What is the most communist non-communist country on Earth?

[AuH2O]

Well I guess they aren't very good communists, now, are they?

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Well some communists don't agree. Like Castro, who went aid to ETA in the 70s. Or FARC, which was involved in weapons trafficking with the IRA. Or Red Army Faction, which had ties to both groups. I guess those aren't good communists then either.

[Bono]

In Canada and Germany, they don't need communist parties. There is no such thing as communist "economics" so the issue is political freedom. Having a multiparty system is nice, but if all the parties are exactly the same... what difference does it make?

I don't think that many Canadians would agree that every party is exactly the same.  In fact, every time Harper says what the Conservatives will do if elected, I'm reminded why I'm not going to vote Conservative.

Also, what does political freedom have to do with communism?  A lack of political freedom does not imply communism, although the reverse is more likely to be true.

Every party in power, though, is exactly the same, becuase it's always the same party in power.

[Bono]

Besides, the Scandinavian countries still have free markets, just with high taxes. That's not communism.

That's the closest we have to communism on earth today, outside of southeast Asia.  The Scandinavian countries have the least free market of any mixed economies on the globe.

Not at all. Scandinavian countries have little colective owneship of the means of production.

[AuH2O]

Well some communists don't agree. Like Castro, who went aid to ETA in the 70s. Or FARC, which was involved in weapons trafficking with the IRA. Or Red Army Faction, which had ties to both groups. I guess those aren't good communists then either.

Basically, here's my point: if you take a monkey, hand him an AK, and slap a red armband on him, that doesn't make him a "communist." I mean, in the vernacular it's fine to call him that, but technically speaking there's no communism there.

When I rate the level of communism, I use the standards Marx did, generally speaking. Developed countries with strong anti-national policies are the closest match. Obviously no one left on the planet is silly enough to believe in communist economics, but the social aspect remains and thus that is the determinant.

[Hitchabrut]

Germany or Canada.

That is socialist, and Russia, for which I cast my vote, was not properly stripped of Communist institutions in the 1990's.

[Gabu]

In Canada and Germany, they don't need communist parties. There is no such thing as communist "economics" so the issue is political freedom. Having a multiparty system is nice, but if all the parties are exactly the same... what difference does it make?

I don't think that many Canadians would agree that every party is exactly the same.  In fact, every time Harper says what the Conservatives will do if elected, I'm reminded why I'm not going to vote Conservative.

Also, what does political freedom have to do with communism?  A lack of political freedom does not imply communism, although the reverse is more likely to be true.

Every party in power, though, is exactly the same, becuase it's always the same party in power.

It seems to me that that's the fault of the other parties for not taking the steps they need to be electable (such as getting rid of Stephen Harper).  We're still able to vote for whoever we want.  I don't see where the absence of political freedom comes into play.

I still don't have a clue how any of this has to do with communism.  We seem to just be picking out whatever we don't like and then calling it "communism".

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

It's too bad I didn't discover this when Tweed was in his communist phase, because it would be a very amusing bump then.

Of course I'm sure even now he realizes how dumb his comments were (not that they were anywhere near the dumbest comments in this thread, not even close.)

[Sbane]

India - they have tons of Communist Parties that get elected

India should have definitely been on the list. East India wins hands down. Bengal and Tripura are ruled by communists currently and they are a strong contender almost everywhere in India.

[big bad fab]

France of course !

Because of communist intellectual influence until the 1990s and even now, through "leftists" and so-called "Greens", in social and moral matters.

Because of a national system of education which bans scoring and wants to have everybody at the level of "doctor".

Because of French hate of individual success.

[JSojourner]

I said Moldova.  Just guessing.

[Hash]

Cyprus and Moldova. Both have democratically (or, in Moldova's case, generally democratically) elected Communist governments.

Add India, Nepal, Greece, France, Italy. Maybe South Africa and Russia. Maybe.

[k-onmmunist]

Chavezland.

[Stranger in a strange land]

I said Moldova.  Just guessing.

Transdiniesteria is Communist, but doesn't consider itself part of Moldova.

Really though, among major countries probably India.

[Hash]

I said Moldova.  Just guessing.

Transdiniesteria is Communist, but doesn't consider itself part of Moldova.

Transdniestria is not really communist. Their two communist parties oppose Smirnov. But Transdniestrian politics are so stupid.

Moldova is communist though. It has a democratically elected Communist government, the PCRM.