Is my geography book wrong?

In my geography book (for school) one can find this passage listed under 'Economic systems':

Comand Economy When an economic system is controlled by a single, central government, it is called a command economy. Nearly all economic decisions are made by government leaders exerting authoritarian control. The government decides what and how much to produce, where economic activities will be located, and what prices will be charged for goods and services.

In a command economy, decisions are often made to acheive social or political goals. For example, it may cost $1 to produce a quart of orange juice, but the price may be set at only 25 cents to make sure that all consumers are able to afford adequate supplies of juice.

One example of a command economy is communism. Under a Communist economy, the state owns and operates all the major farms, factories, utilities, and stores. government planners decide what products are made, how much workers will be paid, and how much things will cost. Because of their centralized economic planning, Communist systems are also called plan economies.

Again, this is from a school book from which I am supposed to... er... learn things. I decided to post this here because I question the validity of the third paragraph.

MightyObserver wrote:

One example of a command economy is communism. Under a Communist economy, the state owns and operates all the major farms, factories, utilities, and stores. government planners decide what products are made, how much workers will be paid, and how much things will cost. Because of their centralized economic planning, Communist systems are also called plan economies.

Yes, it is absolutely wrong. In communism all workers own everything and production and its methods are determined scientifically and democratically. There is no money nor trade so there is no cost nor salaries. Is communism a planned economy? Yes. Does it fit the definition given in your book? No.

By "Communism", they're unfortunately and inaccurately referring to "Stalinism". Both are collectivist, so it is true that one sole group owns the means of production; where they differ is how Zealot just stated. In Stalinism, it is the state that owns the means of production - but in a post-state Communist society, which is the goal of most Communists, the means of production and the decisions on how to use the means of production are in the hands fo the workers directly.

Stalinism - as well as any other form of State Socialism - is inherently authoritarian because centralized planning when a state is involved is usually abusive; Stalin killed thousands of peasants who refused to comply with his collectivization of the agricultural industry. Conversely, I should see no reason why a decentralized form of collectivization that most Communists advocate for - wherein there is no government, and power over the means of production is put into the hands of one of the lowest stratas of the economy, i.e. the proletariat - would be abusive or authoritarian.

The problem is that people conflate the U.S.S.R. with pure Communism, which isn't the case at all. I think we all know that the only Communist society to have ever existed that fit Marx's definition was the Paris Commune.

So yes, Communism follows a "command economy"; but, just like in Anarchist collectivist ideologies, this does not necessarily mean that it is authoritarian.

Damn skippy it's wrong. Last I checked, GODS weren't tradable comodities.

I had to say it.

you actually get ANY teching on the econamy?
here there are too many socialist to allow the goverment to do that kind of shit.

Thank you everybody. I just wanted to make sure. This is why I came here anyway...

Tyrong Kojy wrote:

Damn skippy it's wrong. Last I checked, GODS weren't tradable comodities.

I had to say it.

Huh?

MightyObserver wrote:

Thank you everybody. I just wanted to make sure. This is why I came here anyway...

You're welcome.

MightyObserver wrote:

Tyrong Kojy wrote:

Damn skippy it's wrong. Last I checked, GODS weren't tradable comodities.

I had to say it.

Huh?

He's basically making fun of your typo.

Zealot_Kommunizma wrote:

He's basically making fun of your typo.

I hadn't noticed a typo until reading this statement.

Tyrong Kojy wrote:

Damn skippy it's wrong. Last I checked, GODS weren't tradable comodities.

I had to say it.

That depends on what your definition of what a god is. I happen to have purchased twelve Thors and a Zeus this morning.

Heh not worst than my english book, there's a sentence where it says, the U.S.S.R is the biggest country in the world XD

Jesus wrote:

Heh not worst than my english book, there's a sentence where it says, the U.S.S.R is the biggest country in the world XD

U.S.S.R was the biggest country in the world, and now Russia is..

CoolKidX wrote:

Jesus wrote:

Heh not worst than my english book, there's a sentence where it says, the U.S.S.R is the biggest country in the world XD

U.S.S.R was the biggest country in the world, and now Russia is..

We're in 2008 Ussr's long gone XD and it's pretty ironic when you're term project is News based...

MightyObserver wrote:

Zealot_Kommunizma wrote:

He's basically making fun of your typo.

I hadn't noticed a typo until reading this statement.

Tyrong Kojy wrote:

Damn skippy it's wrong. Last I checked, GODS weren't tradable comodities.

I had to say it.

That depends on what your definition of what a god is. I happen to have purchased twelve Thors and a Zeus this morning.

True I suppose. I know my family pays tribute to His Noodliness every time we buy pasta, meatballs, and tomato sauce.

Here in Canada, we are taught so many lies. Today I asked one of my classmate's who I...uhhh....utterly despise, and asked her if she would live in a democratic or communist society. She said Democratic, and I said, do you even know what a Communism is? She looked very troubled and answered: You already know, Why do I need to tell you? Some other students who weren't taught by teachers and parents were not biased. They just answered: I don't now what either are, so I can't make an informed desicion. They are brought up to hate Communism. One of my teachers, Mr.Eisenhauer (his great gandpa was the president) is left! He is one cool guy with a good sense of humour!

alexCCCP-RUS-54321 wrote:

Here in Canada, we are taught so many lies. Today I asked one of my classmate's who I...uhhh....utterly despise, and asked her if she would live in a democratic or communist society. She said Democratic, and I said, do you even know what a Communism is? She looked very troubled and answered: You already know, Why do I need to tell you? Some other students who weren't taught by teachers and parents were not biased. They just answered: I don't now what either are, so I can't make an informed desicion. They are brought up to hate Communism. One of my teachers, Mr.Eisenhauer (his great gandpa was the president) is left! He is one cool guy with a good sense of humour!

Yeah that's why i red animal farm in school, because they don't talk about communism in canada... DOH

haha That book greatly depicts the Soviet Union!

Liche wrote:

haha That book greatly depicts the Soviet Union!

Not necessarily the story isn't the same with Snowball (Trotsky) in command.

Jesus wrote:

Not necessarily the story isn't the same with Snowball (Trotsky) in command.

There isn't a version in which Snowball is in command somehow, is there?

The book is accurate. People on this forum are wrong.

yea its wrong. they could also explain it with couple of more words. because i got bored of reading that. btw schoolstuff should be neutral so this book is really really bad. good i dont live where you do. with such unaccurate books. in denmark they are correct.

nillerz wrote:

The book is accurate. People on this forum are wrong.

No, the book uses the idiotic nomenclature the West is famous for.

Jesus wrote:

alexCCCP-RUS-54321 wrote:

Here in Canada, we are taught so many lies. Today I asked one of my classmate's who I...uhhh....utterly despise, and asked her if she would live in a democratic or communist society. She said Democratic, and I said, do you even know what a Communism is? She looked very troubled and answered: You already know, Why do I need to tell you? Some other students who weren't taught by teachers and parents were not biased. They just answered: I don't now what either are, so I can't make an informed desicion. They are brought up to hate Communism. One of my teachers, Mr.Eisenhauer (his great gandpa was the president) is left! He is one cool guy with a good sense of humour!

Yeah that's why i red animal farm in school, because they don't talk about communism in canada... DOH

Did you know that a poll taken said that 50% of the canadian adults say they're socialist. They don't vote that beacuse they do strategic voting. I hope you know what tha means.
And they do talk about cammunism thhough, but only how democracy is better. They don't explain what it is. Some students undestand this, so they don't take either side. But some are just brought up to hate it. That was what I saying. I see you didn't understand my post. But Mr.E is as left as it can get. We were going to make a commie club, but we rhought no one would even understand or take part...DOH.

nillerz wrote:

The book is accurate. People on this forum are wrong.

I would think Zealot knows more than you. Don't take that harshly. I don't mean for it to imply anger.

alexCCCP-RUS-54321 wrote:

nillerz wrote:

The book is accurate. People on this forum are wrong.

I would think Zealot knows more than you. Don't take that harshly. I don't mean for it to imply anger.

Than why even say it? Theirs no point to it besides slander. If he knows more or not Nillerz could know more of a specific subject than Zealot..

Rename wrote:

Than why even say it? Theirs no point to it besides slander. If he knows more or not Nillerz could know more of a specific subject than Zealot..

I'd say he was refering to socialism in which case Alex is right as Nillerz has often demonstrated.

Zeronos wrote:

nillerz wrote:

The book is accurate. People on this forum are wrong.

No, the book uses the idiotic nomenclature the West is famous for.

WTH you do often say west?
there are NO socalist econamies in the world, the wast majoraty of ppl favor capitalism. what in the world is it "west" if you mean anti-ussr nations you can use Nato ot the US gov, not west. by saying west you might be saying anything.

p.s. the only thing that's wrong there is that it'S central or something like that not planned, it'S weird they mention communism becuse it dosn't HAVE to be "planned".