From: C622B@webtv.net   
      
   This appears to be an interesting alt. group, which I stumbled upon by   
   accident.   
      
   I already see a lot of comments that are somewhat off the mark.,,   
   regarding Marx and "what he got wrong".   
      
   In 1998, a British historian sponsored a reprint of the Manifesto, on   
   the 150th year of its creation by Karl Marx and Frederick Engels. and   
   the reason?? <<  because so many of the problems we see today were known   
   and discussed 150 years ago by Karl Marx.<<   
      
   See if your library has it or can get ahold of a copy for you. The 49   
   page IIRC, introduction by Eric Hobsbaum is very, very, good reading.   
   Marx was prescient on a great many things.   
      
   Now about "ownership". Marx held that Communism would hold "all land and   
   the means of production"........  Private Russian citizens could own,   
   and Did Own their own houses,, but not the land on which it stood.   
      
   And surely, the workers owned their personal effects, their clothes, and   
   their cars.   
      
   Regarding money. I think it advantageous to keep Money as the storehouse   
   of  purchasing power.   On the subject of trade, I don't recall a whole   
   lot about trade in the Manifesto. Marx did say <<< Free Trade Will Bring   
   About The Revolt Of The Working Class <<< I believe he said that on a   
   visit to America some time after Manifesto was written. He may have   
   lectured at Harvard.   
      
   Most of his ideas based upon observation of conditions in 19th century   
   Capitalism were quite sound. But the Soviet operation of a 'command   
   economy" was inefficient, by  most modern standards ..   
      
   There needs be a Work // Reward system, based upon "talent" as Thomas   
   Jefferson, would say. So a little higher pay, or other "perks' is in   
   order under practical Communism.   
      
   With today's vast computer systems, a new start at a command economy,   
   might be much more successful. <<< In the Soviet Union, we do not know   
   the True Cost of a single nail" <<< -- Nikita Kruschev. addressing the   
   Supreme Soviets   
      
   Also, "class struggle", in America was strongly toned down throughout   
   the 20th century, thanks to the unions and "collective bargaining".   
   Managers and Workers got along much better than Class Struggle. But   
   Class Struggle is back what with our jobs being exported and immigrants   
   competing for the jobs remaining, and the steady erosion of the Unions.   
      
   I don't want to ramble on at greater length, but no doubt I would like   
   to return here.   
      Charles Bash   
      
   <<< Capitalism Has Created An Economic Condition Unimaginable In Any   
   Previous Age -- Over Production Of Goods And Commodities <<<  karl   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)