Why are Americans so afraid of Communism?
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Is it because of the Cold War? Is it because Communism is associated with Soviet Russia and Vietnam? (Not hating or anything, just curious. American's seem to have a thing against anything relating to communism and socialism, they even got themselves involved in TWO wars in Asia and a very tense situation in Europe over this. Even now when involving China, Americans appear to have some kind of pre-determined opinion. Communism may not work in practice, but so far it's doing better than what America is going through at the moment. Thoughts, anyone?
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Length requirement? You bet. 1 or 2 sentences in your opening post will not be accepted. If you can't think of more to write, it's not Serious Discussion material
Edit: Americans fear Communism because during a certain time, Communist were viewed as an enemy of America. Americans were in constant fear of Communist invading America and the USSR's use of nuclear weapons. However, there is also a sense of pride with Americans over the fact that Communism fell in Russia. Also Communism's success right now is debatable...
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Well since you're starting this thread, does that mean you aren't scared of communism? Or maybe you are a Communist?
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I think it's mostly because of the baby boom generation, their generation was brought up to either fear, or embrace communism, and thus they taught their offspring to either fear communism or embrace it, when it comes to the current 21st generation, they usually fear communism due to financial issues. America now is populated with 80% of business men and wealthy people, which often fear of communism because of said financial issues with communism.
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During the Second Red Scare in America, a senator named McCarthy used communism as a scapegoat for his politics. Over time, the trend McCarthyism would spread all over the states, which then caused the huge communist witch hunt. Many children of this era would be raised to think that communism was the prime evil of all things in the world. Even today, politicians will use communism as some sort of target to gain support.
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That's an interesting thought, it reminds me of war-time Britian. During the First World War, Britian was at war with Germany, so everything German became incredibly unfashionable, with the Royal Family going as far as changing their name from Saxe-Coburg-Gotha to Windsor. It would seem that this is the same principle?
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Not quite sure where you got the idea that communism would be a better alternative to whats happening in America right now since the only communist countries left on earth are Cuba and North Korea. China may claim to be communist but it's only in name, they implemented capitalist ideas in the 90's to spur growth and it has worked beautifully. But it's not all sunshine and 0% unemployment there either, they still repress ethnic minorities, the press, and human rights activist, you can't get anything done there without bribing the local government and police, they let companies treat their workers like crap in the big cities and there is still grinding poverty in the country-side.
For all this talk about how capitalism has failed the west I don't see riots in the streets (mostly peaceful protest) or government buildings being pillaged. Yeah, the stock markets have been up and down an awful lot the last few years but that is the way it has always been, give it time and I'm sure people will either learn to live with less affluence or find another way to get it.
As for why Americans hate communism so much, because it's a straw man used by the right-wing to scare people. As usual, it's the ones with the most extremist views that tend to yell the loudest but they do not represent regular people's view. These sorts of people tend to follow the slippery slope idea of communism, that if we try to accomplish an agenda as a union that somehow we will keep going until we all live in communes. They ignore all the things we have done as a group like the interstate highway system, national parks, public schools, and certain parts of healthcare like vaccinations.
For all this talk about how capitalism has failed the west I don't see riots in the streets (mostly peaceful protest) or government buildings being pillaged. Yeah, the stock markets have been up and down an awful lot the last few years but that is the way it has always been, give it time and I'm sure people will either learn to live with less affluence or find another way to get it.
As for why Americans hate communism so much, because it's a straw man used by the right-wing to scare people. As usual, it's the ones with the most extremist views that tend to yell the loudest but they do not represent regular people's view. These sorts of people tend to follow the slippery slope idea of communism, that if we try to accomplish an agenda as a union that somehow we will keep going until we all live in communes. They ignore all the things we have done as a group like the interstate highway system, national parks, public schools, and certain parts of healthcare like vaccinations.
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Since the Mensheviks took over Russia (who then got replaced by the Bolsheviks), is when communism came to Russia, which was almost 100 years ago. The fact alone that they overthrew the czar and Lenin ENCOURAGED the act of making the world communist, even if it means by a strong takeover was the problem. No one with power would ever give it up.
One should keep in mind that just because highways, parks and schools are 'influenced' (lack of better word) by communism, doesn't mean they will follow it exactly. Education was for the rich for centuries, highways help expand commerce and living longer and healthier is a good reason why some federal programs work. These things pretty much promote a better way of living. Would anyone trust a government that has gone back to only allowing rich people back to school? Stopping all vaccinations against polio and mumps? Of course not, there would be a sort of backlash. Plus making highways made jobs, to keep the money going around.
My main problem with communism is that it stops productivity, people have tried to become rich through capitalism, some succeeded and some didn't. However, it is through capitalism that people also strive to make the next big invention. Would we have the same technology and entertainment of today? I wouldn't doubt it if the majority of people would stop working or trying to better the world if they got paid the same as a judge, McDonald's burger flipper, doctor and a paperboy. A great number of people tend to be selfish about their winnings, which does help since someone with a great idea might end up helping the world and that person is a very selfish bastard, but they did it for the money.
The other problem with communism, is that the wrong people have been talking about it. There are a ton of college kids who have no idea on what it really is, but just "know" that it is a good idea because they had a five minute lecture in class. I heard a few opinions on it from "commies" and most of them said "We don't have to work under the government!" or "We don't have to work because the government has to take care of us!" as the only good thing.
Plus what's to say that the government WILL NOT take advantage of communism and make the country go the way of an Orwellian dystopia? It's a huge responsibility and a great majority is willing to do that.
One should keep in mind that just because highways, parks and schools are 'influenced' (lack of better word) by communism, doesn't mean they will follow it exactly. Education was for the rich for centuries, highways help expand commerce and living longer and healthier is a good reason why some federal programs work. These things pretty much promote a better way of living. Would anyone trust a government that has gone back to only allowing rich people back to school? Stopping all vaccinations against polio and mumps? Of course not, there would be a sort of backlash. Plus making highways made jobs, to keep the money going around.
My main problem with communism is that it stops productivity, people have tried to become rich through capitalism, some succeeded and some didn't. However, it is through capitalism that people also strive to make the next big invention. Would we have the same technology and entertainment of today? I wouldn't doubt it if the majority of people would stop working or trying to better the world if they got paid the same as a judge, McDonald's burger flipper, doctor and a paperboy. A great number of people tend to be selfish about their winnings, which does help since someone with a great idea might end up helping the world and that person is a very selfish bastard, but they did it for the money.
The other problem with communism, is that the wrong people have been talking about it. There are a ton of college kids who have no idea on what it really is, but just "know" that it is a good idea because they had a five minute lecture in class. I heard a few opinions on it from "commies" and most of them said "We don't have to work under the government!" or "We don't have to work because the government has to take care of us!" as the only good thing.
Plus what's to say that the government WILL NOT take advantage of communism and make the country go the way of an Orwellian dystopia? It's a huge responsibility and a great majority is willing to do that.
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For me absolute communism works great in theory, but not so much in practice. However i also believe absolute capitalism works the same way, and that is why America is having such problems right now. I personally think a middle ground between the two works best.
Also its become a convenient talking point for the right. I honestly doubt the ones who yell about it most these days actually know what they're talking about
Also its become a convenient talking point for the right. I honestly doubt the ones who yell about it most these days actually know what they're talking about
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I'm not scared of communism, but I don't think it resolves the problem it attempts to resolve, because it creates an even bigger monopoly of "corporations" and lobbyists.
Once you take the government out of the free market, you realize that competitiveness and fair play (without government bailouts to companies which SHOULD be bankrupt) actually results in a much more fairer society, because it presents everyone with the opportunity to rise up, and make someone of themselves. That is the American dream!
Besides, taxing the rich doesn't work either. What you essentially do when you tax the rich is take money away from the powerful who AREN'T lobbying the government. Which just furthers the government and lobbyists' monopoly.
That government-run monopoly is so bad, that Marijuana is STILL illegal even though in places like Canada, it has 95% public support for legalization!
Of course, America hasn't been a free market since the 1950's, and the entire "War on Communism" and "red scare" has been a scam. America is basically a a smaller scale of a communist society today, but a communism of scale nonetheless, because it makes people completely dependent on the government.
Once you take the government out of the free market, you realize that competitiveness and fair play (without government bailouts to companies which SHOULD be bankrupt) actually results in a much more fairer society, because it presents everyone with the opportunity to rise up, and make someone of themselves. That is the American dream!
Besides, taxing the rich doesn't work either. What you essentially do when you tax the rich is take money away from the powerful who AREN'T lobbying the government. Which just furthers the government and lobbyists' monopoly.
That government-run monopoly is so bad, that Marijuana is STILL illegal even though in places like Canada, it has 95% public support for legalization!
Of course, America hasn't been a free market since the 1950's, and the entire "War on Communism" and "red scare" has been a scam. America is basically a a smaller scale of a communist society today, but a communism of scale nonetheless, because it makes people completely dependent on the government.
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Tegumi
"im always cute"
New imagio wrote...
Not quite sure where you got the idea that communism would be a better alternative to whats happening in America right now since the only communist countries left on earth are Cuba and North Korea. China may claim to be communist but it's only in name, they implemented capitalist ideas in the 90's to spur growth and it has worked beautifully. But it's not all sunshine and 0% unemployment there either, they still repress ethnic minorities, the press, and human rights activist, you can't get anything done there without bribing the local government and police, they let companies treat their workers like crap in the big cities and there is still grinding poverty in the country-side.For all this talk about how capitalism has failed the west I don't see riots in the streets (mostly peaceful protest) or government buildings being pillaged. Yeah, the stock markets have been up and down an awful lot the last few years but that is the way it has always been, give it time and I'm sure people will either learn to live with less affluence or find another way to get it.
As for why Americans hate communism so much, because it's a straw man used by the right-wing to scare people. As usual, it's the ones with the most extremist views that tend to yell the loudest but they do not represent regular people's view. These sorts of people tend to follow the slippery slope idea of communism, that if we try to accomplish an agenda as a union that somehow we will keep going until we all live in communes. They ignore all the things we have done as a group like the interstate highway system, national parks, public schools, and certain parts of healthcare like vaccinations.
This.
China's growth as an economic power was not due to communist economic policies. (see: special economic district Hong Kong)
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No one is afraid of communism over here, and it's certainly not better than what we have here now. Communism leads to mass murder, serfdom, loss of human liberties and cultural destruction that's why nobody likes it.
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chriton wrote...
No one is afraid of communism over here, and it's certainly not better than what we have here now. Communism leads to mass murder, serfdom, loss of human liberties and cultural destruction that's why nobody likes it.You have to admit that because of the Red Scare or Cold War Americans used to have a fear of Communism and automatically think that communist are bad.
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say what! wrote...
chriton wrote...
No one is afraid of communism over here, and it's certainly not better than what we have here now. Communism leads to mass murder, serfdom, loss of human liberties and cultural destruction that's why nobody likes it.You have to admit that because of the Red Scare or Cold War Americans used to have a fear of Communism and automatically think that communist are bad.
Yeah, for about 20-30 years since the idea was introduced, but now at days, for the last decade or two, communism isn't as threatening as you have us believe. It's mostly an idea that we just don't really agree with, that's all. The real fear is in the whole terrorism thing.
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raichama
Audio Technica Fanboy
America is certainly afraid of communism, and America definitely brought its fear of communism upon themselves, America always seems to WANT an enemy, and after World War II, communism was the enemy of America, in 1991 we "defeated" communism, now what...quoting Bush, we have now "declared war on terror". America's fear of communism has in fact led them to indirectly causing just as many casualties as the spread of communism had. My US history teacher once gave us a piece of paper that supposedly was places where Soviet instigated uprisings or meddled in politics, of course I saw through it almost immediately, in fact the US had gone pretty much all over the world displacing anything from monarchies to DEMOCRACIES with extreme right wing fascist or military dictatorships, simply because these were the "anti-communists" and benefited American interests. The fear of communism is a just a scam, the CIA went crazy all over the world meddling in world politics and causing sick bastards to come to power and slaughter their own people, now who should we be fearing now?
I frankly hold some pro-Communist sympathies myself, I'm Chinese so no surprise there. And while I hate China as in being inside of it and travelling there, it definitely is socialist, if not communist anymore. China definitely does not have a free market within its own borders, it still has control of its rare-earth supply, and most of the big investor companies that America owes trillions of dollars too are taking orders from the CPC.
I frankly hold some pro-Communist sympathies myself, I'm Chinese so no surprise there. And while I hate China as in being inside of it and travelling there, it definitely is socialist, if not communist anymore. China definitely does not have a free market within its own borders, it still has control of its rare-earth supply, and most of the big investor companies that America owes trillions of dollars too are taking orders from the CPC.
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say what! wrote...
chriton wrote...
No one is afraid of communism over here, and it's certainly not better than what we have here now. Communism leads to mass murder, serfdom, loss of human liberties and cultural destruction that's why nobody likes it.You have to admit that because of the Red Scare or Cold War Americans used to have a fear of Communism and automatically think that communist are bad.
Yeah I'm not gonna deny it but it was a scapegoat for politicians just like terrorism is today.
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Lishy1 wrote...
I'm not scared of communism, but I don't think it resolves the problem it attempts to resolve, because it creates an even bigger monopoly of "corporations" and lobbyists.Once you take the government out of the free market, you realize that competitiveness and fair play (without government bailouts to companies which SHOULD be bankrupt) actually results in a much more fairer society, because it presents everyone with the opportunity to rise up, and make someone of themselves. That is the American dream!
Besides, taxing the rich doesn't work either. What you essentially do when you tax the rich is take money away from the powerful who AREN'T lobbying the government. Which just furthers the government and lobbyists' monopoly.
That government-run monopoly is so bad, that Marijuana is STILL illegal even though in places like Canada, it has 95% public support for legalization!
Of course, America hasn't been a free market since the 1950's, and the entire "War on Communism" and "red scare" has been a scam. America is basically a a smaller scale of a communist society today, but a communism of scale nonetheless, because it makes people completely dependent on the government.
Are you kidding? corporations in communism? you do realise the state owns everything right?
I know i shouldn't link a video on sd but you need the education
also you say taxing the rich, and spreading the wealth around is a bad thing;
but it really is the basis of communism; fairness, and equality
no rich people!
p.s america isn't communist at all
its socio capitalist (as is china)
lol corporations in communism she says...they have more power she says...
LOL
if everything is owned by the state; and everyone is poor equally
lacking a free market (not a black market however)
with little money to go around there is very litle consumer base, other then cigarettes, and beer - things like that
people didn't buy much in the soviet union
you had food stamps to buy geroceries
there wasn't enough money going around to have a big enough consumer base, for corporations to run + the state wouldn't allow it
a single entity controlled by the state is a government, not a corporation
To answer o.p, because to an american equality is scary
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SovietArcher wrote...
Lishy1 wrote...
I'm not scared of communism, but I don't think it resolves the problem it attempts to resolve, because it creates an even bigger monopoly of "corporations" and lobbyists.Once you take the government out of the free market, you realize that competitiveness and fair play (without government bailouts to companies which SHOULD be bankrupt) actually results in a much more fairer society, because it presents everyone with the opportunity to rise up, and make someone of themselves. That is the American dream!
Besides, taxing the rich doesn't work either. What you essentially do when you tax the rich is take money away from the powerful who AREN'T lobbying the government. Which just furthers the government and lobbyists' monopoly.
That government-run monopoly is so bad, that Marijuana is STILL illegal even though in places like Canada, it has 95% public support for legalization!
Of course, America hasn't been a free market since the 1950's, and the entire "War on Communism" and "red scare" has been a scam. America is basically a a smaller scale of a communist society today, but a communism of scale nonetheless, because it makes people completely dependent on the government.
Are you kidding? corporations in communism? you do realise the state owns everything right?
also you say taxing the rich, and spreading the wealth around is a bad thing;
but it really is the basis of communism; fairness, and equality
no rich people!
if everything is owned by the state; and everyone is poor equally
lacking a free market (not a black market however)
with little money to go around there is very litle consumer base, other then cigarettes, and beer - things like that
people didn't buy much in the soviet union
you had food stamps to buy geroceries
there wasn't enough money going around to have a big enough consumer base, for corporations to run + the state wouldn't allow it
a single entity controlled by the state is a government, not a corporation
To answer o.p, because to an american equality is scary
I don't think you even read my posts properly, but if you wish to know the end-all argument why communism is wrong, it is because the only way to have such a society, is to do so by force of a central corporation and bureaucracy. It disrespects the minority and the individual in favor of government-run departments; It is not "equality". It is a divide of wealth between the population and a couple hundred government bureaucrats.
In an ideal society, if anyone attempts to come into my house and steal my hard-earned $1000 dollar laptop, or rob me of my precious sound money/gold and silver, then I don't give a fuck who they are, government or not, cuz' they're gonna get a Remington 870 buckshot to the head!
