[lbo-talk] private property and mortgages

[John Thornton]

bitch at pulpculture.org wrote:
> there's nothing about communism that says you can't have a house or 
> clothes or guns or cars or stereos. the private property commies 
> object to is the private property of a capitalist: the means of 
> production. see? private property in the form of personal things is 
> a-ok dandy. there are some folks who argue otherwise. Time for a 
> showing of hands! Who here on LBO envisions a commie society where we 
> own nothing, where our cars and stereos and clothes are collective 
> property we kind of rent or something?
Since you asked.
I envision the means of production collectively owned.
I envision financial institutions collectively owned.
I am uncertain what arrangements would work best for media outlets. 
Probably privately held and heavily regulated along with publicly owned 
media outlets that are fully funded and competitive with private media 
groups.

I envision the land itself collectively owned. Absolutely no one should 
own any portion of the earth itself.
As for the buildings I'm undecided. Perhaps the buildings are also 
collectively owned and leased or the land is leased long term and the 
buildings private property. If society decides there is a better use for 
the land the owners of the buildings would be compensated for their 
dismantling or the building moved at public expense if feasible. No one 
could lease land, build buildings and then rent them out for personal 
profit under the privately held building arrangements however. I would 
also envision controls that discourage living outside city limits except 
for farm laborers. The nature of those controls would be up for debate.

Personal property like TeeVee's and clothing would be privately owned.
Private transportation would be just that, privately held but heavily 
taxed and discouraged. This presupposes a first rate public 
transportation system. Without the later the former would be unfair.

John Thornton