We're not a communist country like a lot of republicans say. Communism is a VERY SPECIFIC THING and America doesn't fit the bill. But it's no stretch to see how some things about our government do resemble the ten planks of communism. Is that because they're secretly trying to turn us into soviet russia? No, it's just what governments do. They try to control as much about our lives as they can and they back up their power with force. For that reason, every government is going to resemble each other because all government is about control and force. Here are the ten planks of Communism:
1.Abolition of property in land and of all rents of land to public purposes.
America hasnt overtly strayed down this path but legally speaking, you dont own your home. You dont hold what is known as an allodial title which is why the government is allowed to charge you rent (property tax) and to kick you out of your home if you dont pay. They can take your home even if you DO pay your taxes using eminent domain.
2.A heavy progressive or graduated income tax.
Obviously we have a progressive/graduated income tax. More wealthy people pay more just because they are wealthy even though they use government services less.
3.Abolition of all right of inheritance.
Sort of. The government doesnt take all of your stuff when you die but they take a good chunk of it. Its called the estate tax but some people call it the death tax.
4.Confiscation of the property of all emigrants and rebels.
Yup. In fact you dont even have to be a rebel. Ever heard of Asset Forfeiture? Basically up until about the year 2000, all the government had to do was establish probable cause that a piece of your property was used in a crime and YOU had to defend it as a third party. Yes you read that right. The government would sue an inanimate object and you had to defend it. Now how did this play out? If you were carrying a large sum of money in your car, the cops could assume it was used in a drug crime and seize it. Even if they dont suspect YOU of buying or selling drugs, its still up to you to prove that the money was never used in a crime. Thankfully that changed a little bit in 2000. Now the burden of proof is on the government. But they still are technically suing an inanimate object and can take it from you if the object is found guilty EVEN IF YOU COMMITTED NO CRIME.
5.Centralisation of credit in the hands of the State, by means of a national bank with State capital and an exclusive monopoly.
Well duh. The Federal Reserve.
6.Centralisation of the means of communication and transport in the hands of the State.
The Federal Aviation Administration, the Federal Communications Commission, and the fact that all roads are funded and maintained (just barely) by the State.
7.Extension of factories and instruments of production owned by the State; the bringing into cultivation of waste-lands, and the improvement of the soil generally in accordance with a common plan.
The Federal government recently purchased General Motors. But they have their fingers all over industrial production and farming even if they dont legally own all of it outright.
8.Equal liability of all to labour. Establishment of industrial armies, especially for agriculture.
Minimum wage, labor unions, labor laws, etc
9.Combination of agriculture with manufacturing industries; gradual abolition of the distinction between town and country, by a more equitable distribution of the population over the country.
The abolition of a distinction between town and country is certainly happening but not for the reason cited here. Mostly its because the Federal government has more and more control over local governments.
10.Free education for all children in public schools. Abolition of childrens factory labour in its present form. Combination of education with industrial production.
Well ignoring the fact that theres no such thing as free education, yes we do have public schools.
I disagree with your point that communism is a "very specific thing." Even the ten planks of communism are themselves concepts, principles which few "communist" countries have implemented to their fullest. That's the problem with these labels - they can be both used as accusation (on the basis of the principles, concepts being addressed) and in defense against such accusations (by applying very specific definitions to demonstrate technical non-compliance).
Indeed, your post demonstrates both fairly well - a rationale for those who would claim we are becoming "commun
ist" (e.g. the examples you provide for each plank) and a reason for defending against such rationale by appealing to a specific technical definition (e.g. the 10 planks themselves).
In the realm of politics, or even religion for that matter, no one articulation or definition of ANY "...ist" or "...ism" will ever fully fit, or can ever fully fit - for the simple reason that no singular articulation can ever encompass all the variations that invariably exist.
For example - define "Christian." You'll get a different definition for as many people who make the attempt. Define "conservative" or "liberal" or "progressive" or "socialist" or "fascist" or... Who or what sets or defines the authorative standard for any of these - particularly when members who identify themselves as any of the above will themselves disagree on what the true standard is? Even if someone articulates a definition and many adopt it as the "standard" - there are many who identify themselves with the same name yet will adopt a different articulation as defining their particular view of same.
On this basis, it's just as easy for one side to make a charge of "...ism" and equally as easy for the other side to charge ignorance on the fomer - and both be essentially correct.
So to challenge those who claim things are "communist" with the stipulation that they demonstrate absolute adherence to a specific definition, which itself is necessarily subject to debate even among those who claim title to or knowledge of same, is little more than a canard and ruse for leveling ridicule upon them - which conveniently the OP allows.
Are we a "communist country?" Of course not. Not even communist countries are 100% communist countries - a convenient fact for some, an inconvenient fact for others - depending on the purposes of either.
Are influences at work in our country that can be labeled "communist?" Of course there are. C.F. the post quoted.
Are there persons in our country behind such influences that may or may not themselves be strictly "communist?" Sure there are. C.F. those who supported or promoted those things in the post quoted.
...all of which is why my first post in this thread was a simple "more word games..."
