This thread is in discussion of communism. Consider the settlement of Jonestown, led by Jim Jones in Africa. Jones was a preacher turned social extremist. He led a group of followers from San Francisco, CA to build a settlement in Guyana, north of Georgetown. They shared everything: homes, children, spouses. Parents, for example, gave up all right to their children, who were raised by the community. The cult was succesful right up to the point they all commited mass suicide. Jim Jones and 991 took fatal doses of poisen. The children were murdered.

The debate is this: Lets say Jonestown wasn't a suicidal cult. Would it have been succesful?

I say yes. Socialism is very possible when practiced on such a small level. Indeed, their society in itself was pretty succesful. It did work. Everyone provided for the common good, fueled by idealism and the thirst for common good. However, most folks were to busy tending jobs such as farming, rather than spend time researching. So I also argue that pure socialism slows the growth of technology (not always a bad thing).

Opinions, please. Without the usual batch of insults.

Eh...I find it ok on some levels, and not fair on others. I did it in my debate class, however I don't remember it much. Never will work.

Jonestown was run by a religious sect. Without the religious tone it would not have lasted a month.

This is about the closest you get to socialism and it's not very close:

Free Spirits movie. Michael Rapunzel, Renaissance Community commune

True. The religous points may have been the glue which kept it all together. Jones was a lot like Hitler- manical, gifted with words, and twisted beyond all comprehension.

I'm gonna have to say it would've wprked had it not been for the religious parts that eventualy led them to commit mass suicide

 Cold is God's way of telling us to burn more catholics.