User:Beishanlong/Essay
Many people, not just conservatives, have a deep misunderstanding of what Communism actually is, let alone the various subbranches of it, akin to the branches of Christianity. Communism has mostly been attributed to oppression, the stifling of personal liberties, and executions/mass murder. While those that have done this may have claimed to be communist, I do not. For one one thing, I believe that Communism, not just Anarchist Communism, cannot survive, let alone thrive, without plentiful personal liberties. My favorite, above all, is Freedom of Speech. As an American who is also an anarchist communist, it would not be possible for me to publicly announce my beliefs were it not for this basic right. If under communism, the stifling of Free Speech and the removal of personal liberties (ie. U.S.S.R., PATRIOT Act) were occurring, no advances would be made. People would be afraid to voice their opinions for fear of persecution. Yet, in a truly free society, these basic freedoms are absolutely necessary for not only society to advance, but for the people as well. Progress cannot occur unless problems are called to attention and rectified. In the former U.S.S.R., people were ruthlessly silenced/murdered for their opposition to the ruling party. The U.S., however, was allowed to make butter and guns, while the U.S.S.R. just made guns. People live in fear without these freedoms, freedoms which are necessary for a society to continue, not only for a communist society.
What is anarchist communism[edit]
By definition, anarchist communism is