Communism has no appeal to me. I am, as a liberal, in favor of the government offering assistance to the people. No, I don't want lazy people to get free money. I do, however, believe that it is the right thing to do to help those in need. Thus, nationalized healthcare and other social programs like that appeal to me. I don't think that the government should be the sole provider, though.

Communism and Socialsims are very different things. Every country has some level of Socialism. Medicaid and public schooling are examples of Socialism. Any case where someone gets benefits targeted at them just because they are members of society (as opposed to general public benefits like roads and defence) are Socialist in principle. Countries simple different in the amount of Socialism they are willing to provide. Socialism still sits on top of a Capitalist economy based on personal ownership of productive facilities. Communism is based on the fallacy that everybody will work as hard and as honestly for the common good as for themselves. Therefore Communism takes everything into public ownership, then tells people how top work and hands out the benefits of that work as it sees fit. This is, and has been proved experimentally and theoretically, simply idiotic. Communism will not work for species which have evolved Darwinianly.

I always found it amusing that the American military is one of the best examples of Socialism that works. (Just go with me on this one, I know the "that works" part is debatable.) Free healthcare. Jobs based on test scores. Everyone's base pay, regardless of the job, is the same and based on rank and time in grade, but the people who need more money (married, with kids ...) get more money. So a Socialist organization basically protects and promotes the most well-known example of Capitalism.

Both have value to some degree. Communism does provide, however scantily, for those who cannot produce the means of livelihood. Socialism coordinates disparate systems within a social construct. But there the useful aspects end. Both are based upon the premise that the people are too stupid, too lazy, or too inept to do anything without government supervision. Their primary value is as examples of how badly a society can go wrong.

an interesting way to phrase the question......as alec pointed out, socialism and communism are definitely 2 separate things....... ... .however, although all capitalist countries have some socialistic type programs, does not mean they automatically use "socialism" (that all was a side point above) . MY MAIN POINTS!! . no, i do not believe either socialism, communism or a mixture of socialism and capitalism work.....here is why: . #1---both socialism and communism (in their more pure forms) collapse under their own weight and die..... ........example for comunism---former soviet union............yes, i can hear it now---"but it was their corruption and government problems that caused it to faill.".....while that wasn't the main cause (big cause is government couldn't support their own massive "butt" (so to speak)....they had pushed their own policy to collapse, it could no longer support itself), it is true that corruption was rampant near the end.....but that is what great power in the hands of a select few does..........and both socialism and comunism put great power in select few........AND it decreses liberty and freedom......yes, technically there could still be free elections and such in a communistic or socialist country, however, nobody (or nearly nobody) is going to bite the hand that feeds them......if everyone is forced to rely on the government.......they have very very very VERY few options for voting......99.82% of the time there are 2 options op#1....same guy who is consumed with power op#2....new guy who preaches he is for you and your freedoms but is only in it for the power and will screw you over just as fast as op#1.. . as for you saying...quote "What about a mix of Capitalism and Socialism like some European countries have employed to great effect?"......that's bs.......yes it looks all nice and friendly on the outside but all their new socialism parts of their countries are just driving up their debt even faster............. and haven't you noticed that they can't stop???? more and more programs are becoming socialist/government run.......it is a slippery slope that is nearly impossible to stop once one is on it.. .....their rationality (supposedly) is "well, just this one (or 2) government run programs, for the good of the people." ---------but soon many many more programs run by government are created in the name of the good of the people...and soon you find yourself in the position with great power in the hands of a few... . and now america is faced with this decision......do we start down that same slippery slope?? or do we CHOOSE not to?? stay tuned for the next 5 years to a decade to find out.......