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But do you think TRUE communism can exist, for more more than three generations? Three because that is the generation that has not experienced what the first two did to know that the system should remain. I must admit that I do not believe so. Unfortunately, no matter how good the system or people, there will always be that person who must use the system for selfish needs. It would be a nice thought for true communism to be able to exist, because that would be a paradise. Sadly, I think that people just can't keep virtue long enough cry

Please discuss.

I have to admit that communism is a very scary thing to one such as myself. I tend towards being a free spirit. so the idea that my life would be that regulated just sends chills up my spine. I chafe at the regulations involved with living in California, I can only imagine what it must be like in China, or Cuba, or ... country.

So maybe that's one reason why communism eventually fails. People are unique and one-size-fits-all mandates really don't work right.

Another reason may be the motivation factor. In true communism, you are supposed to work hard and then have most of your labor just taken away "for the good of your comrades". Well, that's not very motivating. People being what they are, they like to receive some sort of reward. Heck you see this with kids... "Finish your carrots and then you may watch cartoons." A spoonful of motivation makes the work go better, to paraphrase somewhat badly.

People like to dream, to rise above. Who of us here does not desire some expensive item (such as Spartan Cloak)? Working to realize that dream is a major thing in society, and communism may outright disallow you from realizing the dream, or may outright forbid the activity.

Another factor may be spiritual. True communism does not seem to allow much room for the needs of the soul. I would chafe badly were my athame to be taken from me. I would probably cant the Goddess Chant quietly under my breath anyways. I know a lot of Christians face persecution and worse in China to practice the way they feel they must. I don't think that spirituality should be forced or banned. It really needs to be one of the most personal choices. (Yes, I plan on living that too. I will let my son be of whatever faith he feels that he needs to be. We Pagans do that usually, it's not fair to force the path upon anyone.)

Communism is just one of the many different types of Socialism. Now Communism can refer to either to a classless and stateless social form of organization based upon common ownership of the means of production but it can also refer to a variety of movements acting in the name of this goal. Although many forms of communism, such as Leninism, Trotskyism, Stanalism, Maoism, Titoism, and Luxemburgism, are based on Marxism and Karl Marx is sometimes known as the "father of Communism", non-Marxist versions of communism (such as Christian communism and anarchist communism) also exist. And most of the goverments labeld as communist are are referred to as socialist republics, not communist, in their own constitutions. They are defined by a form of government in which the state operates under a one-party system and declares allegiance to the ideology of Marxism-Leninism. In accordance with Marxism-Leninism, the constitutions of these countries claim that all power belongs to the working class, that a democratic dictatorship of the proletariat has been implemented within their borders, and that they are building socialism, with the goal of achieving communism one day.(how that brings about the death I have no idea.) It should also be noted that even though North Korea claims to no longer follow this ideology, the roots of its own brand called Juche does still have elements of it. So I remain critical of Communism.

Communism in true form cannot exist, but I like the Idea.

What can be done is to have a Democracy with a Communist economy, which would provide the best of both worlds.