Does Communism gradually yield failure and does democracy always emerge from this "failure"?

Question

Many countries have abandoned communism only for democracy to take its place. Could one consider communism as a transition to a better government or is it possible that some countries might switch back to communism or adapt communism at some point in the future? Is it an outdated idea or a system stable enough for the future?

Answer 1

Communism does gradually lead to failure, However, democracy does NOT always emerge.

China has embraced capitalism but is still a dictatorship.

Russia, after flirting with more democracy, has been on a steady march back to one party rule.

Belarus is a dictatorship.

Other former SSR's like Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan etc. are dictatorships.  

However, most of the former Warsaw Pact countries are doing OK with democracy and capitalism.

Answer 2

Communism is a socioeconomic structure. Democracy is a form of government. One does not lead to the other. Communism is generally viewed as a branch of socialism.

The ultimate example of democracy is a lynch mob. Democracy is the rule of the mob. It generally leads to chaotic anarchy. Then to end the madness a dictatorship usually takes hold. But there is no true dictatorship, it simply isn't practical, dictators always have underlings and support people around them. Dictatorships are actually oligarchies, rule by a small group.

The United States is not a democracy, and it isn't supposed to be. It is a democratic representative republic. People choose representatives and have the right to establish and challenge laws, the law and due process governs the land.

It would be invalid to say there are no good arguments for socialism, or communism. But history shows that a republican government and capitalist economy promotes freedom and improved standard of living.

Answer 3

No,  Democracy is just the best of the crappy forms of government we've come up with so far.

Answer 4

Communism is an economic philosophy that is often accompanied by an authoritarian form of government such as a dictatorship.  Technically it is possible (though not likely) to have a communist democracy!  

For democracies to succeed they need to have a stable economy and relative safety and stability at home.  Democracies without this can fall victim to dictator types (such as Chavez and Kim Jong Il) who will promise security and economic stability if the people give them power.  Western democracies are not vulnerable to this, but new democracies emerging in the Middle East, Asia, and Africa are.