# Is worldwide "communism" inevitable? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [August 9, 2013, 10:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-worldwide-communism-inevitable/665790 "2013-08-09T10:45:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![RedFury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ec9cab/32.png) [@RedFury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedFury)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-worldwide-communism-inevitable/665790/41 "2013-08-09T21:06:54Z")
> [@SirGalahad](#): > > That’s tellin’ me. Thanks for the thoughtful and well-reasoned comment. There’s really no other response when going f2f with the status-quo. Some may strike it rich or inherit it, but for the most part we’re worker ants and bound to stay that way no matter how hard we work at it. Or else…what? ---
**Author:** ![SirGalahad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/71c47a/32.png) [@SirGalahad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SirGalahad)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-worldwide-communism-inevitable/665790/42 "2013-08-09T21:10:08Z")
> [@RedFury](#): > > There’s really no other reponse. Some may strike it rich or inherit it, but for the most part we’re worker ants and bound to stay that way no matter how hard we work at it. > > Or else…what? Or else this … [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/UozWJTuhbMQ/maxresdefault.jpg "Army Ants Eat Everything | World's Deadliest") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UozWJTuhbMQ) ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-worldwide-communism-inevitable/665790/43 "2013-08-09T21:12:53Z")
> [@SirGalahad](#): > > I know quite a few billionaires … No you don’t. ---
**Author:** ![pancakes3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ba9def/32.png) [@pancakes3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pancakes3)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-worldwide-communism-inevitable/665790/44 "2013-08-09T21:28:11Z")
Oh. I thought Galahad was kidding. Yikes. ---
**Author:** ![SirGalahad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/71c47a/32.png) [@SirGalahad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SirGalahad)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-worldwide-communism-inevitable/665790/45 "2013-08-09T21:33:28Z")
> [@Lemur866](#): > > No you don’t. I do. In my job, they are part of the landscape. Elevate yourself above pettiness. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-worldwide-communism-inevitable/665790/46 "2013-08-09T22:07:57Z")
> [@SirGalahad](#): > > I do. In my job, they are part of the landscape. Well, Bill Gates is a personal friend of mine, and I think he’s a paragon of lovingkindness. So there you go. Dueling anecdotes. You know lots of billionaires, I know lots of billionaires, you say they suck, I say they don’t. How can the viewers at home evaluate which claim is more likely to be true? Take your word for it? Except why would they take your word over mine? I’m just a dude on the internet boasting that he knows Bill Gates personally. That’s me. Why should people believe what you say over what I say? ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-worldwide-communism-inevitable/665790/47 "2013-08-09T22:12:07Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > Capitalism is not intrinsically opposed to altrusim and egalitarianism unless you’re a Randian who thinks altruism is the ultimate evil. Capitalism is about greed; about individuals enriching themselves at the expense of others. That is innately anti-egalitarian and anti-altruism. > [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > Ultimately, I believe a world government is inevitable but it will not be some sort of a communist utopia (for communism as a workable political philosophy is dead) but rather the end product of what many leftists fear-that is the outcome of globalization, increasing free trade, and American-backed democracy movements. America doesn’t back democracy movements and has never had any interest in democracy. It wants puppets who do what they are told while making speeches about how great America and democracy are; not actual democracy. And what “many leftists fear” is what is happening; a system where virtually all of the wealth, all the resources are hogged by a few while the majority suffer under them in poverty and exploitation. ---
**Author:** ![SirGalahad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/71c47a/32.png) [@SirGalahad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SirGalahad)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-worldwide-communism-inevitable/665790/48 "2013-08-09T22:20:26Z")
> [@Lemur866](#): > > Well, Bill Gates is a personal friend of mine, and I think he’s a paragon of lovingkindness. > > So there you go. Dueling anecdotes. You know lots of billionaires, I know lots of billionaires, you say they suck, I say they don’t. How can the viewers at home evaluate which claim is more likely to be true? Take your word for it? Except why would they take your word over mine? I’m just a dude on the internet boasting that he knows Bill Gates personally. That’s me. Why should people believe what you say over what I say? Why shouldn’t they believe both of us? Must everyone have parallel experiences to yours? Here in Texas, billionaires are not in short supply, likewise in Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, Hollywood and Vegas, where most of my colleagues and acquaintances are to be found. We hang out with different rich folks. Calling me a liar for no discernible reason, though, makes me question your good judgement in other subjects, such as character evaluations. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-worldwide-communism-inevitable/665790/49 "2013-08-09T22:36:55Z")
But the thing is, whether you’re telling the truth or lying, I have no good reason to believe that you know lots of billionaires. You’re aware that on the internet, people make stuff up, right? So let’s stipulate for a moment that you’re telling the truth. There’s me, who makes shit up. There’s you, who tells the truth. Then there’s everyone out there reading. How do those guys out there reading tell the difference between us? ---
**Author:** ![WillFarnaby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/willfarnaby/32/514_2.png) [@WillFarnaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WillFarnaby)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-worldwide-communism-inevitable/665790/50 "2013-08-09T23:36:55Z")
The only form of communism that is both productive and not tyrannical is extremely localized. So no, international communism is far from inevitable, but most likely impossible. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-worldwide-communism-inevitable/665790/51 "2013-08-09T23:59:39Z")
> [@RedFury](#): > > I think so --economic conditions have gotten progressively worst for the middle class/poor (even in First World Countries) that a rebellion against the current world-wide system is in the works. But, there can’t really be such thing as a world-wide rebellion. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2013, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-worldwide-communism-inevitable/665790/52 "2013-08-10T00:01:34Z")
I actually predict a global corporatocracy before global communism. I imagine something along the lines of Wall-E, but perhaps not so gloomy/doomsdayish. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2013, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-worldwide-communism-inevitable/665790/53 "2013-08-10T00:02:44Z")
> [@RedFury](#): > > Exactly what I am afraid of. But are you sure, IYO, the we’ve exhausted all ways governing. Well, democratic socialism (as distinct from authoritarian socialism and as distinct from social democracy) is the one thing that has never yet been tried. Unless you count Venezuela, which at present is both imperfectly democratic and imperfectly socialist. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2013, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-worldwide-communism-inevitable/665790/54 "2013-08-10T00:25:54Z")
> [@TheSeaOtter](#): > > The Yellowstone Supervolcano is about due. When it blows, it’s going to take most of the western half of North America with it. Cite? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2013, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-worldwide-communism-inevitable/665790/55 "2013-08-10T00:34:53Z")
> [@Lemur866](#): > > Well, Bill Gates is a personal friend of mine, and I think he’s a paragon of lovingkindness. > > So there you go. Dueling anecdotes. You know lots of billionaires, I know lots of billionaires, you say they suck, I say they don’t. How can the viewers at home evaluate which claim is more likely to be true? Take your word for it? Except why would they take your word over mine? I’m just a dude on the internet boasting that he knows Bill Gates personally. That’s me. Why should people believe what you say over what I say? Because no one who has ever heard of Bill Gates will believe he is a paragon of lovingkindness. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2013, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-worldwide-communism-inevitable/665790/56 "2013-08-10T00:36:08Z")
> [@WillFarnaby](#): > > The only form of communism that is both productive and not tyrannical is extremely localized. Are you thinking of the Paris Commune, or what? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2013, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-worldwide-communism-inevitable/665790/57 "2013-08-10T00:47:51Z")
> [@RedFury](#): > > Surely you know no cite is needed to realize most of the world live that way – including a very sizable working poor population in the US. Katrina ring a bell? He was responding to a post about the US, not the world in general. But I doubt it’s true of the world in general-- that people are generally worse off today than they were 50 years ago. If you’ve got cites, I’d love to see them. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2013, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-worldwide-communism-inevitable/665790/58 "2013-08-10T00:49:15Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > They asked for an explanation, I gave one. Oh, so your explanation is that you just make shit up. I thought so. > [@](#): > > I stopped caring about _cites_ much when I noticed they were universally ignored. Why spend an hour searching for links no one will read? :rolleyes: Bullshit. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2013, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-worldwide-communism-inevitable/665790/59 "2013-08-10T01:29:00Z")
Kid Gallahad…according to Wiki there are 425 billionaires in the entire country. There are not lots of them. Newport Beach might MIGHT have 1 or 2. Laguna? Nope. Hollywood? Definitely not…its not even a city. Please grind out a few more levels of fabrication before you try it again. ---
**Author:** ![NotDeadYet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/22d042/32.png) [@NotDeadYet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NotDeadYet)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2013, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-worldwide-communism-inevitable/665790/60 "2013-08-10T03:44:03Z")
According to the latest list compiled by Forbes there are 425 Billionaires in the US. What’s that, 1 out of every 700,000 people? I know quite a few people who are worth over a million, but don’t think I know any who are billionaires. If you know a lot of them, what are you doing wasting your time arguing with the rabble and riff raff around here? 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-worldwide-communism-inevitable/665790.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-worldwide-communism-inevitable/665790.md?page=4)