I have noted a tendency when Communism or Socialism is discussed to immediately bring up the millions of lives lost under various regimes.
Can we talk about death by capitalism?
Can we talk about the massacre of millions of the native peoples by European settlers in the Americas and other lands such as Australia?
What about the brutality of slavery? The millions of lives lost on the journey from Africa and subsequently in horrific conditions in the New World?
Let's not forget the brutal colonization of African countries, which caused untold misery and led to the death of millions - 10 million in the Congo alone.
What about the World Wars? Were they not predominantly wars between capitalist nations?
What about the Holocaust? Was Nazi Germany not capitalist?
Let's talk about US interventionism that has directly and indirectly killed millions in Korea, Vietnam and most recently, Iraq. What about the dirty wars funded and backed by the US in Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, pretty much most of Latin America? What of the brutality of capitalist regimes like US-backed Suharto in Indonesia that massacred between 0.5-1 million people?
What about the 7-8 million that have died in the Congo due to the various proxy wars of Western capitalist powers?
What about the millions who die of hunger every year, in a world that produces enough food to feed everyone?The millions who die from inadequate healthcare and preventable disease, including right here in the US? One estimate is that 18 million die every year from poverty-related causes.
I have only listed the instances I could think of off the top of my head. I'm sure that there are plenty others.
It's called death by capitalism. Capitalism, if anything, has probably caused more death and human misery than the former communist/socialist regimes. The worst thing about it is we ignore the violence and evils of capitalism, living in a relatively wealthy country that hides it from view. We need to acknowledge that capitalism is an inherently destructive system that has crushed millions in its wake.This is especially true now for those living in poor countries.
I'm in no way diminishing the brutality of various communist/socialist regimes. But let's stop pretending that capitalism has somehow been less vicious. Let's work to build a more humane system.