The truth of the matter, however, is that there is not now, never has been and will never be a truly communist nation state. According to Karl Marx, the ultimate communist society would work from the premise "from each according to his ability, to each according to his needs."
There has never been a nation state in modern times in which there has been no governing body and in which the occupants of the nation state voluntarily live peacefully in accordance with Marx's premise. Some may say that human greed will never allow such a community and others may say that it's human nature to want to be compensated in line with one's donation to society.Living Wage Vs. Living High Wage
What being over compensated means cannot be debated to a satisfactory conclusion. Whether or not someone is over compensated can truly be said to be a subjective opinion.
William McGuire, the CEO of UnitedHealth Group from 1992 until 2006, received a total compensation package of $1.1 billion in his last year on the job.
Does anyone in the world need to be compensated with $1.1 billion? There aren't many who will answer "yes" to that question, but there are those who will ask, "Who should dictate that $1.1 billion is over compensation?"
On the other end of the spectrum, what a "living wage" is can also be debated.
Does a living wage merely provide food and clothing? Not according to what Teddy Roosevelt said in 1912.
In his progressive Bull Moose Party nomination acceptance speech, Roosevelt said, "We stand for a living wage. Wages are subnormal if they fail to provide a living for those who devote their time and energy to industrial occupations. The monetary equivalent of a living wage varies according to local conditions, but must include enough to secure the elements of a normal standard of living--a standard high enough to make morality possible, to provide for education and recreation, to care for immature members of the family, to maintain the family during periods of sickness, and to permit a reasonable saving for old age.Hours are excessive if they fail to afford the worker sufficient time to recuperate and return to his work thoroughly refreshed. We hold that the night labor of women and children is abnormal and should be prohibited; we hold that the employment of women over forty-eight hours per week is abnormal and should be prohibited. We hold that the seven-day working week is abnormal, and we hold that one day of rest in seven should be provided by law. We hold that the continuous industries, operating twenty-four hours out of twenty-four, are abnormal, and where, because of public necessity or for technical reasons (such as molten metal), the twenty-four hours must be divided into two shifts of twelve hours or three shifts of eight, they should by law be divided into three of eight."
According to Roosevelt, a living wage offers more than basic clothing and the ability to live in a healthy enough state to work.
One of the most important points that Roosevelt makes is that he makes it clear that the government is needed to ensure that his definition of a living wage is realized. To make sure that some of his criteria are met, he said that it should be "provided by law".
Yet, the meanings of overcompensation and living wage are, indeed, subjective.Enter Socialism
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