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[Virex]

AFAIK Soviet Union wasn't exactly far behind USA in the technological arms race of Cold War, and their R&D was done by government institutions and universities.

Depends on the department. They had amazing metallurgists, rocket scientists (they build a friggin turbo for a rocket engine!) and Microbiological researchers (Instead of antibiotics they used viruses that killed bacteria to cure people), but they were generally miles behind when it came to electronics (MiG's used to have cathode ray tubes instead of chips until at least late in the seventies if not the eighties)

Apparently (and I'm unsure if this is true) MiG's were built with cathode ray tubes because microchips are vulnerable to the EMP that would be set off by a nuclear blast.

That's not the main reason. While Cathode ray tubes are less susceptible to EMP, properly shielded microchips also have little problems with it.

[ProZocK]

     The problem about Capitalism is that it sucks, but compared to the alternatives, its probably the best we came up with.

     Socialism is beautiful, but Marx, while writing "The Capital" took heavily on Rousseau thinking that men is inherently good. I am not saying most men are evil, but there are some pretty bad people out there, and usually they are the ones who end in a position of power. One only have to look to the socialist countries of today to see that unfortunately the transition from socialism to true communism is impossible thanks to the need of having a leader figure to start the process, and that leader figure ending up becoming a dictator( Fidel, Mao, Lenin and Stalin). On paper socialism is perfect, but since men are not, its doomed to fail.

     It is my belief the Anarchism would only lead to a fractured society, that in time would have to rebuild the current power structure. Its pretty cool to believe we don't need a government, but when there is no police who will stop someone to stealing your stuff? Your community? What about that other community thats twice as big and wants your stuff? You better get some other communities to join you, and then the politics start all over.

     Theocracy would work if everyone would follow the same Religion, and in the same way. Pretty impossible, since the evolution of ideas will always make people interpret things in a different way.

     I believe there no need to address Monarchy and Feudalism.

     So when all is said and done, what alternative do we have today?

[AtomicPaperclip]

^ Don't create complex societies that require complex governments and economic systems.

[Jimmy]

You go right ahead, then watch as the other guy that did conquers you.

[Aqizzar]

We can also stop bringing up the same ridiculously bland and simplistic platitudes about arbitrary theoretical governments.  The world is full of detail.

[ProZocK]

We can also stop bringing up the same ridiculously bland and simplistic platitudes about arbitrary theoretical governments.  The world is full of detail.

It is, but when people compare Theoretical governments that handle the economy in a different way like Anarchism and True Communism to Capitalism, they tend to forget those details as well.

Edit: Typos and punctuation. Just because I cant sleep doesn't mean I'm not drowsy it seems.

[AtomicPaperclip]

You go right ahead, then watch as the other guy that did conquers you.

There lies the problem =/
We should nuke everyone and start over.

[ProZocK]

You go right ahead, then watch as the other guy that did conquers you.

There lies the problem =/
We should nuke everyone and start over.

A fellow Fallout fan.
Do you really want to live in the wastes? I sure do not.

[Soadreqm]

Nuking the whole world is a beautiful and elegant solution that completely solves the stated problem, while making the actual issue worse. Fixing the problem, not the power plant.

As for six-figure medical bills, while you are technically free to refuse the treatment and die, those shouldn't be the only two options. Having to work for the rest of your life to pay the cost for having a life is better than the alternative, but things would be even better than that if you could just get free treatment, and continue your life more or less normally.

[DJ]

Theocracy would work if everyone would follow the same Religion, and in the same way. Pretty impossible, since the evolution of ideas will always make people interpret things in a different way.

Sure it's possible. Spain was virtually 100% Catholic during Inquisition period.

[Aqizzar]

Spain was virtually 100% Catholic during Inquisition period.

Now think about that for a second.  Why would there be an Inquisition if virtually everyone is Catholic?  (For the record, the answer is that there were tons of Jews and Muslims in Spain, who the Catholics had finally managed to conquer the peninsula from.  Can't guess at a percentage though.)

[DJ]

Well, there were Jews and Muslims at start, but pretty soon they all either moved or formally converted. Later on it was mostly aimed at people who weren't good enough Catholics, ie secretly practiced their own religion, or were rich and didn't donate enough to their local church, or were politically inconvenient so king and clergy decided to kill them and split their stuff.

You do know that Inquisitors only work on Catholic general in MTW, right

[HideousBeing]

     Socialism is beautiful, but Marx, while writing "The Capital" took heavily on Rousseau thinking that men is inherently good.

I would argue that man is inherently good, but is able to justify doing things really really well. People think that people in positions of power are horrible people. I know a few big oil execs and they are generally put in positions where doing some of their bullshit seems like a good option. Power corrupts holds true. The only person I know that I think isn't inherently good is my step grandmother whom is likely a psychopath by definition, so she doesn't count.

Of course, being able to justify doing anything is kind of just a loophole; it's effectively the same thing.

[ProZocK]

Well, there were Jews and Muslims at start, but pretty soon they all either moved or formally converted. Later on it was mostly aimed at people who weren't good enough Catholics, ie secretly practiced their own religion, or were rich and didn't donate enough to their local church, or were politically inconvenient so king and clergy decided to kill them and split their stuff.

You do know that Inquisitors only work on Catholic general in MTW, right

Well, yes, you can try to FORCE people to believe in the same way you do, but that by itself requires an institution like the Inquisition, witch is  the main reason why Theocracy does not work. If it did, the inquisition of today would be the same it was those centuries ago.
People have a limited amount of time where they accept being scared and killed into doing something.

     Socialism is beautiful, but Marx, while writing "The Capital" took heavily on Rousseau thinking that men is inherently good.

I would argue that man is inherently good, but is able to justify doing things really really well. People think that people in positions of power are horrible people. I know a few big oil execs and they are generally put in positions where doing some of their bullshit seems like a good option. Power corrupts holds true. The only person I know that I think isn't inherently good is my step grandmother whom is likely a psychopath by definition, so she doesn't count.

Of course, being able to justify doing anything is kind of just a loophole; it's effectively the same thing.

Do you believe people are born with any notion of what is good? A baby does not know killing another person is wrong, if it is taught that killing someone is good, then will it not be good for him? Society forms the idea of and and good, and power over others has always been the biggest objective in a society. Power corrupts, but the more corruptible you are from start the easier you get it.
But yeah, in the end it is the same thing. When you look at both options, Men not being inherently good and power corrupts both spell the doom of communism.

[DJ]

I think it had more with kings wanting more authority over their own countries, rather being co-rulers with the Church.