[becquerel]

communism, because when everyone's basic needs are guaranteed they have the mental/physical bandwidth to be innovators, and without commodity fetishism, scientific advancements can be made for the sake of responding to human needs, rather than facilitating the creation of products

[HealthNeed]

History says that while the idea may have merit, the implementation has been poor, tragic even.

[dgfitz]

Communism in the US is just never going to happen. Full stop. Just. Not. Happening.

Following your line of reasoning to conclusion, what incentive do I have to work if all my "needs" are provided already? Extrapolate that out to the rest of the population. Oh so now I am being forced to work? What motivation do I have to do a good job? What will happen, I'll get fired from the job? Who cares, all my 'needs' are already taken care of. By who? I don't know. Oh wait I do know, by NOBODY.

This communism bullshit has got to stop, it's just never going to fucking happen.

[ativzzz]

There was a joke in soviet russia - "we don't get paid much, so we also don't work much either"

[gusgus01]

Well the question wasn't "What's a system that could happen in the USA", it was specifically asking about theoretical systems.

[janalsncm]

There’s something to be said for the fact that in a monopoly, the logical conclusion of capitalism, there is also a lack of competition and incentive to innovate.

To answer your question, though, if everyone’s needs were actually met why should anyone work? Within the century we will be living in a world where a lot of our most basic needs can be fulfilled by fully autonomous machines. Who should benefit from this? A few trillionaires, while the rest toil their lives away? Or the majority, whose lives can all be improved?

Likely every country will answer that question for themselves. But I submit that a country where there are the better part of a million homeless people (including children) and a handful of space-faring billionaires and celebrities hardly has the moral authority to shake their fingers at the others.

[dgfitz]

> Within the century we will be living in a world where a lot of our most basic needs can be fulfilled by fully autonomous machines.

How can you possibly know that? Answer: you can't.

Back in the 50s it was assumed we would have flying cars by now. Turns out we don't.

Dismissing my point with "well in 100 years.." is, to be blunt, a lazy, bullshit response.

[tacheiordache]

That's in theory only. In practice communism develops just like crony capitalism does.