Communism to succeed and now it is all about the Benjamins, you get rich or you die trying.... what about the people who never get the chance to try?

Side: Good
2 points

No matter how many people say communism is good, there's always one who contradicts me! Yes the idea is good, but as i have said time and time again, it was introduced badly with catastrophic results! The idea of communism is far better than capitalism.

Side: Good
2 points

the human biological mind always wants more than someone else (capitalism) and communism overrides that fact. I being a communist myself think that communism is a BRILLIANT idea but to make it work you would have to rewrite the human mind and instinct

Side: Good
tatavfo Disputed
3 points

watch this video it will clear up your opinion of communism. i believe communism is bad. :)

The Beauty of communism
Side: Bad
2 points

Hi everyone,

First time here, so I'll give it a shot.

In my opinion, I think that communism is one of the most rigorous and important political philosophies/ ideologies in the history of humanity. Marx's unveiling of the idea that history has been driven by class struggle, i.e ruling elite vs oppressed classes, and the marxist analysis of the Capitalist mode of production has yet to be bettered. That said, in my opinion I think that despite communism being a hope of love for humanity in that it want to abolish human suffering and misery, it also leaves no room for spiritual emancipation. In a nutshell, while communism claims emancipation in the material world, it leaves no room for spiritual religious emancipation, i.e.. reaching God and finding peace. Most communist people Ive read and that I know of personally are atheists mainly because they stick to Dialectial Materialism, which claims that there's nothing more that matter in motion. To conclude, communism is as I said a hope of love and prosperity but only in the material world. Nothing is left for vertical nourishment. Id like to hear you opinion!

Best,

Saad

Side: Good
Emperor(1348) Disputed
4 points

Communism doesn't mean the end of religion, of course. Why would you think that?

Communism is just a political strategy so that humans can live like equals, with food for all, housing for all and more.

Spirituality and science can thrive in such a community, once established. If a communism was successful for 150+ years, religion would quickly come back, people would grow used to communism and they would have their material needs fulfilled, and all others can be fulfilled by love, family, philosophy or religion.

Side: Bad
saadb(3) Clarified
2 points

Yes, the aim is equality and the end of class struggle. But the communism we know of so far banned religion and saw it as a negative element of society, superstition and backwardness. That is the communism we know of so far (20th century communism). And most communist thinkers are atheists, once they read the marxist canon, they can't accept God...Therefore, chances are high to be an atheist if you are a communist. Thats my only objection to communism...

Side: Good
2 points

CHUNG CHUNG CHUNG

TECHNOCRATIC ROBOTIC AUTOMATON POST-SCARCITY COMMUNISM

CHUNG CHUNG CHUNG CHUNG CHUNG BEEEEEP SCREECH.

Yes, the ultimate form of life is a post-scarcity automationist culture.

All food is farmed by hyper intelligent robots that are able to repair themselves and each other, preventing breakdowns. They are programmed to feel intense, orgasmic joy at fulfilling the task they are assigned to. Some robots build houses, some manufacture objects, some farm, some care for orphan children.

They are programmed to be EXTREMELY skilled at their task, and able to repair each other. They are programmed to receive joy doing their specific task that they are programmed for. This way humanity can live in peace, the population slowly growing lower and lower as birthrates decline due to a controlled birth movement.

When we finally reach a population of around one billion, the Earth is stabilized, trees and forests grow back and humans are kept in small cities across a single continent, cared for by robots. Humans are able to paint, invent, discover and do anything they want, for money is no longer an issue. Nanobots and 3D printers create any device we could ever want. I expect virtual reality to exist by then as well. We can also colonize all of Mars and turn it into a thriving state of business and innovate, and we can spread across the universe, ensuring humanities survival for millions of years.

-

If it goes uh, badly and the robots take over, just think of them as our children.

Side: Good
2 points

firstly, just like democracy communism is bound to have corruption at some point, both of these governmental systems are good ideas but not the best in practice.

The reason why I support communism is because it supports everyone and lets everyone play an important role in the society, like a cog in a machine rather than another number in the system, another vote simply looked at and then discarded.

Education? FREE. Housing? FREE.

Your life is set out for you and you're able to focus on the more important things without being monopolized or held back by the political parties, you and everyone else have one goal to work towards, a singular goal that generally benefits the country. Unless of course you are in a corrupt society, but that is similar for a democracy. the voters are commonly uneducated about the person they are voting for and choose the wrong person for the country. often someone who is only interested in hiding their dirty secrets or getting more money by altering the laws surrounding the economy. Barely any laws apply to them after all.

How about we stop arguing what is better or worse and just come up with a system that works for almost everyone, a combination of all governments that doesn't just suit the country but the world as a whole. let's stop thinking about politics and start working together regardless of country, race or any other 'limits' our society has caused us to see. We need to work together to survive on this small planet and all this obscures our vision, hindering our chances of innovation and survival.

Side: Good

Communism is effective only on very small scales, otherwise the whole system crumbles around it.

Side: Good
1 point

I think that this goes both ways. I like how everyone has a say. That's democracy and people have a equal say in how their life is run. Though I think it has some bad sides as well. People may need a leader that chooses responsible choices and lifestyles. And it can be different how every leader runs the government. So I think that there are shared views but mostly good affects.

Side: Good
1 point

Everybody deserves to be treated equally. However, in a capitalist society, that's unfortunately not possible. Money can give someone so much power and privilege if they have a lot of it. People will fight each other for money because they want to have that power, they want to be above others. Poor people struggle to stay alive because they don't have enough money for food, water, or a place to live. That's just unfair. Rich people use capitalism to exploit people that are poorer than them. First, they make all basic human needs cost money. Second, they offer minimum wage jobs in terrible conditions. This practically forces poor people to take these life-draining jobs in order to survive. Rich people will benefit from their struggle, pain, and poverty. Communism will fix this. It will stop the fighting, it will stop the exploitation, and it will make everybody equal to one another. You shouldn't need to pay to live. I want to be able to pursue my hopes and dreams without worrying about the monetary cost. True equality and genuine happiness can be achieved through communism.

Side: Good
1 point

Various people have different definitions of communism. But each of its variations is unique. There is no logical justification for thinking that prohibiting word hurdle the private property right will in any way safeguard worker rights.

Side: Good
0 points

Communism is absolutely, positively good. I don't understand where there isn't to like about Communism. Those who oppose Communism, are doing so because it is beneficial to them, and they are unwilling to relinquish the individual freedoms for the greater good of humanity. The reason Communism is so difficult to apply to today's world, is because it is convenient and easy for people, especially Americans, to turn a blind eye to the poor and needy, Because what would that mean? It would mean a radical change in the distribution of the worlds resources, and wealth, and frankly the rich and powerful Capitalist bourgeoisie doesn't want that. The only cases where Communism wouldn't be good to you, is if you are an elite, who is bent on keeping that power and status, or if you are just plain un willing to realize that if the world is truly to become a more prosperous place, it would take some intense sacrifice on your part. Communism is the most difficult task humanity would ever have to try to carryout, but it is definitely not impossible in today's world. Hell we can think of a solution to any problem if it benefits us. We went to the Moon for crying out loud. If we as Humans wanted Communism to work, it would work, and it would work efficiently.

Side: Good
ryansgame(1) Disputed
3 points

"If we as Humans wanted Communism to work, it would work, and it would work efficiently."

I think the last line your wrote was the most telling. Communism has never worked because we are Human. We just cant get away from that fact. Being human means we have all the flaws that come with being human. Greed, envy and sloth are part of our DNA just like love, kindness and ingenuity.

Side: Bad
Dante756(77) Disputed
2 points

"I don't understand where there isn't to like about Communism."

It doesn't work. See Korea, Cuba, Soviet Russia. See China. Huge famines. Then Capitalism. Poverty halved.

"They are unwilling to relinquish the individual freedoms for the greater good of humanity."

If no one has freedoms, humanity as a whole is at a loss.

"It is convenient and easy for people, especially Americans, to turn a blind eye to the poor and needy"

Now, with TVs and things, less than ever, actually. And the poverty line in the US is like 45x higher than in most parts of the world that are undemocratic.

"The only cases where Communism wouldn't be good to you, is if you are an elite."

Ok... no. Those millions of starving North Koreans weren't elites!

"Hell we can think of a solution to any problem if it benefits us. We went to the Moon for crying out loud."

This became some idiotic rallying cry, didn't it?

"If we as Humans wanted Communism to work, it would work."

But in the meritocracy we have in CAPITALIST countries, where your ability to provide a service is what is valued... people work to succeed. Why should anyone work if they are assured an equal portion for doing nothing.

Communism has never worked, it has only created tyrants. Shame on these people.

Side: Bad
tatavfo Disputed
2 points

watch the linked video. i believe communism is bad. communism is good in small quantities but with too many people, is unsucessful

The beauty of communism.
Side: Bad
4 points

It seems that the main argument against communism is not the actual theory, but its failure to work in practice. But I see the main flaw as one of Marxism itself.

The problem is that Marxism is Utopian. While Utopianism sounds like something we should all aim for, the reality is that it's incompatible with modern day human nature.

We have now reached a point in our society where we know what wealth is, and this causes greed. The elimination of class and imbalanced wealth is impossible voluntarily, and could only be achieved via force.

Therefore, Marx's theory is flawed. He never accounted for the actual implementation of communism in a capitalist society, and thus the system is doomed to fail from the start.

Side: Bad
4 points

I think that even in theory, communism is not a good idea. In my mind, it is unfair that, for example, a doctor who has spent years of their life training to help others gets the same pay as a cleaner who works five hours a week. A person's wealth should be proportionate to their contribution to society to a certain extent.

This is why I am a socialist, rather than a communist.

Side: Bad
3 points

I haven't thought of this...That is a very excellent point you made.

Side: Bad
Orcris(63) Disputed
2 points

This is a very capitalist argument. In communism, the idea of wealth is nonexitant. The doctor can't get the same amount of pay because there is no pay. In a communist society, people work to benefit the society, not themselves. Using the argument that these two people get the same pay goes against communism because it involves wealth existing.

Side: Good
anachronist(889) Disputed
3 points

Wealth will always exist. If you have possessions, you have wealth. I think that wealth should be somewhat proportionate to the contribution that someone makes to society. If everyone gets exactly the same, no one will bother doing the shitty jobs, they'll just take the easy ones. You can't get people to work without a motivator.

I am not a proper capitalist, in fact, I'm a socialist. I believe that wealth should exist, but it should be fairly distributed, unlike in a more free market society where it is all grouped with the rich.

Side: Bad
Dr_Batman(1523) Disputed
1 point

Socialism is just as bad as it is within the same range as Communism. Socialism always comes before communism.

Side: Bad
3 points

Just let the people grow. Life is a "survival of the fittest" game.

Side: Bad
3 points

No proposal should be viewed with a scope from the ideal world. A solution isn't invented to thrive in an ideal world, it's to improve the actual one. If Communism is proven to be ineffectual or detrimental in the real world, then Communism is a bad idea. I'd say it is BECAUSE it is innately utopian, that it is untrue and inconsiderable. As I understand it, Communism is a stateless society ordered through common ownership of the means of production. This means that in addition to being devoid of a capability to defect from this system, given personal or functional inadequacies, it is devoid of a foolproof measure to reduce or prevent under-production and stagnation. A command economy, of any kind, lacks the innovation to avoid regression and general shortcomings.

Side: Bad
3 points

Communism is simply a failure in practice. There isn't much more to be said, once there's mention of Stalin and what he managed to do.

Side: Bad
skylapotimus(2) Disputed
1 point

This isn't a question on the practice of Communism. It is a question of the IDEA. You also cannot use the argument that communism is a failure in practice considering there has never been a true communist state.

Side: Good
3 points

The phrase "communism is good in theory but bad in practice" is one of the most cliche phrases thrown around by people who want to appear to be enlightened, but fail to grasp the true meaning of the theory.

Communism has nothing to do in theory with everyone being equal. It also has nothing to do with having the so called "what's in the best interest of the people."

Communism in theory and in practice is nothing more than pure evil.

It's pure evil for the simple reason that it's underlying premise is that man has no right to his own life.

Under communism every beggar and worthless parasite of a human being has a right to you life and production except you.

You have no right to pursue your dreams and passions.

You cannot choose the line of work that you are passionate about. Maybe you wanted to be a doctor and have the skills to be the person who finds a cure for cancer, but instead the "good of the people" decide that they need a garbage man more.

You have no right to live where you want to live. In fact under communism, families were purposely sent to different areas after they graduated college and were assigned job positions based on the needs of the people.

The bottom line is under communism the state owns you as a slave. You have no right to anything. It sets up a system for bureaucrats in control to issue out favors. How anyone can see communism as anything but pure evil in theory and practice is beyond me.

Now let's look at socialism. Denmark for example is a socialist country that has high taxes, but also provides things like free college (in fact you get paid while you go to college), free health care, a good pension and other great benefits. Since the top tax rate is 60% people tend to ask for things like more time off instead of higher pay.

While many right wing conservative American's talk about the evils of socialism, they fail to realize they spend their entire lives paying for their's and their kids education, often refinancing loans on their house. Loans you can't dismiss in a bankruptcy. Plus many American's are uninsured and wiped out financially by one large health issue.

Denmark has a more equal distribution of wealth among people. There are very few rich and very few poor. They are one of the happiest countries in the world.

The main difference between socialism and communism is under the socialist system people still have the freedom to choose their careers, where they live, where they work, etc.

In fact, Denmark although not perfect is a fine example of the theory and practice of socialism. Whereas all we can find for communism are failed examples because of the theory and practice.

Communism has sucked the joy and life out of the people who have had to endure it's evil.

Socialism has created many opportunities by leveling the playing field and eliminated class envy.

So next time you hear someone say, "Communism is good in theory, but bad in practice." Hopefully, you will think about some of the points I mentioned here.

Side: Bad
3 points

although communism is expected to be something good it has kind of gone down hill.

Communism is not suitable in some places (like China), causing suffering and no freedom in some places, people are unable to speak out for what they think will do people good so communism is actually a fairly bad thing.

Side: Bad
3 points

Communism idea sounds good(everyone would have the equal conditions of living, salary), but as was written above there will be always competitions among human beings. As my mam have said(she is from Siberia,Russia) that there were always different wages in Soviet Union. Someone got payed more another one less. My grandfather once told me how he had observed communism during the 50s in his village in one part of Siberia. Communist had come to a wealth man, who owned 5 cows and took the 4 of them. After that ,right near a wealth man's aria or his home communist shared some cows among themselves and killed some. They would had been drinking during some days in that place and eating fried flesh of cows. By this, usual people did not get anything from that share-out neither the government. That wealth man who suffered was simply a real labour man my grandfather said! Under communism the various wretches used it to their purposes!

Side: Bad
3 points

I think it's bad because people who work harder that others still get the same amount of money. But then it's good because people get to be equal.

Side: Bad
3 points

Communist sucks and communist should be stopped Imeddeatly that is because communism simply sucks

Side: Bad

Frank Zappa once said: "Communism doesn't work because people like to own stuff." I agree.

Side: Bad
3 points

The global status quo isn't right, not by any stretch. However communism as a principle is wrong too.

Side: Bad
3 points

If we could have a utopian, Marxist society then yeah Communism would be great, better than anything else at least. Unfortunately though, it doesn't work because it isn't a strong enough economic system making Capitalism our best option realistically.

Side: Bad
3 points

I think that Communism is a bad thing. I'm not saying it completely bad, but I disagree with the specific concept that someone who may spend a long time studying will be at the exact same rank as someone who is a farmer(Not saying anything against farmers).

Side: Bad
3 points

it tells you exactly what you are depending on what your strengths are, but you HAVE to do it!!

Side: Bad

"Communism doesn't work because people like to own stuff" - Frank Zappa

So true.

Side: Bad

Communism presents a dictatorship where the masses are going to be hypnotized zombies.

Side: Bad
1 point

bad cause it is gay, homosexual, fruity, lesbian, wlw, mlm, pp

Side: Bad
1 point

communism smells really really bad, like pp juice from bum bum

Side: Bad
1 point

Anyone who supports such an ideology will be considered a war criminal sympathizer. Those gulag camps were worse than Nazi Concentration camps. However, Nazism is still evil too. Communism never works. Everyone is expected to work in society but they get no rights. It turns into a slave working society. Communism is also where people are expected to share what they own....sometimes, this includes a man's wife or a woman's husband. The answer is; NO. Anyone who claims Stalinism isn't a form of communism will face a lecture from me.

Side: Bad
1 point

There are different opinions on what communism is. But all of its versions are idiosyncratic. There is no logical reason to believe that banning the right t private property will in any way protect labor rights.

Side: Bad