I have used this argument successfully to confront false accusations that the concentration camps operated and murders often committed under communism are the end result of atheism. I say they should be laid at the feet of a "state religion." A rational humanistic society would guarantee high levels of freedom of expression and self-determination. It would never allow such atrocities to occur. Only dogma could justify the systematic taking away of human rights. Political dogma is just as guilty as the religious kind.

Furthemore, this kind of political dogma is not necessarily a problem of these regimes. I could very well argue that the state religion of the western societies is the blind trust in the powers of Capitalism and lately of the "free markets". Not only is it accepted unquestionably by most that Capitalism is the best system but any criticism is swiftly silenced or ridiculed. It might be more liberal, in the sense that one can express criticism without fearing for his life, but this is mostly because people in the western world have had enough time to develop a degree of critical thinking and tolerance.

exactly that. refer to a picture i took in beijing: http://www.flickr.com/photos/toomanytribbles/2320...

i liked both of these posts. will there be more?

Certainly. I'm writing the next one now.

i do think, however, that the way it was expressed specifically in the ussr and in china has quite a few elements of religiosity

True but this had a lot to do with the cult of personality such regimes create in order to breed obedience.

it's a mistake to call communism a religion. i do think, however, that the way it was expressed specifically in the ussr and in china has quite a few elements of religiosity… and i do think that this is accounted for by the points you made about both societies not having had a capitalist basis.

ευχαριστώ for these and hope to see more.

The labor theory of value is, as I recall, Adam Smith's idea. Marx's contribution to economics is the theory of surplus value

Correct. My mistake.

Communism is best described, I think, as a philosophical system, which embeds empirical science as its epistemology and embeds a purely materialistic ontology.

The labor theory of value is, as I recall, Adam Smith's idea. Marx's contribution to economics is the theory of surplus value.