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For some definitions of communism... in the US, many would have us believe that universal health care is a key component of communism and China still has plenty

For some definitions of communism... in the US, many would have us believe that universal health care is a key component of communism and China still has plenty of that.

acta_non_verba 6y ago
China doesn’t have universal healthcare free at the point of use. The UK, a capitalist country, does.
- bbreier 6y ago
  I'm not sure how this relates to my claim
imtringued 6y ago
I don't think capitalism is incompatible with government run services. Some services are so fundamental that everyone needs them and thus demand is very easy to predict. Adding profit incentives to basic needs just adds friction and inefficiency since the transaction is involuntary. Private industry is really, really good at innovation (e.g. discovering new drugs and treatments) and providing optional goods and services but most people just want a basic level of service and they want a funding structure that does not misalign incentives. For example, optional basic health insurance doesn't work because poor people will quit the insurance program while they are healthy and then only unhealthy people will stay and bear the full cost. This raises the cost for poor unhealthy people and then they quit insurance and get denied access to care. Finally only the wealthiest people will have health insurance. Capitalism is just a tool that's used to achieve certain outcomes. It just happens to work more often that it fails. Nothing more, nothing less. If a different tool works just as fine or better then it can be used selectively in areas where it's superior. Blind faith to any tool is stupid. Communism on the other hand tends to fail by default and because it requires external forces to make it work, it breeds authoritarianism and then everything goes bad.
- bbreier 6y ago
  Completely agree with you. I was just pointing out that the public discussion of universal healthcare in the US tends to demonize it as a path to Leninism or Maoism, in contrast with the claim that China now has nothing resembling communism. At no point was I advocating for communism (or any other economic system).

For some definitions of communism... in the US, many would have us believe that universal health care is a key component of communism and China still has plenty of that.

acta_non_verba 6y ago

China doesn’t have universal healthcare free at the point of use. The UK, a capitalist country, does.

bbreier 6y ago
I'm not sure how this relates to my claim

imtringued 6y ago

I don't think capitalism is incompatible with government run services. Some services are so fundamental that everyone needs them and thus demand is very easy to predict. Adding profit incentives to basic needs just adds friction and inefficiency since the transaction is involuntary. Private industry is really, really good at innovation (e.g. discovering new drugs and treatments) and providing optional goods and services but most people just want a basic level of service and they want a funding structure that does not misalign incentives. For example, optional basic health insurance doesn't work because poor people will quit the insurance program while they are healthy and then only unhealthy people will stay and bear the full cost. This raises the cost for poor unhealthy people and then they quit insurance and get denied access to care. Finally only the wealthiest people will have health insurance. Capitalism is just a tool that's used to achieve certain outcomes. It just happens to work more often that it fails. Nothing more, nothing less. If a different tool works just as fine or better then it can be used selectively in areas where it's superior. Blind faith to any tool is stupid. Communism on the other hand tends to fail by default and because it requires external forces to make it work, it breeds authoritarianism and then everything goes bad.

bbreier 6y ago
Completely agree with you. I was just pointing out that the public discussion of universal healthcare in the US tends to demonize it as a path to Leninism or Maoism, in contrast with the claim that China now has nothing resembling communism. At no point was I advocating for communism (or any other economic system).