In reply to your suggestions: "that Communism perhaps may not work... However we have yet to see the formation of a real communist society in the world.", that communism may not work, despite it's existance and " harsh dogmatism, which has followed it in places such as Russia and China..."??????You obviously contradict yourself.
What is communism?.....
Karl Marx describes capitalism as a society devided in class terms. The proleteriat (working class) is defined as divorced from ownership and control of the means of production. Having no control over its own work or control of the work of others. The bourgeoisie (ruling class) controls or owns the means of production.
He defines communism as a classless society in which there is no division within society in terms of production relations. Production occurs on the basis of need only. The dynamic of society and therefore production is not profit, armaments, world domination, a three-piece suit and straight teeth for all but to ensure everyone irrespective of ability and contribution is provided for.
Marx defines capitalism as a society of capital accumulation and exploitation. This is not in simplistic terms of oppression,suppression or repression, but technically in terms of wage labour, surplus labour extraction and profit.
When the so called "communist utopias" of China and Russia are analysed in these marxist class terms things appear differently. Try asking the questions:
The working class in China and Russia, do they now or have they ever owned and controlled the means of production?. Are they divorced from the means of production and have no control over the work of their fellow workers?. What is the dynamic of these societies, is it production to provide for the needs of the producers themselves? Is it production to finance the building of a society to compete with the rest of the world - a capitalist world?
I agree these societies do display a "harsh dogmatism" and they are not liberal, but this is because they are also exploitative societies. They are in fact a form of capitalist society known as "State Capitalism". I draw your attention to the definitive work on this subject:
"State Capitalism in Russia" by Tony Cliff. Pluto Press 1974.
ISBN 0902818 51 1.
None.
