this post was submitted on 11 Mar 2026
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Communism looks good on paper

and looks even better in the real world

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[–] Cowbee@lemmy.ml 39 points 2 days ago (2 children)

This is entirely vibes-based. Capitalism, socialism, and communism are modes of production and distribution, not ideals or ideas. Capitalism is characterized by private ownership as the principle aspect of the economy and the working classes in charge of the state, socialism is public ownership as the principle aspect and the working classes in charge of the state, and communism is a post-socialist mode of production where all production and distribution has been collectivized.

China is a socialist country governed by a communist party. Public ownership is the principle aspect of its economy, and the working classes control the state. The Chinese political system is based on whole-process people's democracy, a form of consultative democracy. The local government is directly elected, and then these governments elect people to higher rungs, meaning any candidate at the top level must have worked their way up from the bottom and directly proved themselves. Moreover, the economy in the PRC is socialist, with public ownership as the principle aspect of the economy. Combining this consultative, ground-up democracy with top-down economic planning is the key to China's success.

I highly recommend Roland Boer's Socialism in Power: On the History and Theory of Socialist Governance. Socialist democracy has been imperfect, but has gone through a number of changes and adaptations over the years as we've learned more from testing theory to practice. Boer goes over the history behind socialist democracy in this textbook.

The US Constitution was written to protect slave owners, capitalists, and landlords. It is not written to protect the many. China, on the other hand, puts the working classes first and manages to use this system to uplift the working classes year over year.

[–] happybaby@hexbear.net 11 points 1 day ago (2 children)

An excellent and very clear answer comrade, but don't you have any book recommendations that are more on the commenter's level? Roland Boer is great but it takes a pretty advanced level of political econ and history knowledge to grasp. Do you know of any simpler books on the subject? Or would you recommend just listening to Hasan Piker to someone at that stage of the journey?

[–] QinShiHuangsShlong@lemmy.ml 17 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Not cowbee but, at this commenters level the most on his level suggestion I can think of after reading his comments is that he should try hit himself in the head with a brick repeatedly until he forgets everything he knows and start over.

[–] happybaby@hexbear.net 5 points 1 day ago

Oh come on!

(You had me in the first half ngl)

[–] cornishon@lemmygrad.ml 9 points 1 day ago

He needs to wash his brain, you could even say.

[–] Cowbee@lemmy.ml 11 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Roland Boer's work is useful because it's meticulously well-researched and sourced. Unfortunatley, for someone actively hostile to the idea of democracy in China, simple works are easily tossed aside as "propaganda."

[–] ashestoashes@lemmygrad.ml 8 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Do you have a pdf for Boer's book on SWCC? I've wanted to read it but haven't been able to find it.