What if we lived in a world that wasn't dominated by Capitalism? How do you think a different government system would view/regulate marijuana? Check out this short YouTube clip (2:42) where the Chairman of the Revolutionary Communist Party, Bob Avakian, gets into this question with some humor and seriousness. [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bahRhwpnM8"]YouTube - Bob Avakian, "Smoke weed in socialism?"[/ame]
Better yet, what if we lived in a world where people actually understood capitalism? If we lived in a capitalist society there would be no coercion from the state, and thus no prohibition. The socialists obsession with mob rule is what has led to drug prohibition in the first place. A purely democratic society would just as likely outlaw weed as a dictatorship.
If there's anything we've learned from history, socialist and communist Governments are some of the most prohibitionist (depends on the culture, really).
wouldnt capitalism be more related to financial issues then anything to do with preventing the block of marijuana? Like our government doesnt base its decisions for social issues on the fact its a capitalist market, but on the Democracy of our country. Idk though, someone who is smart let me know whats up.
Socialism and Communism are not the same. There is a big difference. Socialism seeks to manage the economy while Communism seeks to manage the economy and society.
Who is Bob Avakian?Did he lived in some socialistic country?I do not want start debate here,this is just questions that arises when i looked that clip.I was born in socialistic country and everyone smoked weed,laws are same like now (capitalistic government);nothing changed.Now after civil war when socialistic government was overthrown i just look company when i work and i know why socialism should stay only theory.
Both Socialism and Communism are based on the idea that the goods and services produced in an economy should be publicly owned, planned and controlled by a centralized government. Socialists believe that the distribution should take place according to an individuals' production efforts. Communists believe that the distribution of goods and services should be according to an individuals' needs. Big difference...
Socialists advocate a method of distribution based on individual merit or the amount of labour one contributes to society. Communists advocate a method of distribution where by everybody in society gets an equal share of the cake regardless what they contribute. There is a big difference. A lot of the paranoia that exists regarding Socialism is based on mis conceptions and misunderstandings. I would urge all of you who think they are the same thing to read the links below. Socialism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Communism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The people at the top in socialism would see weed as a waste of time because by smoking it your not helping anyone. Illegal
And by controlling the economy (what people make and how they exchange goods) your not controlling society?
No Mr Erection... Please read the links i provided earlier in the thread. They will clear up any misunderstanding that you have regarding Socialism.
Based on lobbys and pay offs from corporations that have become so rich and powerful to influence government descicions due to........capitalism. Yay!
This. In fact, historically most socialist governments are indeed prohibitionist. You're in some serious shit if they catch you with weed in China. Labor camp for youuuu.
In China, the private sector's share of GDP was only 1% in 1978. Today it is over 70%, while the US private sector share of GDP is closer to 60%.
i find it amusing that most of the socialists who i always see campaigning at uni would probably support legalization, and support many civil liberty issues, and yet they advocate a system that has historically been outrageously repressive. (although these people would argue those regimes were not really socialist etc.)
There's a certain element of truth to that but only in the present culture we live in. Consumer Culture seeks to make everyone define themselves by the goods they buy, the niche markets they are apart of, and generally promotes this false sense of individualism based on a eclectic system of freeranging markets, submarkets, and now even countermarkets, each working to deliver to you whichever set of goods you think is necessary for the definition of yourself. If this consumer mentality holds true, then if there is a shift to Socialism, and with it a shift to a government run market, then people would increasingly have to define themselves under the government instated market categories, and fall under different degrees of social and political orthodoxy. However this is an extremely American phenomena, I'm not terribly sure of the strength of consumer culture in other countries. But I can guarantee that a massive cultural shift would be necessary to create the preconditions conducive to any functioning alternative to capitalism.