What is the Great Dream of the Communists?

By Rolando José Olivo

The great dream of the communists is the existence of an advanced scientific and technological society that works perfectly, led by a communist, secular and atheist government, in which there are no economic inequalities among citizens, nor is there money. This is evidenced in the Soviet futurist history In 2017 and in the television series Star Trek.

In both stories, the communist system has evolved from an initial stage of transition to the final stage. Nonetheless, can this long-awaited communist dream be achieved? This leads to formulate other questions (related to the origin, functioning, deterioration and end of the communist regimes): a) How does this ideal society originate?, b) How does this ideal society work?, c) How does this ideal society deteriorate?, and d) How does this ideal society end?

Although the success or failure of a communist system, depends mainly on the human nature, considering the circumstances of the moment and the expectations. However, the human being is extremely complex. His needs (physiological, safety, belongingness, esteem and self-actualization) are unlimited. His behavior is rational, optimizing, egoist and mimetic. Also, he is responsible for discovering the meaning of his life (despite the fact that postmodern culture and communist ideology deny this), and has always sought to achieve his happiness, trying to satisfy his needs.

In that sense, the great dream of the communists is not feasible due to the failures of the communist ideology, the economic-financial inviability of the aforementioned anti-capitalist model, and the implicit ignorance of the complex human nature and the main needs of the human being (by the communists). All these aspects lead to a stagnation of productivity and scientific-technological progress, and to the end of the communist government. Not even technology can preserve this system (in practice, the communist regimes can ́t overcome the transition stage, while the fictitious and futuristic society of Star Trek, shows symptoms of deterioration and an eventual collapse), being more accurate the vision of Isaac Asimov (The End of Eternity), who explains how the most radical and aggressive form of communism, which could exist in the history of humankind, would eventually lead to the extinction of the human race.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Rolando José Olivo
• Release date: Nov 24, 2018
• ISBN: 9780463372579

Rolando José Olivo

[e-mail] Instagram: @rolandojolivo Systems Engineer with 3 postgraduate degrees: Master's Degree in Applied Economics, Diploma in General Management and Specialization in Management of Social Programs (Summa Cum Laude). Work experience in companies in the oil sector, occupying these positions: Planning and Logistics Manager, Project Coordinator, Financial Advisor and Consultant. Consultant in the economic and financial area. Writer of books on economics, management, self-help, novels and Christianity, among others.

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I. INTRODUCTION

The great dream of the communists is the existence of an advanced scientific and technological society that works perfectly, led by a communist, secular and atheist government, in which there are no economic inequalities among citizens, nor is there money. This is evidenced in the Soviet futurist history In 2017 and in the television series Star Trek.

In both stories, the communist system has evolved from an initial stage of transition to the final stage. However, can this long-awaited communist dream be achieved?

This leads to formulate other questions (linked to the origin, functioning, deterioration and end of communist regimes):

a) How does this ideal society originate?

b) How does this ideal society work?

c) How does this ideal society deteriorate?

d) How does this ideal society end?

Although the success or failure of a communist system depends mainly on the human nature, considering the circumstances of the moment and the expectations.

However, the human being is extremely complex. His needs (physiological, safety, belongingness, esteem and self-actualization) are unlimited.

His behavior is rational, optimistic, egoist and mimetic. Also, he is responsible for discovering the meaning of his life (despite the fact that postmodern culture and communist ideology deny this), and has always sought to achieve his happiness, trying to satisfy his needs.

While in this postmodern age, an imbalance persists in the attention of the main needs (great trap of the Postmodernity), which generates dissatisfaction, discomfort, suffering and existential vacuums (people feel that their lives are empty and don´t have any meaning).

This also affects the citizens of Star Trek and demonstrates the inevitable erosion of the communist system (in its transition stage or in its golden age).

In this regard, the same rational and optimizing behavior of the human being, responsible for the acceptance of communism, leads to its later rejection. On the one hand, the communism is based on false foundations (existence of a social class struggle, persistence of great social injustices, predominance of collective rights over individuals, need to constitute a powerful and authoritarian Welfare State, which flagrantly violates human rights and also grants exceptional privileges to the rulers, and non-existence of God, highlighting that religions are harmful to society), and on the other hand, the communism is widely surpassed by capitalism, which favors the establishment of ideal economic-financial conditions, in an environment of respect and protection of human rights.

In opposition with the communist thought, part of the success of the capitalism is based on:

a) valuing the work,

b) evaluating the products efficiently,

c) demanding the protection of human rights,

d) eliminating the exaggerated privileges of rulers,

e) establishing an efficient pricing system,

f) granting freedoms to take risks and obtain greater benefits,

g) developing the potential, creativity and innovation (contributing to the scientific and technological progress of the humankind),

h) requesting transparency in the practices and procedures of the public sector.

Certainly, the great dream of the communists is not feasible due to the failures of the communist ideology, the economic-financial infeasibility of the aforementioned anti-capitalist model, and the implicit ignorance of the complex human nature and the main needs of the human being (by the communists).

All these aspects lead to a stagnation of productivity and scientific-technological progress, and to the end of the communist government. Not even technology can preserve the communist system (in practice, the communist regimes can´t overcome the transition stage, while the fictitious and futuristic society of Star Trek shows symptoms of deterioration and a eventual collapse), being more accurate the vision of Isaac Asimov (The End of Eternity), who explains how the most radical and aggressive form of communism, which could exist in the history of humankind, would eventually lead to the extinction of the human race.

II. THE GREAT DREAM OF THE COMMUNISTS

In the year 1960, the Soviets published, in slides for film projectors, the futuristic story In 2017, revealing the great dream of the communists, who have always been fond of technology and are in favor of the technological fetishism[1].

In this science fiction tale the following inventions are presented:

a) an underground futuristic city,

b) rockets that travel through space, at the speed of light,

c) a clock that awakens people with a mechanical hand,

d) a kitchen that scans recipes, mixes the ingredients and automatically prepares the food,

e) a crystal star that protects the underground city (the spring is eternal),

f) drilling machines that allow the construction of underground cities,

g) flying meteorological stations, capable of controlling the climate and ending storms, tornadoes and hurricanes.

Even more, the popular television series Star Trek, conceived in the world of the future (years 2063-2378), reflects in a precise way the great dream of the communists:

The existence of an advanced scientific and technological society that works perfectly, led by a communist, secular and atheist government, in which there are no economic inequalities among citizens, nor does money exist.

Although it could be argued that this fictional and futuristic world has a production of goods and services, due to agreements between the agents (participative economy) or according to the guidelines of the federal government (centrally planned economy), the excessive controls of the United Federation of Planets, the absence of enrichment as an objective of life and money, and the abolition of social classes, show that the government of Star Trek is communist.

Then, can this long-awaited communist dream be achieved?

It is not easy to answer this. It requires analyzing the origin, functioning, deterioration and end of communist regimes, leading to formulate other questions:

1. How does this ideal society originate?

2. How does this ideal society work?

3. How does this ideal society deteriorate?

4. How does this ideal society end?

1. How does this ideal society originate?:

It requires the constitution of a powerful and authoritarian Welfare State, which can achieve the transformation of the social, political, economic, institutional and religious model. This justifies the flagrant violations of economic guarantees and human rights (mainly property rights), in order to achieve the collective well-being, finish the capitalism and the social injustices, establishing a new humanitarian system, fair and equitable.

However, this doesn´t happen in a natural or gradual way. Nor is it a consequence of the economic conditions that favor the accelerated growth of production and trade. Historically, the communism has been encouraged by external allies, which support and finance communist reformers, who have high levels of popularity (because they convince the majority of the population about the success of their social development project, and/or emerge victorious after war conflicts and/or face threats from