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mopsiyesterday at 10:52 PM1 replyview on HN

  > You are free to knit or whittle gifts for friends. What you wouldn't be free to do is setup "mopsi's scarf business" without working through the state. You wouldn't be allowed to take the earning from "mopsi's scarf business" and use them to become a landlord.
If my scarves become so popular that even strangers begin offering money for them, I won't be interested in working for the state for basic necessities while the state takes the rest.

I'd rather barter with others for the useful things they produce. My friend, for example, grows excellent tomatoes.

Over time, if we have many friends, we will live comfortable lives, while loners will wither away. Is this an acceptable outcome for you as the dictator of the Bestest Communist Paradise on Planet Earth (BCPPE), or will you do something about it?


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cogman10yesterday at 11:25 PM

> I won't be interested in working for the state for basic necessities while the state takes the rest.

Better contributions lead to better rewards. You might be able to buy more things if you setup an underground business, but you'd still be stuck in whatever house you currently live in (for example). You can get much nicer accommodations and a higher salary with bigger and better contributions to the state. That's the motivation for people to not just be farmers.

> I'd rather barter with others for the useful things they produce. My friend, for example, grows excellent tomatoes.

That's fine. Communism wouldn't stop simple bartering.

> Over time, if we have many friends, we will live comfortable lives, while loners will wither away.

Loners would be taken care of by the state. They don't wither.

The place where the communist state would step in is if you moved from simple barter to actually owning and operating businesses (where you employ people, give them a salary, etc). Again, mopsi's scarf business wouldn't be allowed without state approval. But you making scarfs for your community in exchange for the communities homemade stuff would not only be welcome but encouraged.

> Is this an acceptable outcome for you as the dictator of the Bestest Communist Paradise on Planet Earth (BCPPE), or will you do something about it?

I don't understand your snark. I get that you hate communism.

Again, as I stated elsewhere, I'm not a communist. I don't think misunderstanding and misrepresenting the position of communists does you any good if you are trying to convince others that it's a bad ideology.

I should also state that I'm basically just talking about simple marxism. However, I think what I'm describing applies to most forms of communism.

If you like I can give you my critique of communism.

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