Communism on its first appearance in far different times, may well have been needed.
It by its existence bought about a more sharing world.
Supported by some very rich people it got lost on the way.
For a time, in some parts of the world Socialism, said to be its biggest enemy, succeeded it has had some true filth use its name.
Right now, and for the past five decades, the right, even moderate right, have used fear of it as a weapon.
Then along came the very right, it needed a tool, something to hide the very real truth it too wanted to ride on the back of whole classes, it invented a left that never existed.
it convinced people that hate lies fear division was ok if it lead to? well we will not be told but whatever it is the end can never justifie how they get us there the new right is far bigger threat than any left ever was

Somhow I get the feeling that this thread is a simple attempt to stir up problems where there are no problems.

//As far as I can tell, communism is essentially the fulfillment of aspirations of progressive left movements.//

Well I regard myself as a lefty, and the movement I had this morning was, in its essential features, not dissimilar to Communism. Except it wasn't red, obviously. Or green, for that matter.

Sorry, NNS, the idea that anybody slightly left of centre is some secret sort of secret Communist is an absurd fantasy dreamt up by the likes of FOX news, which you seem to have accepted uncritically despite the vast numbers of lefties (just about every one I've ever met) that repudiate Communism.

You see, a lot of lefties are what you might call 'liberal lefties', or just 'liberals' in your country (that term is a bit confusing in Oz). Like non-left liberals, we're also generally in favour of thinkers like Mill and Jefferson - we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. Well, not the bit about the Creator in my case. But I definitely agree with the rest of it.

I gravitate to the left because it seem to me they're more in tune with the idea that all men are created equal, more in favour of liberties beyond economic liberty (which is obviously important, but it's not the only important liberty) and a good deal more in favour of the pursuit of happiness.

You would think somebody from the country that was home to McCarthyism would be a little more aware of the dangers of levelling false accusations of Communism against people with naught to back them up but conjecture. Poor form.

Belly,

Do communists exist? Yes, no and maybe. Depending on how you define the term 'communist'. If you can't define it then the question can't be answered.

Toni,

"the movement I had this morning was, in its essential features, not dissimilar to Communism. Except it wasn't red".
But if there was any red in it then it would be problematic for the patient. Which is true also of nation states.

__________________________________________________________________

Communism was a disaster for humankind. That its main supporters throughout the 20th century where the so-called intellectual class is indicative how easily those who are credentialed but not educated can misled themselves and society. As Orwell said of communism “There are some ideas so absurd that only an intellectual could believe them.”.

Communism failed. It always fails (see Venezuela), it always will fail. But it will come back because people want to think it will work and many are adept at ignoring history.

individual you caught me! this thread is about me trying to stir up trouble.
Forgive me for not knowing what type of trouble I am making.
OH I am highlighting the communist left does not exist.
Apart from in the minds of the extreme right/lost
Warning even, if we let fear of that non-existent left blind us to the very real danger the extreme right is, we may well beg for a return to Democracy
Your short sharpe comment style was noted years ago, however some times I search for meaning in them.

I gave up on the notion of left and right some time ago, I simply blamed that useless concept on the French. I thought those that were labelled extreme left, communists, were too similar to the extreme right fascists ideology to be seen as different. I see too many similarities between the extremes to think of them as being diametrically opposed. Hitler and Stalin were much the same personalities, coming from the same mould.

What I do see is moderates, working within an existing well established political framework, like we have in Australia, and if there are any, but I see none of significance, extremists. All our elected politicians are moderates. Our political leadership argue about emphasis, and not about massive change to the existing social/political structure. Some are progressive, other are conservative, but there is little difference in outcomes regardless of whom is in government.