[BenLurkin]

That kind of communalism can only work on a very small scale.

And as soon as government gets involved in controlling who gets what — that IS communism.

[hanamizu]

“That kind of communalism can only work on a very small scale.”

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I guess it all depends on what you mean by small scale. There have been several voluntary communal societies of pretty decent size. But time seems to be what dooms them. The true believers, the founders, seem to pull it off. Many of their children also buy into it, but the third generation, the grandchildren tend to fall away.

I think the Shakers managed the longest run and there are still, what four or five left. The last one will inherit everything they still own.

But there is a huge difference between voluntary sharing and government-compelled sharing. I always picture Dr Zhivago coming home to find his family is ‘sharing’ their home and being told they should be grateful for being allowed to live there at all.

[Still Thinking]

Actually it was charity. Meaning voluntary both on a macro and an individual level, not government enforced, and for a specific time period to recipients known to be deserving. Nothing like what he’s trying to justify.

[TexasFreeper2009]

it doesn’t even work on a small scale, the first lazy person who joins... it’s over.

[Jan_Sobieski]

The pilgrims tried communism their first year and all almost starved to death. William Bradford chronicled it in his book, “Plymouth Plantation”.