this was written in 2004, imagine being this mad about communism in the early 2000s
I'm actually pleasantly surprised communism is pretty accurately described there as common ownership with a 'to each according to their need' type model. You know, instead of what we normally get which is "big government dictator owns everything and makes rock music illegal and no food lmao."
It's goofy yeah, but I mean look at what Cyberpunk 2020 or any other RPG book has to say about the topic
they're only saying that because they already said it doesn't work in the real world (i.e. it just ends up being “big government dictator owns everything and makes rock music illegal and no food lmao.").
I feel like it's still quite rare to see a modern argument against communism that also pins down the basic features of it, especially in something like an RPG rulebook
Most arguments would say it both doesn't work and it's when the government does stuff, so that makes this particular take like what, 50% better than average?
from my faintest childhood memories, I believe the Cyberpunk 2020 rulebook describes communism as simply a more intense type of police state and that's the furthest it gets into the subject. I have the book somewhere in a closet if anyone's actually interested. Would make a nice contrast with what the OP posted.
I agree. Particularly in 2004, when "America Wins, Fuck You" is this prevailing western narrative, Cuba is still struggling to survive without the USSR, and the Pacific Economic Crisis has set back Vietnam and China substantively, it certainly doesn't look like Communism is Inevitable. Quite the opposite.
But these authors decided to include it speculatively anyway. When it has never been more difficult to conceive of a world without capitalism, we're being introduced to the idea of potlatch and resiprosity as an economic basis.
Just a year after Invasion of Iraq
Hey "End of History", how's it goin?
People malding about gommunism whenever façade of Capitalist World Order cracks
:yea:
the 69th law of thermodynamics states that "food pantries and libraries are impossible. you cretin. you oaf"
Read the transhuman space campaign book for some more hot takes lol. I love gurps, but you can tell it's written by a bunch of white 40 year old military contractors when it gets to the political.
My favorite part of the THS books is when a corporation discovers a cure for AIDS but only lets impoverished nations have it if they give the corporation ownership of all their industry, like some kind of even more predatory IMF loan, is given the contextualizing of "altruistic corporations 🥰🥰 doing well by doing good 🥰🥰"
