Marx vs Pol Pot's Regime
Lots of people seem to argue that the USSR and China didn't follow "true communism". Would these people care to comment on how according to Marx's criteria, I believe the KR was the closest thing we have had to a true communism. Here are the 10 short term objectives of communists according to Marx in the communist manifesto.
1. Abolition of property in land and application of all rents of land to public purposes.
2. A heavy progressive or graduated income tax.
3. Abolition of all rights of inheritance.
4. Confiscation of the property of all emigrants and rebels.
5. Centralisation of credit in the hands of the state, by means of a national bank with State capital and an exclusive monopoly.
6. Centralisation of the means of communication and transport in the hands of the State.
7. Extension of factories and instruments of production owned by the State; the bringing into cultivation of waste-lands, and the improvement of the soil generally in accordance with a common plan.
8. Equal liability of all to work. Establishment of industrial armies, especially for agriculture.
9. Combination of agriculture with manufacturing industries; gradual abolition of all the distinction between town and country by a more equable distribution of the populace over the country.
10. Free education for all children in public schools. Abolition of children’s factory labour in its present form. Combination of education with industrial production, &c, &c.
I don't see how anyone can dispute the fact that the KR implemented 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9. The horrific crimes of the regime came about because these were followed so enthusiastically. Once more they were followed much more than other supposedly communist regimes such as the USSR, point 9 especially!
Although money was abolished, there could still be said to be a heavy graduated income tax in the sense that Cambodian's with more wealth had more taken away from them so point 2 holds. Again abolishing seems to make point 5 redundant. On the other hand credit and currency for external trade was monopolised by the state.
Granted the KR failed to provide free education for all children in public schools. They turned Chao Ponhea Yat High School into Security Prison 21. But they did combine education with industrial production. So perhaps the regime fell short of Marx's vision by not fully fulfilling point 10.