I’ve been thinking a lot recently about the difference between policy and material conditions. The USSR wouldn’t have had queues (or very long queues) if they were a rich country like the United States. Any socialist country that is rich would have plenty of materials that nobody would ever have to wait in line (at least not a long line, no longer than in current day USA)
Of course, under socialism, certain excesses would be limited, but at the same time, if your country literally already had what it needed because of the overcapacity built by capitalism, then under socialism, basically all needs would be met very easily.
I need to do some more reading by other people on this topic because I’m no expert, but it makes sense to me.
The USSR wouldn’t have had queues (or very long queues) if they were a rich country like the United States.
Exactly, absolutely brilliant point. This is why your socialism is only as advanced as your productive forces and productive output. Otherwise you’re building communism by decree rather than by degree.
A note about those queues.
I’ve been thinking a lot recently about the difference between policy and material conditions. The USSR wouldn’t have had queues (or very long queues) if they were a rich country like the United States. Any socialist country that is rich would have plenty of materials that nobody would ever have to wait in line (at least not a long line, no longer than in current day USA)
Of course, under socialism, certain excesses would be limited, but at the same time, if your country literally already had what it needed because of the overcapacity built by capitalism, then under socialism, basically all needs would be met very easily.
I need to do some more reading by other people on this topic because I’m no expert, but it makes sense to me.
Exactly, absolutely brilliant point. This is why your socialism is only as advanced as your productive forces and productive output. Otherwise you’re building communism by decree rather than by degree.