What is communism, can we separate it from the horrors of Stalin & what about capitalism's crimes?!

[basquebromance]

"Be a rebel. Support corporate America"

 

[LuckyDuck]

What is communism, can we separate it from the horrors of Stalin

Of course, and so we should. Stalin is to communism as tires are to raspberries. The tire could run over them but that doesn't mean they're related.

Simplified, communism is a system where the collective rather than the individual, owns the joint. There are various intentional communities and Christian sects that have been living that way for centuries, in complete peace. A philosophy that addresses the "deadly sin" of Greed.

What is Communism? Well, under true Communism, everything is owned and controlled by the state. There is no actual private ownership; no private property, no private family farms, no privately owned homes. Homelessness ends as those initially without residences will be shoved into other peoples residences. You can have two, three or more families crammed into one small residence. Everyone is guaranteed work, if you don't want to work, a re-education camp will teach you and if you still don't want to work, a gulag is the next step and if you don't work in the gulag, you disappear. There are no surly lazy teens in mom's basement, only additional families.
How does Communism treat those who don't want to live under its rule? Former Communist controlled East Germany and current North Korea are good examples. If you try to leave, you're simply....shot escaping. If captured....you're shot. In North Korea, your family joins you in the execution. As for the mentally ill, well, there are draconian institutions set up for that and they can also just.....disappear.
Having said that, China, having that Communist past, has allowed some private ownership of businesses as they saw that it worked for Hong Kong and a fair number of Chinese are living better for it, but poor living conditions still prevail.
Of course, there's Venezuela; long lines for food and little food and people fleeing the country.
Bottom line, Marxism/Communism is ultimately oppressive and deadly.
As for the US, it has a dark past, but so too do other regions of the planet. No area of the planet has been devoid of slavery or mass killings, however, the US is one of the few that has acknowledged its past wrongs and via its Constitution and Bill of Rights, has worked to make this land a beacon for those seeking individual freedoms. Millions have fled here to escape Communism, Socialism, Military Juntas, Oligarchy's and Dictatorships, all to seek out the freedom to just be themselves without government oppression.
Veterans Cemeteries are full of individuals that sacrificed to make this nation a model for the world and to see Communism/Socialism growing here, is nothing short of a slap in the face to all those that fled such nations and a stain on the flag.