Posts Tagged ‘communism’

Capitalism is…

Thursday, June 30th, 2011

Capitalism is an economic system based on profit and private property. Through free exchange, people and companies are able to trade goods pretty much as they please. In a capitalistic marketplace, nearly everything is privately owned by profit-seeking entities rather than a government (such as with socialism). Capitalism is practiced in the United States and many other countries.

Nationalization is…

Friday, June 3rd, 2011

Nationalization is when private property or industry is taken over by the government. Countries usually choose to nationalize portions of a specific industry, and they do it for different reasons.

If an oil-producing country’s oil drilling operations are owned mostly by foreigners, for example, the government might choose to nationalize all drilling operations to get rid of the excessive foreign influence.

Sometimes countries with struggling industries choose to nationalize certain sectors of the economy so that government resources can be used to help those industries develop. When the U.S. government spent money bailing out big banks during the economic crisis, some people thought it was a step toward nationalizing the financial sector.

Capitalists Compete For A Piece Of Lenin

Thursday, December 9th, 2010

This is probably not what he imagined when he commissioned all those paintings and sculptures of himself.

  • The Hungarian government is auctioning off a bunch of Lenin memorabilia to help pay for cleanup of the massive wave of toxic waste that flooded Budapest this October.
  • Ads for the auction featured a picture of Lenin being struck on the head by the hammer from the communist hammer-and-sickle logo, along with the words “Never Again.”
  • Some bourgeois bidders are just picking up kitschy decoration for their homes, but others appear to be having a little communist-bloc nostalgia (see quote below).

Facts & Figures

  • Communism collapsed in Hungary more than 20 years ago
  • A small ceramic bust of Lenin sold to a 22-year-old for $1,000
  • The auction was held at a former warehouse of the Hungarian secret police

Best Quote

“When I was young, I didn’t really look deeply into the faults of the system. I lived a calm, secure life where bread cost 3.5 forints and everyone had a job.” – Gyorgy Torok, a real-estate entrepreneur struggling in the current economic climate