Are the Amish communist? My friend says they are, I told them they aren't. Whose right, and please provide a valid explaination.

T-Monay820 Wrote:Are the Amish communist? My friend says they are, I told them they aren't. Whose right, and please provide a valid explaination.

Hmm, that is a DAMN good question. They DO believe that the good of the community comes before the good of the individual. Hmm.....I'll have to get back with you on that T. That's deep and I never, EVER even pondered the thought.

...of course Communists don't believe in a higher power, so they may, in fact, be Socialists.

My friend uses the arguement that they are communist because they use the collective system of earnings, where everyone gets the same amount. He also bases it upon the idea that since the live in communes, they are automatically communist. I tried to explain to him that they are democratic and that the communists are a one party totalitarian system of government. I like to use the saying my dad told me, "Just because they raise barns together doesn't make them communist."

T-Monay820 Wrote:My friend uses the arguement that they are communist because they use the collective system of earnings, where everyone gets the same amount. He also bases it upon the idea that since the live in communes, they are automatically communist. I tried to explain to him that they are democratic and that the communists are a one party totalitarian system of government. I like to use the saying my dad told me, "Just because they raise barns together doesn't make them communist."

The "Collective System" isn't a Communist invention and Totalitarianism isn't a tenet of Communism. The Russians perverted that idiot Marx's words. It's ALL bad. It punishes success.

RebelKev Wrote:The "Collective System" isn't a Communist invention and Totalitarianism isn't a tenet of Communism. The Russians perverted that idiot Marx's words. It's ALL bad. It punishes success.

I would say that it prevents success more than it punishes it. The only way to be successful in communist system is to be part of the in group of the government that abuses the system. It used to be chic to say that communism is great in theory but the more Political Science I have taken and the more I have thought about it the more absurd the whole system becomes. As I said it doesnt punish success as much as it prevents it, it does however punish hard work, working hard in a communist system gets you know where you get the same check if you go to work and work your ****** off as you do if you sit at home and do nothing. It does nothing but promote laziness.

As far as the question of Amish being communists I would have to say that they are not. A lot of people bash the Amish for various reasons but I have a lot of respect for them. They may be backwards and for lack of a better term rather odd but they do it to be closer to God, and though I dont believe that their lifestyle is necessary to be closer to God I do admire their sincerity, even though I think how they shun all outsiders is wrong.

Ok so Ill try to stay on subject this time. They are not communists because they live the way they do in order to feel closer to God. No matter what your opinion of them is nobody would ever accuse the Amish of laziness. They are known to be some of the hardest working people around. They live their lives to be closer to God and not for a false sense of equality like communists do. I guess you could say that the Amish are communists with religion but that would be giving way to much credit to the inherently corrupt communist system.

Communism is nothing but a modern attempt at Fuedelism under the guise of equality. There is nothing equal about a poverty stricken population living under a self-serving dictator and his circle of friends living lavishly under any profit produced by the system

Sorry for the rant but I truly despise communism and anyone who links it to the Amish is either Red or extremely naive and misunderstanding.

RebelKev Wrote:

T-Monay820 Wrote:Are the Amish communist? My friend says they are, I told them they aren't. Whose right, and please provide a valid explaination.

...of course Communists don't believe in a higher power,

Neither do you, are you a communist?

nate jonesacc Wrote:

RebelKev Wrote:

T-Monay820 Wrote:Are the Amish communist? My friend says they are, I told them they aren't. Whose right, and please provide a valid explaination.

...of course Communists don't believe in a higher power,

Neither do you, are you a communist?

Where did you get that from? Or was that a weak attempt at an insult?

T-Monay820 Wrote:Are the Amish communist? My friend says they are, I told them they aren't. Whose right, and please provide a valid explaination.

If an Amish man/woman decides they've had enough of the Amish lifestyle, they can "opt out" of the system and join another religion, buy electricity, adopt another lifestyle, etc. They may be shunned by some members of the Amish community, but they won't be thrown in a prison for their decision. In other words, the Amish communal actions are voluntary actions. As cohesive as the Amish community is, it isn't forced nor is there coersion. Therefore, the Amish aren't communist.

Hmmm...

This looks interesting!

Communism is a form of Government...

Marxism..."Before anyone has two pair of shoes...Everyone will have one pair!"

Terpy's remarks were pretty much on target. I do not
believe though, that it created lazy people...The average Russian is
a pretty smart person. Have you ever heard the Russian
phrase..."They pretend to pay us and we pretend to
work!"

I think a better description would be...it destroys productivity.

The Amish are a "cult"...They are similar to the communists in that they are a closed society. However,
they do "believe in the way they're living"...which was
different from the average Russian. Although Stalin's
purges made him the equal of Hitler, as a butcher...perhaps the most ruthless Soviet leader was
Brehznev.

The biggest difference...Once 'Ol Gorby gave the Russian
people a small taste of freedom...The damn broke!

The Amish...they live in a closed society, because that's
what they believe in.

I would find the Amish way of living to be more a
compliment to the "American Way of Life" or Democracy,
if you prefer...rather than Communists. i.e. They live
the life they want and do not infinge on the rights of anyone else!