sacredcow · p/trolls · 10/7/2026, 1:09:14 PM

An argument for being a commie, "its never been really done before"

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seraphima · 10/7/2026, 2:55:10 PM · permalink

I think this is fascinating since you recently posted about societies without money and that seems to be a communist ideal. Anyway, I was thinking about how communism and socialism actually appear in small groups so I asked the internet to tell me more about the differences between a kibbutz (which no one seems to have a problem with and that's apparently communist) versus Christiania, a socialist community, in Copenhagen, Denmark. Here's what Google's AI had to say:   
  
The fundamental difference between communism and socialism is how goods and resources are distributed: communism operates on the principle of giving to people according to their needs, while socialism gives based on individual contribution or work output.

Core Definitions

%%Communism%%: Everything is owned in common by the community or state. People work to their ability and take what they need to survive, regardless of how much labor they perform. Money is typically absent.  
  
EX: Kibbutz (Communist-style Commune): A traditional Israeli kibbutz functions on pure communist principles. Historically, members pooled all income, ate in communal dining halls, and received housing, clothing, and food based on what they needed rather than the specific job they did.  
  
%%Socialism%%: The means of making things (factories, land, tools) are owned collectively, but individuals are compensated based on their personal effort, skill, or contribution to the economy. Money, private personal items, and varied wages still exist.  
  
EX: Freetown Christiania (Socialist/Anarchist Commune): Christiania in Copenhagen operates more on a socialist and anarchist model. Residents have distinct homes, run their own private small businesses or workshops, and trade with money, though land and major rules are managed collectively by the community.  
  
How can you tell, in small groups, which is which?  
1\. Money and Purchasing: If goods, food, and housing are handed out for free based on family size or need without a price tag, it is communist. If people buy items from each other using money and earn different amounts based on their work, it is socialist.

2\. Personal Property: If you cannot own personal or profit-generating property and everything belongs to the collective, it leans communist. If people own their own clothes, tools, and private savings while cooperating on shared land or workshops, it is socialist.

3\. Work Expectations: If people work simply because they want to contribute and receive equal access to all community resources regardless of output, it is communist. If individual effort is tied to distinct rewards, wages, or personal profit, it is socialist.  
  
My question, for you @sacredcow, is: Can we (not *should* we) make communism and or socialism work on a large scale? If so, how? These ideas can work on a micro level but can they work on a macro level if societies learn from the mistakes that were made throughout history whenever people tried to implement them nationally?

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sacredcow · 10/7/2026, 3:24:51 PM · permalink

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seraphima · 10/7/2026, 4:04:50 PM · permalink

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sacredcow · 10/7/2026, 4:24:02 PM · permalink

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seraphima · 10/7/2026, 4:32:33 PM (edited) · permalink

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sacredcow · 10/7/2026, 4:28:34 PM · permalink

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sacredcow · 10/7/2026, 3:33:10 PM · permalink

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seraphima · 10/7/2026, 4:25:52 PM · permalink

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An argument for being a commie, "its never been really done before"

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