“Maybe it’s just me, but I can’t see what they GET out of it-other than control.”
Inquire no further, don’t over-think this. Control IS the endgame. Name any communist country that made the material well-being of their populace a priority. Name any communist regime that found its citizens more prosperous 10 years after assuming power. You already know the answer to this, I don’t have to tell you. None of them; not one. You can say it’s because communism “fails.” I don’t think it fails in it’s goals at all. It is wildly successful once you understand the definition of success for the communist. Success is control by the “party” and destruction of political opposition. It means the complete subjugation of the masses to the total and complete power of the state. Because material well-being means wealth and independence, and wealth and independence means the loss of control, material well-being cannot be allowed. Since control is everything, the Marxists cannot allow the masses to live in anything other than dependent poverty.
So having a productive economy that markets consumer goods to itself is inconsistent with a communist state. Now, the production of consumer goods is another matter; make them but don’t use them. Sell them for international currency, as a means of enhancing the international economic power of the state. That’s the Chinese Communist model.
So pretty much everything goes out of business; can’t afford cable, internet, QVC, pizza etc...would we get SUBSIDIZED to be able to “afford” to keep chosen businesses in business with printed money?
Is that what you mean by dependent poverty?
I know I’m over-thinking; can’t help it because it makes no sense to me to be in control of a useless, broke country of robots who hate you!
I know they probably just want to be feared more than admired, but what an awful lot of work and angst for a fleeting feeling of utter control. Hope it’s worth the trouble because the Americans I know will never allow it to last-for long.And I’d hate to be the Controlling Force when the dust settles.
True Americans have looooong memories.