Communism Is Not Materialism

Vom Patti

It is a common misconception that communism is essentially materialist — and while it certainly could be argued that most communists are likely to be materialists in the sense that they do not question the existence of matter, it would be a stretch to claim that to be a communist one would have to suppose that matter is the only thing that exists — or indeed that matter is what ultimately governs history and human interaction! In the next few pages we will indisputably abolish these false conceptions.

If we define communist society as one where there is no money or state and the means of production are commonly owned by the people (this, I believe, is a fairly common definition) we are left with the question: what are the means of production? What is production? What is a »product»? If we define production as a process where raw materials are worked and combined to manufacture a certain item (this item being the »product»), we could argue that the means of production consist of all kinds of mechanical tools that can be used to craft materials into items. Common ownership of these tools would simply mean that if someone had a hammer, he would willingly lend it to anyone needing to insert nails into wood, or if someone had a printing press in his garage, he would let anyone come in and print books on it (regardless of the contents of those books). But is this all there is to it? This paragraph bores us, so we shall skip right into the next one.

A craftsman may need many tools, but most importantly he needs a vision. And while tools can be substituted with other tools (consider carving a hole with a screwdriver or opening a wine bottle with a shoe), the vision must remain unchanged, for the vision is what ultimately determines the outcome. Isn't this vision therefore the one and only essential means of production? And what would then be the common ownership of the means of production if not the sharing of visions? You are a radiating beam of Light! Open your eyes to the miraculous beauty of the Universe, and as it shines let yourself shine along with it! Wherever you go, whoever you meet, reveal your heart to them and let them reveal their heart to you. For this is what it truly means to be a communist.