Dear Editor,
A fear of communism has influenced American politics for almost a century. Communism is a political theory of governing, and we will explore the vast difference between theory and reality.
Let’s begin by explaining why communism, as a governing system, will not work, and cannot ever work, as a way for people to govern themselves in a nation.
First; human beings are driven to compete. Communism seeks to eliminate competition, considering it a source of ‘conflict.’ Second; human beings desire to be rewarded for their efforts. Communism seeks to treat all people equally, with none rewarded any more than others, regardless of differing efforts; under Communism there is NO private property. Third: Human beings demand fairness, that is, a just treatment of each individual (we can see this in our love of sports, our insistence that neither side in a sporting event has an unfair advantage, and that RULES are followed). Communism does not distinguish one person’s efforts, talents, or ingeniousness as being any more valuable than any other person’s.
Thus, Communism cannot work as a governing system for human beings, because if fundamentally goes against human nature. NO NATION IN HISTORY HAS EVER BEEN COMMUNIST. Many nations have CALLED themselves communist, and many were ‘created’ by overthrowing the existing government with a ‘communist revolution.’ What resulted, though, was never Communism for that nation.
The fourth, and possibly most important, tenet of Communism is the theory of leadership. In Communist theory of equality for all – and not ‘caste’ system of classes – leadership would result from simple cooperation. This theory goes against not just human nature, but nature itself. Someone has to make the decisions. Someone has to organize communal efforts. Someone has to decide a path, when there are two or more ways to accomplish a goal. Without leadership, there is not ‘community,’ there is only a bunch of individuals plotting their own paths, and no way to resolve the inevitable crossing of those paths.
In history, what has evolved following a ‘communist revolution’ is the leadership of a political strongman, a dictator who has absolute power, not unlike monarchs of old, for example King George who our founders revolted against. When this happens, the tenets of Communism – equality, no ‘class’ system, no private property – are abandoned, and replaced by the iron will of the dictator, who ‘owns’ and controls all material things, and treats citizens according to his whims. All rules and laws become whatever the dictator SAYS they are.
From Stalin to Hitler, Jung Un to Castro, Mao to Putin, these nations calling themselves ‘communist’ were/are instead nations under the control of dictators.
So, do we fear Communism, which has only existed as an unworkable theory, or is what we REALLY fear – the dictatorship that results from a communist revolution which promised to deliver ALL power to ALL the people EQUALLY, but instead always resulted in tyranny?
Next, we will explore how America’s Constitutional democratic republic differs from tyranny, and why the people should retain their power rather than abandoning it to tyranny.
Jeff Harrison
Buffalo, Texas
