-Chiranjibi Paudyal
From Cuba to Korea and poverty stricken areas of India and Nepal among others is under the influence of Communism. Once Communism nearly ruled over half of the world from Russia to the whole eastern Europe and there was not a single country which was not inspired by the ideology of Communism. However the number dwindled. The number of Communist countries has gone down to 5 and among them only two say that they have the real Communist rule: North Korea and Cuba. What happened to Communism and collapsed ? Why did Communism crumble from Europe ? Why is Communism still a dream state?
Is Communism a perfect welfare state?
Definitely not. People either experiencing communism directly or living in the Western Europe know it well. The election win of anti immigrant parties in Europe, and UKIP in the UK is directly related to the flooding of people from eastern European former Communist countries. The issue of east European has been dominating the politics in the UK and little known party UKIP has made remarkable progress in the European parliament and local election. UKIP is against European Union and wants referendum to be out of Europe. The flooding of East European in the Western Europe for job clearly shows that the Communism is not the appropriate system for the welfare of the people. The unskilled East European migrants wandering in the streets of western Europe is changing the politics of Europe. There is too much floods of east European migrants, there is too much pressure on the UK school, there is too much pressure on NHS. They are doing unskilled job and claiming benefits which has increased anti migrant feelings in the whole Europe.
Just comparing the people of Eastern Europe and Western Europe can give us the clear picture to understand what was Communist system? Why don’t we meet West European doing low level job and why don’t we meet East European doing higher level skilled job is clear to know what is Communism? Almost all the Western democracies have welfare policies with free education, free health care, and benefits for the low income or jobless people.
Is there democracy or freedom under Communism?
Certainly not. People have no right to vote in Communism. Parties are banned like in the Panchayat era Nepal. Only the ruling Communist party exists. Totalitarian rule with suppression of rights is the system of Communism. We have the example of North Korea, Communist era Russia and anywhere in the world. Many historians and scholars compare Mao and Stalin with Hitler. Millions of people were killed under the Communist regimes in China and Russia. Barbaric torture and execution is normal in this system. Recently the North Korean leader executed his uncle and his mentor. These are normal practices. Silencing different voices seems to be the basic of the basic principle of Communism. John Marsh (2012) writes: ‘’Asked to name the most evil man in the 21st century most would answer Hitler. But there are other candidate Stalin and Mao. Historians Robert Conquest, Roy Medvedev of Russia and Norman Davies estimate Stalin was responsible for 51 million deaths in peace time Russia. Altogether Communist regimes have a death toll of over 120 million people.’’ The purpose of any system should be for the welfare of the people, safeguarding human rights and guarantee freedom and ensure democratic rule. However, the Communist system does not follow any of these systems therefore there is fundamental flaw in the Communism. The very principle of Communism is based on the conflict between rich and poor- haves and have nots – and ultimately rule over by the have nots over the haves. That is completely wrong. Society is a peaceful coexistence of people of different ethnicity, language, religious beliefs and we see and experience ourselves in Europe people of different nationalities with completely different religious and cultural traditions with diverse professional and economic background living as a good neighbour. However, to see only conflict between rich and poor, educated and illiterate is completely outdated principle.
Classifying people between rich and poor is fundamentally flaw. There are more fights and conflicts on other issues: religion, rights, democracy and development in the present day world. The present day Arab revolution and many other conflicts are not on the basis of rich and poor. Man is not machine just working in the factory like it was in the 19th century Europe. The circumstances of 18th century and the present day world are completely different. The development of information and communication technology has made the world smaller and narrower. Information flows swiftly and the society is closer today. Interdependence among the countries has increased. Even China and America are so close that it is completely impossible to separate in term of business and trade. In business world, some even say ‘’ Chimerica’’- China+America. In such scenario, the concept of Communist conflict cannot exist. The increase of middle class people has narrowed the gap between poor and rich and in such scenario, how can we envisage conflict with haves and have-nots? And what will happen if we always try to resolve the problem through the conflict between the working class and capitalists? We are living in a different age, in a different environment and with strong desire for democracy and freedom.
Pinker (2002) argues ‘’the Nazi holocaust was not the only ideologically holocaust in the 20th century, the mass killings in the Soviet Union, China, Combodia and totalitarian states carried out in the name of Marxism which was the most barbaric rule.’’
While observing discussion of secondary level students in a school, I was convinced with their finding that utopian society is impossible without democracy. Without democracy, we can expect only dystopian society. Despite these young teenagers’ conclusion, there are millions of people around the world with the belief that Communism is a perfect system.
Marx and Lenin must have thought for the better future of people, development of the society, equality and justice for all. However, we have the clear example of Communist leaders being dictator, accumulating wealth, living in comfort once their so called revolution is over. Time has changed; people in developed world have come to understand the reality of Communism. However, it is still popular among the masses in developed world where leaders make emotional speech and brain wash the youths, who live with a dream of utopian world of perfection.
‘’Comrades, rebellion! I do not know when that rebellion will come, it might be in a week or in a hundred years, but I know , as surely as I see this straw beneath my feet, that sooner or later justice will be done. Fix your eyes on that comrades, throughout the short reminder of your lives! And above all, pass on this message of mine to those who come after you, so that future generations shall carry on the struggle until it is victorious. And remember, comrades, your resolution must never falter. No argument must lead you astray. Never listen… ‘’ George Orwell wrote in ‘Animal Farm.’
Once the Communism rule is established the slogan changes from ‘’all … are equal’’ to ‘’some … are more equal than others,’’ like in the animal farm. When will the people in Communist Cuba or Korea will be equal? Even after three generation rules, nothing positive is seen when that day be seen?