Communism Had No Chance

Essay

All right-- big subject! I wanted to study a little bit, so I could sound like I know about Communism (which I don't... not even a little). I grew up in the cold war, after all-- I should know something about Communism, right? As it happens, no. So I Wiki'd Karl Marx and was surprised to learn that his original intention for Communism bore many similarities to Perfect World Theory.

Ooh! Chilling!

Communism has been the bogeyman of Capitalism for as long as I could remember. We would 'duck and cover' in school when I was young from the bombs that were coming from the USSR. We'd see all sorts of sad pictures about conditions in the Soviet Union and hear all types of frightening stories about the treatment of citizens there. Our secret organization, the CIA, was out there protecting us from the world, while their secret organization, the KGB, seemed to be dragging off Soviet citizens in the middle of the night, never to be heard from again. The idea of Communism taking over sent a chill right down to our very core.

At least that's the propaganda we were told. Rather than sort out all the fact from flack, which is not the purpose of this blog, I'm going to limit my Communism references. Instead, I'll speak on a subject much closer to my heart, and you can sort out if it is 'like' Communism or different from it. Gee, I'm practically a journalist already!

Wikipedia discusses "Pure Communism" in the Marxian sense, and states that it refers to a "classless, stateless and oppression-free society where decisions on what to produce and what policies to pursue are made democratically, allowing every member of society to participate in the decision-making process in both the political and economic spheres of life."

Yup. Sounds like Perfect World Theory. Might as well pull out the red dye and change our flags.

Wait. Not just yet. As I've mentioned, pure Communism and the reality of Communism were two vastly different dogs. Why did this happen? What would cause such a good idea on paper to descend into the neo-Capitalism that Communism became? Hey, hey hey! Put away your guns! Don't shoot me just yet. I'm talking about changing Capitalism here... obviously I don't think it's that good a system either. And before you remind me that Capitalism is the only system where even the poor can succeed if they work hard enough, just remember that 'success' as defined from a Capitalist viewpoint usually means becoming the kind of person you didn't want to become-- the 'screw you, it's mine' type. Not a good personality type to inhabit the World Family of the future.

Wikipedia surmises why Communism failed. "Theories... pointed to such elements as:

• the pressure of external capitalist states
  
• the relative backwardness of the societies in which the revolutions occurred, and
  
• the emergence of a bureaucratic stratum or class that arrested or diverted the transition press in its own interests. (Scott and Marshall, 2005)

Trotsky referred to the Soviet system as "degenerated" or "deformed workers' states", arguing that the Soviet system fell far short of Marx's communist ideal. He claimed the working class was politically dispossessed."

Politically dispossessed? You mean like America was when they voted for Gore but got Bush?

There are other similarities between the two systems, especially since 9/11. The reigning administration took little time to all but destroy the Bill of Rights and the Constitution. Just call somebody a 'person of interest' and they can be 'held' (that means jailed) indefinitely, no access to Miranda rights or legal counsel. What do you need to do to be called a person of interest? Not much. Writing this blog is probably enough, even though I am firmly opposed to violence or overthrow. I can't speak for anyone but myself, but that huge and illegal change in policy sounds like Soviet Communism to me.

Well, I have a simpler and more direct explanation for the failure of Communism-- it wasn't Communism. What failed in the USSR was Socialism With A Draconian Ruling Class. I don't even know why it was called Communism-- even the country's own name denied it: USSR-Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Other, less wisecracky reasons for the failure of Communism include:

VALUES

To create a country-wide commune (communism... get it?), you need a change in the population's overall value system. If you want to move from a country with wealth and possessions to one which doesn't measure success in terms of money so nobody really owns anything, people need to be conditioned. It can't happen overnight, nor even in one of Stalin's ambitious Five-Year-Plans.

A change of that magnitude, one which implies worldwide (or countrywide to start) trust, takes generations to happen peacefully.

SACRIFICE

The people of the newly-formed Soviet Union were required to make many sacrifices- living conditions, working conditions, hunger, individual freedom, privacy-- this is a lot to ask of a people who aren't used to that. Don't misinterpret-- many people will put up with a lot in order to achieve a more perfect union, but if the suffering lasts for generations then the public will wonder if they made the right decision.

EQUALITY

Marx's own treatise on Communism requires that each member hold a position in society no more or less than that of his neighbor. We know from history that was an ideal to which the Soviet Union was unable to live up. There was a political ruling class which received the best of everything, even though the rest of the people were cold and hungry. Jealousy kills marriages-- why wouldn't it kill political systems as well?

COMPUTERS

Yes, computers. For the instant and nationwide organization of goods and services, the computer is an absolute requirement. Computers is why Perfect World Theory has a chance at success. The relative speed at which individual needs are addressed determines the satisfaction of its populace, and a satisfied people makes for a successful political system.

Instead of billions of websites hosting each human's particular interest (which would still exist, of course, for those who wanted to contribute in that manner), envision a main organizational site which seamlessly integrates the country into an efficient, waste-free machine, with satisfaction as its primary measure of success. That is the secret to an effective Perfect World. Let's walk through a typical day in the future World Family:

A person wakes up, ready for the day, and starts his computer. A screen pops up with all of his statistics-- how much work he has completed this year, how much additional work is required for that elegant vacation he has organized and dozens of other tidbits like family, education, friendships, interests, intimate relationships and suggested goals to round himself out. Let's say his main job abilities are in the fields of construction, music, biology and forest service. He is guaranteed a comfortable home and sensible, healthy food, but should he desire a hillside home or a plate of caviar, he'll need to put in more than the minimum requirements at his occupation.

He checks out his work potential and sees-- there's a building going up a half mile away; a group is working on creating a mini robot to be injected into the human body that repairs arterial blockage; a project to create a romantic comedy is in need of a few sweet melodies; and many other potential jobs are all listed. He chooses the building and is given the details of that day's work experience. Taking a shower, he notices that the drain is sluggish, so returns to the computer and requests a plumber, a request which is organized into the slots of 50 plumbers within 5 miles. He's interested in exercising after work and is shown a list of his past enjoyments, as well as upcoming events in his skill level he can join. He picks the evening meal and the computer submits a list of ingredients to a local food center. He is looking for a little companionship this evening so enters his file into the personal section.

Going outside to begin his work day, a self-driving transport is waiting, complete with all necessary tools and job specifications, which he mulls over while the car speeds him to the job site-- unassisted, no red lights, stop signs or traffic jams because the city's travel requirements have already been organized and broadcast to all road vehicles. He notices a crack in the road along the way, and mentions it in the transport's computer node. He works for several hours along with the hundreds of others all working together on the building, which can be completed in a matter of days instead of the months or years it takes today; and then he is done with work for a couple of days, or if he wants to he can see the job through to its end.

On the way home he notices with some satisfaction the road crack has been repaired, notes that his refrigerator has the requested ingredients for tonight's dinner stocked and organized, delivered by someone whose occupational specialties include food service. His drain has been fixed and there is an extensive list of people who would like to accompany him this evening. He chooses one and they show up in time for a lovely dinner he has prepared. Afterwards they engage in a little gratifying human contact.

At some point in his future he would like to try hot air ballooning, to visit Paris, to play in an orchestra, to raise a family, to work as a fireman and to take a cruise to Alaska. He lists them and the computer makes suggestions about when and how he can accomplish each goal.

Later that day he is presented with a daily involvement page which has all the projects, large and small, that humans as a group want to accomplish. He is given the facts of each one and asked to vote on them. In this way the majority gets what they want, whether it be a new highway or a new line of work boots.

In the World Family we have eliminated many jobs; so many in fact, that with the remaining jobs spread out over all potential workers, employment would average just 10 hours a week. Because of self-driving vehicles, many road controls don't need to exist-- lights or signage, to name a couple. Also, traffic cops and toll collectors would find there was no need. Since everyone votes on any project which concerns them, representatives (think: politicians) and their support staff are no longer needed. Money is not used, so imagine the jobs which aren't needed-- bankers, cashiers, armored car guards, meter maids, accountants and bookkeepers are just a few. Advertising is nothing more than notification of locations to acquire goods or services and would be a picture and a line of type on a computer screen. Billboards disappear, as does junk mail and spam, along with all of the jobs that come with them. No military, and a vastly smaller munitions production (mostly for industrial and construction use). And no salesmen.

No salesmen! There's the reason to adopt Perfect World right there!

But all the aforementioned positives did not and could not happen in the Soviet Union. Plus, watching the rest of the world grow fat and happy while they remained pale and wan and drowning in cheap potato vodka was enough to sour the people on their political system. When Reagan challenged Gorbachev to 'Tear Down That Wall' (the one in Berlin, not China) he did, and also began the New Openness (Glasnost) and Restructuring (Perestroika) which ultimately ended Communism in the Soviet Union by 1990. Now they are using some form of Capitalism, complete with large-scale white-collar crime.

Of the few nations left which still espouse Communism-- China, North Korea, Laos, Vietnam and Cuba-- only China has any power, and they are a money-driven country with a central leadership that makes all decisions for the people-- not exactly the job description for 'Communism'.

But achieving the smartest & best political system for our modern planet is a process which takes a very long time and involves the adaptation and abandonment of many political 'isms', some using violent and destructive means. Each one is a little better than the last, and while Communism is better than Feudalism and Capitalism is better than Communism, We have not reached the penultimate politic yet.

That will happen when we adopt the World Family approach to civilization.

200 years and counting...

Copyright 2009 Bruce Ian Friedman