Jaden wrote:
I've stated before that I support socialism, but not communism. Communism does not work because 99 out of 100 times the leaders get power hungry. I simple believe that communism is better than American-like capitalism in very poor countries. Less people would suffer.
Make that 100 of 100. But that's human nature. To get power hungry. All leaders are power hungry, everywhere. The difference is in the system. In democracy, they need to go after a while. In communism, they can stay forever. So, they do.
Less people suffer? It's not true. People always suffer from lack of human rights and liberties, and that's what they get in Cuba or other similar regimes. To say they don't suffer because of this is regarding them like animals.
As for the economic aspect, in long term more people will suffer. Actually, as the country gets poorer and poorer, all people get to suffer, except for party leaders. Communism is a highly inefficient management system, and it's no accident that communist countries were always poorer and less developed than the democratic ones. According to a reputed french economist (whose name eludes me right now), a country emerges from communism some 50 years behind the economic/development status it had when it had entered, and based on my country's experience I can tell you that man knew what he was saying. Pure communism leads to poverty and stagnation (or rather, regression), by its very nature.
Jaden wrote:
There's no freedom in any country in the world because freedom simply does not work. The best leadership for a country is one that takes care of all of its people as best as it can without hurting other countries. That whole freedom crap is American propaganda bullshit (and I feel I should mention that North America has the highest depression rate in the world).
What you just said about freedom is very shocking to me. I just guess an old truth is just as valid in this case: people really need to be deprived of something in order for them to finally be able to apreciate it, supposing they ever get it back. The fact that many people in Western Europe or North America don't realise what freedom they enjoy, or don't appreciate it, it's a clear indication of that truth to me.
Jaden wrote:
If capitalism was introduced in Cuba, many more people would starve and die. Communism isn't the best, but for Cuba, it's better than capitalism. Fidel has a much better track record than most communist leaders.
This is so untrue. If capitalism were introduced to Cuba, it would have the same effects it had on ex-communists countries from Europe. It would be a very difficult period, indeed, but after that things would begin to be much better. It's called transition, and if it's done right, it leads to very good things, even if it's lengthy. Examples? Take a look at Poland or Hungary. Or even Bulgary or Romania, for that matter.
To say Fidel has a better record than other communist dictators is like sniffing several turds trying to determine which one stinks less. Regardless of their odour capacity, in the end the truth is the same: they're all turds.
Jaden wrote:
And keep this in mind, America may not be responsible for killing many of its own people... in the last centaury anyway, but they kill a hell of a lot more people from other countries than any other nation in the world.
Sure, Saddam was an ass, but here's a lovely statistic: An Iraqi civilian is 58 times more likely to die a violent death today than she or he was before the U.S. invasion.
Whatever mistakes US (or any other democratic countries, for that matter) do, it still doesn't mean that communism and dictatorships are better, just by contrast. An objective comparison, in whatever aspect, will always show a convincing advantage for the democratic countries.
Cuba would not prosper with capitalism, it would become like fucking Haiti. If the rest of the world were to live by North American standards, the resources of three Earths would be required, so unless the richer countries out there want to give up some of their wealth, some countries are going to need socialism.
Haiti is a perfect example of what capitalism does to a poor country. Less than 2% of the Haiti population controls almost all of the wealth. 90% of the people in Haiti live in shacks with no electricity or running water.
My friend has been there, and he's told me about the countless homeless and diseased children fending for themselves on the street--or the fields of mounds (unmarked graveyards).
So if I had to choose between freedom of speech or food and shelter, you bet your fucking ass I'd choose the latter.
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