Karl Marx introduced the “communist society” concept in the 19th century, where the means of production are jointly owned by the society, a society that aims at achieving equitable economic growth.
The communist society is a great concept. And that is what it should remain – a concept!
Every communist society has ultimately failed its objective. The Soviet Union failed and China today is more capitalist than the capitalists. But that does not mean we have seen the last of Communism.
Communist ideals are impressive enough to influence any person into total submission. It sounds real and its arguments sound rational. Communism has a tendency to spread rapidly because of its populist agenda. But a society having income disparities is more vulnerable to Communism. And communism feeds on income inequalities. Income disparity today is a global phenomenon. It is one of the main issues which the Democrats have taken up for the presidential elections in the United States. Corporate bosses in the US are getting fat pay packages and this has caught the eye of the media and especially the shareholders and the working middle class. In India income disparity was always present but today the rural-urban divide has increased further. The only silver lining about India is that income inequalities in the urban population have reduced and urban population as a whole has prospered thanks to globalization. But the ‘trickle down’ effect hasn’t yet fructified. China hasn’t changed much from the time of the communist revolution, in terms of income disparity. Before the revolution power and money was in the hands of the monarchy, today it is in the hands of members of the communist party. In China a rural worker who has migrated to urban areas for work does not get the same rights as the urban worker. While the urban worker gets social benefits (School, healthcare) a rural migrant has to work for lower salaries. There is a lot of unrest within China which it has been trying to suppress. Only time will tell how well they are able to manage it.
Today communism is seen with disrespect. So even the proponents of communism wont call themselves communists! Disguised communism is what I am talking about, like the one sweeping across Europe today. Take for example the French presidential candidate Segolene Royal, she is not only the first female candidate in the French presidential race she is also a die hard communist. The Labour Party in the UK was always a communist party in disguise. In India we have the UPA with communist allies. So communism isn’t dead yet.
Communism sounds great in theory but it will always be a red signal for economic rationality.
2 comments:
Hmm...I admit I don't know too much about this...This is by no means a challenge to what you have been saying. Instead it's a genuine what do you think question: I thought communism within some democratic limit was working out well in Kerala...no?
Yes you are right, Communism within democratic limit can workout well, but that too, as long as private property and private enterprise is respected. All I am trying to suggest is that there has to be a balance in between the capitalist and the communist forces in an economy. A purely capitalist economy compromises social equity and justice where as a devoted communist economy fails to grow economically. There is a need to strike a balance between the two. Today the undercurrents are shifting the balance in favour of the communists. Inequality is increasing which is helping the communist camp to attract audience. This is the only cause of worry.
Kerala’s economy has prospered much more because of NRI remittances from the Middle East than anything else. I had been to Kochi this March. I stayed there only for one day but on that day I had to face a Taxi strike. So I had to travel in an auto. Many tourists have faced similar dilemmas in Kerala and West Bengal. This is the reason why Mumbai today is the financial capital of India and not Calcutta. Industries have prospered in Gujarat and Maharashtra.
At the same time I would say that I respect communist ideals. And as long as they are applied with a little rational thought World economy can grow equitably. And this is just my point of view and I respect every other opinion.
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