More academic nonsense. They were as "communist" as anything on this earth is ever going to be. The corruption, fascism, unproductivity, atrocities, and bureaucratic garbage of those nations is inherent in communism.
I don't bicker about "true capitalism." Of course there have never been 100% free markets and lawlessness, and nobody is arguing that there should be. But we can attribute massive wealth creation and improvements of standards of living of all people in societies to relatively free markets in nations all over the globe. The examples are many. Why have Taiwan and South Korea SKYROCKETED their standards of living (including that of the poor) over the past few decades while China and North Korea are poverty-stricken lands filled with corruption and moral atrocities?
There are real examples of relatively free markets improving people's lives. Do you have any examples of relatively state-controlled markets doing the same? This is the second time I've asked. Equivocating over "true communism" as if a magical incorruptible man just hasn't run it yet is silly.
The topic of this thread is the radical education of Barack Obama. I've mentioned the radical educations of some in his administration because we actually have some information about their educations, whereas President Obama will release nothing about his own education.
If he's not hiding his radical beliefs, why the stonewalling on any information on his education?
If his radical beliefs aren't something he should be intellectually ashamed of, why are you equivocating over "true" statism without offering any examples? It's easy to make academic arguments that people can remain free yet surrender all of their economic freedom; but, if it's never happened, why should we believe you? Claim that it can be so is not the same thing as making that argument.
In any event, this equivocation is beyond the topic of this thread. The fact is, President Obama will not release any information about his studies. Examining information he has published in books and the educations of many in his administration, it's not unreasonable to conjecture some of the reasons why.
[I wish I could obey forum rules]