Democratic names of communist nations.

Boyish-Tigerlilly · Post by **Boyish-Tigerlilly** » 2004-10-07 08:09pm

What is it with communist nations and the attempts to stress the idea that they are DEMocractic PEople's republics. DO they think people are stupid? What is the true point of such obviously ridiculous labeling.

If anyone has any insight to this phenomenon, please tell me. I always thought it was interesting.

Lord Revan · Post by **Lord Revan** » 2004-10-07 08:18pm

My Lukio history teacher said that Democratic Peoples republics have nothing to with people or democracy. So yes they think people are that stupid.

Boyish-Tigerlilly · Post by **Boyish-Tigerlilly** » 2004-10-07 08:23pm

it's unfathomable. They should just come clean; it isn't as if people don't know what they are.

Lord Revan · Post by **Lord Revan** » 2004-10-07 08:40pm

Boyish-Tigerlilly wrote:it's unfathomable. They should just come clean; it isn't as if people don't know what they are.

they want keep the apprence of being democratic (even if most people won't belive it and trust me there are some people who do belive it)

Elfdart · Post by **Elfdart** » 2004-10-07 08:54pm

Reminds me of what Voltaire said about the Holy Roman Empire: "It's not holy, not Roman and not much of an Empire". A more modern example would be Hitler's group calling itself National Socialist. Funny since Marx was one of the first authors banned under the New Order and among the first things the Nazis did was abolish labor unions.

The moral to the story is: Don't believe labels.

tharkûn · Post by **tharkûn** » 2004-10-07 09:24pm

In all historical accuracy the Nazis did start off with some "socialist" planks. Particularly some of the the old gaurd Nazis like Rhom and their crank economist who wanted to abolish interest were actual socialists and pushed for socialist policies.

The NASDAP was originally socialist, it just happened that Hitler shot most if not all the socialists shortly after acheiving power.

Stofsk · Post by **Stofsk** » 2004-10-08 02:48am

Boyish-Tigerlilly wrote:What is it with communist nations and the attempts to stress the idea that they are DEMocractic PEople's republics. DO they think people are stupid? What is the true point of such obviously ridiculous labeling.

Propaganda. They don't really give a shit about convincing others that they're actually 'democratic' - they care a lot more about presenting that image to their own people, and convincing them.

Post by **Vympel** » 2004-10-08 05:03am

Actually I always thought the reason they said "democratic" was not because of political democracy, but some sort of economic "democracy"- ie. communism and all it's ideas about collectivization etc. At least, that's what I read once.

Stuart Mackey · Post by **Stuart Mackey** » 2004-10-08 05:32am

Vympel wrote:Actually I always thought the reason they said "democratic" was not because of political democracy, but some sort of economic "democracy"- ie. communism and all it's ideas about collectivization etc. At least, that's what I read once.

I always thought it was for propaganda purposes immediatly after the war, to lull the gullable in the west into thinking they were good guys with a western sociallist bent.

CJvR · Post by **CJvR** » 2004-10-08 07:33am

A real democracy don't need a bunch of labels telling everyone what it is. A dictatorship however want as many exuses and as much camouflage as possible to hide it's true nature.

PS: The Nazis had very much in common with the socialists even after they axed the socialist economic ideology.

frigidmagi · Post by **frigidmagi** » 2004-10-08 07:41am

The tactic is called the Big Lie, tell the biggest whooper you can. Keep repeating and behave like you believe it. Keep doing it, so will actually start to believe you're telling the truth.

Because no one would tell a lie that out there right?

The subjects meant to fall for this are the citizens of the nation using the name, has Stofsk pointed out. Remember you must maintain that you are the true bastion of liberty for the people, all others are lying, ruthless, baby eating oppressors, stealing what the people have an inherant right to.

The ultimate expression of this tactic can be found in North Korea. Mainland China practices it to a lesser degree has do certain other states.

Elfdart · Post by **Elfdart** » 2004-10-08 09:40pm

Actually, there are two "Big Lies".

The first was from Hitler. He opined that people were more prone to believe big, outrageous lies than small, plausible, run-of-the-mill ones.

The other was from Goebbels, whose method was simplify and repeat something over and over. Even if it's a lie, people will believe it.

Post by **weemadando** » 2004-10-08 10:28pm

Elfdart wrote:Actually, there are two "Big Lies".

The first was from Hitler. He opined that people were more prone to believe big, outrageous lies than small, plausible, run-of-the-mill ones.

The other was from Goebbels, whose method was simplify and repeat something over and over. Even if it's a lie, people will believe it.

Does "Saddam Hussein has weapons of mass destruction." fit in BOTH those categories?

Elfdart · Post by **Elfdart** » 2004-10-09 12:07am

weemadando wrote:
Elfdart wrote:Actually, there are two "Big Lies".

The first was from Hitler. He opined that people were more prone to believe big, outrageous lies than small, plausible, run-of-the-mill ones.

The other was from Goebbels, whose method was simplify and repeat something over and over. Even if it's a lie, people will believe it.
Does "Saddam Hussein has weapons of mass destruction." fit in BOTH those categories?

That's a twofer!

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Democratic names of communist nations.

Democratic names of communist nations.

Re: Democratic names of communist nations.