Fayaz's Thoughts

I have asked a couple of question about socialism and communism to ChatGPT. I'm someone who supported Communism whole-heartedly while I was in college, but further I came in life, the more I realized that it is not a perfect system, and it's not realistic to apply all of the ideologies put forward by Karl Max to a larger society. So I've went to ChatGPT to clarify my doubts with actual facts, rather than biased opinions from someone, (ps: me being optimistic that GPT is not biased :), enough bs!, here’s the thread:

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Me: what is socialism?

GPT: Socialism is an economic and political system where the means of production, distribution, and exchange—such as factories, land, and resources—are owned and regulated by the community as a whole, typically through the state or public ownership. The goal of socialism is to create a more equal society by reducing economic inequality, ensuring that resources and wealth are more evenly distributed among all people, rather than being concentrated in the hands of a few private owners or corporations.

In socialist systems, industries and services may be publicly owned and managed, and the government often plays a larger role in planning and regulating the economy. While there are different types of socialism, ranging from democratic socialism to more authoritarian forms, they generally aim to prioritize social welfare and reduce the gap between rich and poor. Some common socialist policies include universal healthcare, free or affordable education, and strong worker protections.

Socialism contrasts with capitalism, where private individuals or corporations own the means of production, and the market largely dictates economic decisions.

Me: then what is communism

GPT: Communism is a social, political, and economic ideology that advocates for a classless society where all property and the means of production are communally owned, and there is no private ownership of resources or capital. In an ideal communist society, everyone contributes according to their ability and receives according to their needs, creating a system without economic inequality, social classes, or state control.

Communism is often seen as a more radical and theoretical extension of socialism. It was most famously developed by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels in The Communist Manifesto (1848), which envisioned a society where the working class (the proletariat) would overthrow the capitalist class (the bourgeoisie), abolishing capitalism and class structures entirely. Marx theorized that after a period of socialist governance, the state itself would “wither away,” leaving a stateless, classless society.

In practice, however, historical examples of communism, such as in the Soviet Union or Maoist China, often maintained strong state control over the economy and society, diverging from Marx’s original concept of a stateless, classless system. These forms of communism generally involved authoritarian governments, centralized planning, and limited personal freedoms, contrasting with the theoretical ideal of communal ownership and equality.

Me: does North Korea implies communism?

GPT: North Korea officially describes itself as a socialist state with a commitment to communist ideals. However, its actual political and economic structure diverges significantly from classical communism as theorized by Karl Marx.

North Korea’s ruling ideology is Juche, developed by Kim Il-sung, which emphasizes self-reliance, nationalism, and the central role of the Kim family in state affairs. Juche, while influenced by socialist and communist ideas, is a unique ideology that prioritizes the absolute authority of the leader and strict state control over every aspect of life. In this system, the government tightly controls the economy, information, and personal freedoms, with all property effectively state-owned.

Though North Korea’s government uses some communist symbols and language, it is more accurately described as an authoritarian dictatorship with a state-controlled economy. In practice, the state privileges an elite class close to the ruling family, which contradicts the classless, stateless society envisioned in classical communist theory. This structure more closely resembles a dynastic system where power is concentrated in the hands of the Kim family, rather than a true communist society focused on communal ownership and equality.

Me: so I have a question, to imply a communist ideology to a larger society means, making sure there is no class differences. that means preventing someone from being a capitalist. That is let’s say I started a business in communist society with initial intention to sell something valuable to people, then the business grows, I becomes a corporation, then now there should be an act to bring down this company so that the society follows the communism.

GPT: Yes, in a truly communist society, the emergence of private businesses—especially if they grow into large corporations—would go against the core principle of communal ownership and equality. Communism aims to eliminate class distinctions by preventing the accumulation of private wealth and power that can lead to economic inequality. So, if an individual were to start a business that grows into a powerful corporation, that would be seen as creating economic hierarchy and a privileged class, which communism seeks to prevent.

In communist theory, this is why all businesses and resources are publicly owned and managed by the community (often represented by the state). Instead of private enterprises that seek profit, all production and distribution are collectively organized to meet the needs of society. The idea is that, rather than individuals or groups gaining wealth and power, the community as a whole benefits equally from economic activities.

In practice, this would mean that, if a business like the one you described started to accumulate wealth and power, a communist government would likely nationalize it, making it state-owned, or incorporate it into a public system. The intention is to prevent anyone from gaining control over resources or capital in a way that could lead to economic dominance or privilege over others, maintaining a classless society.

Me: or, to prevent it from a root level from happening is isolate people from having the skill and knowledge and resources to build these businesses in the first place

GPT: Yes, preventing individuals from acquiring the means to start and grow private businesses could, in theory, be one approach to maintaining a communist society where all production is collectively managed. In this view, if people lack the skills, resources, or motivation to build private enterprises, it could reduce the risk of economic hierarchy or class differences arising.

However, restricting access to skills, knowledge, or resources is typically not aligned with the ideals of communism, which generally advocates for universal education, equal opportunity, and access to resources. Marxist theory emphasizes that communism is achieved by changing the ownership structure of resources rather than limiting individuals’ potential. Ideally, a communist society would provide extensive education and resources, but they would be used for collective benefit rather than individual profit.

In practice, some authoritarian states that have claimed to follow communism did try to limit the development of an entrepreneurial class by tightly controlling access to resources, knowledge, or technology. But this approach is more aligned with maintaining control than with achieving an ideal communist society. True communism would aim to ensure that everyone has equal access to resources and knowledge—but that these are used within a system of communal, rather than private, ownership.

Me: how practical is it? so the intention of anything that we make, learn or invest should be solely for common good rather than individual benefits.. but does the inventor itself should need enough resources to make a living as well right? if a member of the society is not contributing, then it’s problem as well

GPT: You’re raising important questions about the practical challenges of implementing communism in a real society. In an ideal communist society, everyone would indeed work and innovate with the common good as the primary goal, rather than personal profit. But this relies on certain assumptions that are difficult to realize in practice:

1. Incentives and Motivation: Human motivation is complex. While many people are motivated by a sense of purpose or desire to contribute, others might be driven by personal ambition, rewards, or recognition. A purely communal system assumes that people will stay motivated to contribute at their best without individual incentives. In practice, many people might not feel the same motivation to innovate or work hard if they don’t see direct personal benefits, which could lead to lower productivity or innovation.

2. Resources for Living and Inventing: Inventors, creators, and workers in any system still need resources to live. In a communist society, the idea is that each person’s needs would be met by the community so that no one would need to worry about securing their basic living resources independently. However, determining what constitutes “enough” and ensuring everyone feels their needs are met without creating inequalities is challenging. If not managed well, people might feel unfulfilled or even exploited if they perceive their contributions are not valued or reciprocated.

3. Equal Contribution: In theory, everyone in a communist society would contribute according to their abilities, and receive according to their needs. But not everyone will always contribute equally, whether due to personal choices, skills, health, or motivation. Managing people who under-contribute, whether intentionally or due to limitations, is one of the practical difficulties. There is a risk of resentment if some feel they are working harder than others, or if others are perceived to be taking more than they contribute.

4. Innovation and Progress: Communism traditionally emphasizes meeting everyone’s needs equally rather than creating personal wealth, which can limit the drive for competitive innovation that is often seen in capitalist systems. While this can shift focus toward long-term, community-oriented projects, it can also make it difficult to keep up with the rapid advancements and flexibility sometimes driven by competitive markets.

In practice, many countries that attempted communism ended up creating systems where the state maintained tight control over the economy and the distribution of resources. These systems faced significant challenges, such as lack of innovation, bureaucratic inefficiency, and, often, limited personal freedoms. Because of these issues, some modern socialist systems focus more on creating social safety nets and reducing inequality within a mixed economy, rather than attempting pure communal ownership.

In short, while the vision of a communal, classless society has a strong ethical appeal, achieving and maintaining it in a way that balances motivation, fairness, and innovation has proven very difficult in practice.