seanie

Cuba's already changing. The USSR collapse left them very isolated. And with the US tightening sanctions they had to embrace a series of pragmatic reforms. They've had some success in this. I think there is a possibility for Cuba to make a fairly smooth transition to a more democratic system.

But a lot depends on the US. I think the US would prefer a chaotic collapse to a smooth transition and will act accordingly.

Morgan

Anarcho-capitalism? How would that system be prevented from coming under control of big corporations? (not that our current system is so very different...)

You're right, of course, with China. I don't necessarily agree with their policy (if there was more time, I would lean towards encouragement against having a second child, instead of enforcing it), they do need to curb their population rather rapidly. Plus, it'll put a stop to sibling rivalry....

Nataraja

Well, I'm not talking pure anarcho-capitalism. You see, I don't think that syndicalist notions are completely incompatible with capitalism and I think the consumers could protect themselves from being burned by similar methods of inter-reliance. Well, that's how I think it might work (a system of checks and balances). We'll just have to go with libertarianism and see where we can go from there, but the first struggle would, of course, be to convince people of the benefits of having control over their own lives (liberty).

Loren Pechtel

Originally posted by Morgan
China - The only thing I really know about China is their suppression of the religion Falun Gong. They're not communist either, really, and it's a pretty nasty country anyway (forceable abortion of any couple who decide to have a second child).

No such thing--that's a lie spread by the religious right.

What actually happens is there are considerable financial penalties for a second child and social pressure is brought. Force is not used, however, other than some incidents involving local authorities going beyond the law.

It certainly isn't communist, however. Two of my relatives over there are members of the communist party--and avid investors in the stock market over there. No true communist would own stock! Being part of the communist party brings power, it's not an ideological issue for mosts people.

Answerer

I don't think China will suddenly collapse like Russia did, indeeed thanks to Russia, the chinese government now have taken up several precautions.

North Korea, on the other hand, seem to be the next U.S target. Even with out U.S's interference, a reunification between the two Korea nations will make communism hard to remain.

Loren Pechtel

Originally posted by Answerer
I don't think China will suddenly collapse like Russia did, indeeed thanks to Russia, the chinese government now have taken up several precautions.

However, they almost did collapse because of Tianamen Square. When your troops don't obey your orders to suppress something your control hangs by a thread.

seanie

Bit of an exaggeration. Tianamen Square hardly counts as the near collapse of China.

And the whole troop thing was easily solved. Send the local troops who don't want to shoot their friends and neighbours back to barracks.

And bus in troops from a distant province who don't know what's going on and who are less fussy.

Problem solved.

Morgan

Nataraja, I'm sure your system would work in a community of intellectuals. But by and large, normal people (from my experience, anyway) don't give a damn about politics and are quite happy to have others control many aspects of their lives for them. Why do you think there aren't more revolutions?

Nataraja

Well, that's why anarchy is currently very unrealistic. Society needs to be retrained. Our best course would be to continuously sap power from the government over a long period of time until its existance becomes redundant. Society will adapt to the changing environment without need of design and would hardly notice how limited the role of government really is. This approach would allow us to solve new problems as they arise.

Authoritarian government has always been harmful to the people who are forced to live under it. The sooner we leave it behind the better. There has never been a good authoritarian government.

Shake

Well, when I first looked over the choices this is what I thought. Now that I read more about China, I'm tending to lean that way. But it's been said that having (partly at least) embraced capitalism, communism there is already in decline.

Yeah, Cuba's got it better than the others, but that could also be an incentive for them to change. How many more baseball players defecting is it going to take for them to realize what they're missing out on? I mention baseball players since they're high profile and just as revered in Cuba as in the US (if not more).