[kahljorn]

I know its stupid to criticize an article like that, but I'm gonna do it a bit anyway.

A poll by Der Spiegel stated that 73% of East Germans believe that Karl Marx's critique of capitalism is still valid.

I know germany has.. different school systems than the united states but really, what percentage of those germans really read Karl Marx's "CRITIQUE."

We didn't have the material comforts but communism still had a lot going for it.”

“I had a pretty good life before the Wall fell,” he added. “No one worried about money because money didn't really matter. You had a job even if you didn't want one. The communist idea wasn't all that bad.”

This seems inconsistent but maybe I'm stretching.

He has sent out 286 job applications since then, without success. “The market economy can't solve our problems,”

Is there really no unemployment in socialist/communist countries? Even during a recession? Yea and sure you might have a job in a communist country but that doesn't mean you are going to be making good money, have a good lifestyle or much freedom.

The crisis of capitalism has convinced many Germans, both East and West, that the system has failed. “I thought communism was shit but capitalism is even worse,” said Hermann Haibel, a 76-year old retired blacksmith. “The free market is brutal. The capitalist wants to squeeze out more, more, more,” he said. “I had a pretty good life before the Wall fell,” he added. “No one worried about money because money didn't really matter. You had a job even if you didn't want one. The communist idea wasn't all that bad.”

HES A FUCKING BLACKSMITH -- I DIDNT EVEN KNOW THOSE EXISTED ANYMORE EXCEPT FOR LIKE HORSE SHOES AND NOVELTY SHIT. MIGHT AS WELL BE A DOOR TO DOOR SALESMAN AND COMPLAIN ABOUT HOW CAPITALISM IS BRUTAL.

What's retirement like in communist countries? I mean, if I took this dudes statement that, "You had a job even if you didn't want one" this guy wouldn't even be feeling leisurely enough to think about the values of communism cause they'd be working his ass off.

“The distribution of wealth is unfair. We're seeing that now. The little people like me are going to have to pay for this financial mess with higher taxes because of greedy bankers.”

What about potentially greedy communists? Personally I'd rather be in a greedy capitalist society than a greedy communist one ;/

do not want capitalism but socialism – not the bureaucratic totalitarian caricature of socialism that they had before, but genuine democratic socialism – the socialism of Marx, Engels, Liebknecht and Luxemburg.

How about non-greedy capitalism. These two things are potentially just as impossible.

are there any non-totalitarian socialist/communist governments? Can such a thing exist? Personally I always thought part of Karl Marxs criticism was that there can't really be such a thing as "non-totalitarian" communist/socialist governments until after some golden age of humanity in which we all lose our greediness.

Maybe I'm wrong, though. Or maybe we are on the cusp of that moment. Unless either of these are true though acting like "Karl Marx's" critique is valid and as such we should become communist is inconsistent with what Karl Marx said.
etcotherstuff
considered saying stuff about purecapitalism/moresocialistcapitalism but ..