Erm...that's not what I asked for. I know they call themselves communist, we all do. What I asked for was, and I quote, "one single example of Cuba trying to implement communism". That doesn't mean having a red flag, it doesn't mean calling yourself communist or saying "comrade" - it means an example of Cuba trying to implement communism.

That video is incredibly ignorant. Quoting George Orwell against communism kind of sums it up but still, just another example of someone who doesn't know what communism is. I completely agree that what the places he's talking about (Pol Pot, Lenin, Soviet Union, etc...) were complete failures with horrific events that no-one should ever try to recreate. As a communist, I'm particularly opposed to them, even more than I am to capitalism, because they pretended to be communist. The truth:



There you go. Just because these horrific, vile societies called themselves communist doesn't mean they are - what would make them communist is trying to implement a communist society without class or the state, based on working class control of production. None of them ever did, because they were murderous fascist states. 

This is what I'm saying.

The Soviet Union, North Korea, China, etc...were all horrible, horrible places. They're exactly the kind of things I'm fighting against as an active anarchist and communist. My point is, it doesn't matter how much they or anyone else calls them communist, what makes a society communist isn't words, it's actions. It's having the workers control production, it's having no state, it's having no class-system. Even working towards that might be called communism - but none of those ever did. Very early on they destroyed working class power and killed the dissident. That's fascism, plain and simple.

Yes it's powerful stuff. I stumbled across his lecture a few weeks back when searching for some wider background on the Soviet Union and found it fascinating. He's a compelling speaker on such a painfully difficult topic. I hadn't realised the sheer depths of suffering that ordinary people went through under that regime. Just horrific.

Sadly my school history lessons didn't cover the Soviet Union in any depth, so it's good to be able to start redressing that now by researching it online (albeit belatedly). Looks like there's quite an extensive series of presentations to follow this one. I will dig into them later.

It was one of the most horrific societies in human history. But it wasn't, and had no intention of being, communist. From day one, it was fascist, destroying working class control and putting it in the hands of the state.

I honestly can't tell if you're joking or not. Why can't you comprehend the difference between something being CALLED communist and something BEING communist?

Absolutely. You're dead right. Let's follow that.

1) So what does make a society communist?
Well, enacting communist ideology.

2) What is communist ideology?
That society should have no state or class, that production should be controlled by the workers, and that power should be decentralised among communities. 

3) Do these societies follow, or attempt to achieve, this ideology?
No, almost immediately the USSR established complete state control centralised away from communities, destroyed working class control, and mass-murdered the dissidents. 

4) So, can these societies be considered communist or attempts at communism?
No.

Seriously, what part of that don't you get?

I stated the exact same thing a few posts ago so I agree with you. And no, he hasn't made any valid reasons. He just says that they didn't act out any communist ideals, yet the whole world recognizes those countries as communist. What you see is what you get. They're communist countries but he won't accept that. You're both delusional.

I don't completely know where I stand when it comes to communism, but I know this: When you're debating someone, the proper way is too read/listen to the other perons arguments before responding/asking the same question for the 58th time in a row. As a casual reader of this thread, (do I have a life? Good guestion) I find it extremely tiring trying to follow jordan's way of "debating". To be honest TheEscapist, I don't know why you're still trying.

Sure, but one point I'll make quickly - the appalling regimes you reference were not attempts at communism. Like I said, if you look at their histories, you will see immediate opposition to working-class control, decentralised communal power, the abolition of the state, direct democracy etc...all of which are ideas absolutely essential to communism. 

So, can we give examples of communist societies? Yes! The most famous is Revolutionary Catalonia where for three years workers took control of production, the state was abolished, power was decentralised and a syndicate-based communism was achieved. Production increased almost 50%, new hospitals were built and maintained, a whole new feminist movement was created, education increased, and there was mass solidarity. THAT is communism. 

Now, why isn't it around today? Well, the irony is it was destroyed by...you guessed it, the soviet union. They destroyed worker control and completely wrecked the area, killing many. 

For other examples see Mahknovia or the Paris Commune.

It sounds good in theory but I don’t believe it could ever be executed properly