Communism/Theocracy?

[Ice]

Which would you rather live under? Be realistic, I'm not talking about Utopian for either. One that you would probably expect to exist. Oh, and the theocracy is either Christian/Islamic. Either one will do.

Although I loathe both for various reasons, I would probably say a theocracy. I would just pretend to except whatever was being preached. I just hate redistribution of wealth by the government that much.

[CountArach]

Whilst I would support a utopian communist state, it would have to be utoipian and not Soviet-style Communism. Other than that I would go to a Theocratic Government. The thing is that I would be so brain washed into believing that whatever I was told was correct, that I wouldn't mind being there...

[PanzerJaeger]

Is there really any question?

Where is fascism?

[ajaxfetish]

What's the difference?

Ajax

[Randarkmaan]

Since you seem to imply that both are totalitarian I don't see why should bother choosing, as it is with totalitarian states they are pretty much alike no matter what their ideology.

[cegorach]

And where is 'GAH !' ?

Both choices are the same - in the beginning such countries are murderous, power-hungry, warmongering dictatorships to become decaying, conservative, grey places where black market is the only area showing constant growth.

PanzerJager


Is there really any question?

Where is fascism?

It is almost the same as thocracy/communism, but is more suicidal.

[doc_bean]

Gah !

It all depends on how it's implemented, I think I'd prefer comunism, seeing as then at least part of the money I'd have to give will go to the people and not into funding essentially pointless things, like more church buildings, a university where all you do all day is reading the Bible or funding a 'class' of people who only 'serve' God and don't do any other job.

Poverty for anyone not in the religious class or party would be your fate in either society. I don't see why you're focusing on redistribution of wealth, since their won't be much wealth to distribute.

Note: I know there are rich people in China, but then they're no longer really communist, more totalitarian-capitalist, if that makes sense.

[HoreTore]

Well, the theocracy oppresses atheists, the communists oppresses religious idiots...

The answer is simple, communism. I'd even want to live under Stalin than in a religious society.

But, my choice, of course, would be to have the socialist economics, without the state terror of Lenin... Well, not as much anyway.

[Marshal Murat]

I think Communist society rather than Theocracy.

A Communist society means that you get to serve your 'Motherland' which sounds cool.

[Caius]

here

[lars573]

Given those choices, communist. Not even a contest.

[King Henry V]

I'd pick Iran over the USSR any day of the week. Sure, in both freedoms are limited, but in Iran you do have a limited democracy, even though that normally means that you can only choose between conservative and very conservative candidates. Besides, what is a communist regime other than an atheist theocracy?

[TevashSzat]

Communist definately since the odds are it will either collapse into a republic/democracy or sustain itself and turn out to be a more captialist socliast government liek China

[Blodrast]

Well, I've already tried one of them, so I'd give theocracy a shot, just to see if it can outdo communism.

[Lord Winter]

I'll take my chances with theocracy, at theast then you have some personal freedom in what job you do and the amount of money you can earn.

[Ironside]

Whatever that's least oppressive and that's impossible to say without further information. Both can be quite relaxed and very oppressive.

I'd pick Iran over the USSR any day of the week. Sure, in both freedoms are limited, but in Iran you do have a limited democracy, even though that normally means that you can only choose between conservative and very conservative candidates. Besides, what is a communist regime other than an atheist theocracy?

I'll rise with Talibans and Cuba. See the problem?

[Navaros]

Theocracy is awesome. The world would be a much better place if every country was a theocracy.

[HoreTore]

Theocracy is awesome. The world would be a much better place if every country was a theocracy.

Unfortunately, there are some idiots in the world who actually believes this...

There is a theocratic party here in Norway actually, and their arguments are scary to say the least. And what they're trying to achieve is basically a cross between the taliban and iran...

Ie, stone anyone having sex, kill the infidels, destroy freedom of speech(how can anyone be allowed to blaspheme against god?!?) etc etc...

Fortunately, they only have the support of themselves, so they are just cute little muppets in my opinion

"You can have freedom without communism, but you can never have communism without freedom". True words in my opinion...

[AntiochusIII]

Theocracy is awesome. The world would be a much better place if every country was a theocracy.

God-King Navaros?

This is actually a hard question; but I think Ice's focus on the redistribution of wealth isn't exactly on the right spot.

By examples in reality, the "redistribution" part happens only during the revolutionary phase, which in any case usually implies that the society was so desperately sick that some bastards -- like the damnable Russian nobles -- really deserved to be "redistributed" (in a poetic sense, anyway; hear that, Katerina "the Great?"). After that, all hail the Party, the Leader, and his Rich Men.

If we are to look at the same extreme for Theocracy, though, I think I'd be more worried for this one. They rise so easily and maintain themselves easier because they don't merely propagandize for the brain, they propagandize to control the soul. God says so is certainly more effective in controlling the masses than the Leader who died a few months ago used to say so.

PJ: I think fascism is a very strange ideology that cannot be applied to real life in any "good" fashion. You see, it is an aggressive appeal to the most macho and masochistic of our essence. Violence, expansion, control, an external enemy, national glory, moral superiority, domination...

Just about the worst choice, really. The communist and theocratic regimes tend to have their occasional reigns of terror; fascism is a perpetual one.

They usually maintain a haphazard quasi-monopoly economy where the Very Very Rich Men supports the government in exchange for economic monopoly.

HoreTore: I don't believe the communist regimes Ice is talking about scores very well on the Freedom Meter, personally. And I'm a blasphemous damn liberal intent on destroying America for many on the right, too. You see, he requires an example of what happened in real life, in which the philosophies of Marx, Engel, or Bakunin are never really implemented in any effective fashion. If it's the ideal utopia then even I will go for theocracy. Why? -- ideally, there's a God! All hail immortality! *plots to overthrow God*

[Kanamori]

I'd like to think I'd do well moving up the bureaucratic ladder. Get some special privileges, keep the peasants down... all in a day's work.

[Meneldil]

I'd like to think I'd do well moving up the bureaucratic ladder. Get some special privileges, keep the peasants down... all in a day's work.

Seconded. Until the Father of the Nation decide that I'm moving up way to fast for him, and sends me to some 'Re-education camp', where I'll learn the true meaning of comradship and work.

[Kanamori]

Then you're not doing well.

[Husar]

It depends a lot on the leaders in both cases.
Being christian, I wouldn't mind our pastor running the country, but certain christian extremists would make me want to leave because I don't really see oppression as something christian. Nowhere did Jesus say you should force someone to do this or that.
So if we compare an extremist christian theocracy or an islamic sharia theocracy to communism led by really nice people(that means no killing of opposition, decent healthcare etc) then it's communism. And the other way around, a lot depends on how you implement a system. It's the same as with kings, there are glorious nice guys and tyrants, both are called monarchs.

[HoreTore]

HoreTore: I don't believe the communist regimes Ice is talking about scores very well on the Freedom Meter, personally. And I'm a blasphemous damn liberal intent on destroying America for many on the right, too. You see, he requires an example of what happened in real life, in which the philosophies of Marx, Engel, or Bakunin are never really implemented in any effective fashion. If it's the ideal utopia then even I will go for theocracy. Why? -- ideally, there's a God! All hail immortality! *plots to overthrow God*

Yes, I agree completely with that. None of the communist countries so far has even come close to something remotely called freedom... I hope it won't turn out the same way in Venezuela though. If Chavez can pull it off and create a truly free country...

Anyway, I blame Stalin.

As for the "utopian theocracy", well, it will depend on the god in question... I will fight the gods of islam, christianity and judaism to the death, there is no way I will obey such an evil creature...

[Strike For The South]

I'd spend my time trying to topple both

[caravel]

And where is 'GAH !' ?

My thoughts exactly. The poll needs a GAH!/Anarchy option.

[Hosakawa Tito]

Bleh, back to me hermits' cave.

[Redleg]

I would be given a re-education in either circumstance in this poll.

[Kommodus]

Well, I would be part of the underground resistance in either regime. However, I voted "theocracy" because I think there may be more potential for change. The desire for freedom of conscience is so powerful that there would never be a shortage of people willing to rise up against the state-sponsored clerics.

A massive all-powerful communist state, controlling all the resources and making sure no one really stands out among the crowd, would be hard to rebel against. After a time, that kind of abuse causes people to act like battered children - living in fear, self-doubt, and despair.

Then again, I look at the Islamic states of the Middle East and wonder. Under such religious oppression, why aren't there more voices of dissent? Is the brainwashing caused by both the ruling powers and peer pressure even stronger than the conformity opposed by a communist state? Very possibly.

Nice poll; I've never seen such horrific choices! "Would you rather be burned alive or boiled in oil..."

[John86]

If were talking extremes, it would of course be Fascism.

Since the option is not available, Id choose religious theocracy, where the option for personal advancement is still a possibilty.