Join the new world

I published a little article a few days ago whose sole purpose was to illuminate the undisputable fact that the eRepublik market system has failed and the dominant production model is the military commune. It is hard to argue against this, but you're welcome to have a go if I've got it all wrong.

Unfortunately my love of lengthy and tedious rhetoric obscured this simple message and I deduce from reading the comments that the point of the article was not well made, for that I express my deep regret.


I'm sorry, really and truly

A few misconceptions were highlighted in those comments that I feel bound to address:

1. Communism = authoritarianism/dictatorship
2. Communism = state ownership of production

Firstly let us separate the political and economic ideologies at play here. Communism and capitalism are first and foremost economic models, not political.

Neither of these systems require authoritarianism. In a capitalist dictatorship the political process is corrupted to serve the desires of capital-owners (subverting the free market). In a communist dictatorship the political process is corrupted to serve the political elite at the expense of workers. Authoritarianism is a common enemy of both systems, not an attribute of one or the other.


We all hate dictators, mostly, unless...

Can a dictatorship even exist in eRep? Under normal circumstances, not at all. Monthly elections are compulsory, it is impossible to establish a one-party state. Democracy is enshrined in game mechanics. The only 2 situations where a dictatorship-like condition can occur are:

* During PTO (when democracy is subverted)
* During invasion (when democracy is bypassed)

To address the second point, state ownership is most certainly not a requirement of communism. Take the 'ism' out and you're left with a commune, an economic organisation characterised by free association where workers gain the full benefit of their production. State ownership is no longer possible in eRep, and fortunately is not required for communism. The most exciting thing about the communist economy in place right now is the fact that is spontaneously formed out of common sense rather than requiring state intervention.

Viva Communism!