Yes, well, the total population depends on what year you take but that is still 33% of population, not even Solzhenitsyn gave that exagerated data. I think we have to be careful with this, I mean, if we tell horrendous but unbelievable stories of how it was we are taking the risk of trivializing it. We must be aware of how it was so we don't repeat something like that.

Although the word "communism" is now associated with the theory that to achieve communism you must first have a socialist state.

Yes, well, I was talking about communism as seen by Marx because people are confused because of the revolutions of the XX century that claimed to be communist. Although it must be said that there are a lot of types of communism, such as libertarian communism. We could say that communism is an stateless society organized by the key principle of "from each according to his ability to each according to his need".

I mostly agree with you but I would like to shade some things. Of course Israel have the right to protect its citizens as every other country, the problem is when terrorists kill 4 people and they bomb a city killing 2500. Israel has an over the limit reaction, and that causes hate, not only between palestinian people. Moreover, with that action they are creating more terrorists and extremism. If someone ask me about the solution, well, I would go with one state. There is one thing that most people from Israel and Palestine share and that is that they are workers. I think that the only way to end this is unifying the territories and give everyone the same rights. I think creating two states will just postpone the conflict. I know I am talking about a very difficult thing, almost impossible right now, but if we are talking about a real solution, it must come in the form of an organized party which tries to make everyone equal despite their beliefs. It has been done before, different religions or races can live in the same place, but they need to consider everyone equal. The bad part about it is that maybe they need an here and now solution but I dont think that exists, the only exit is organizing and consciousness-raising.

About colonies, I don't think the problem is the moment, but the way. Let see Iraq, the UK created an state made of three factions that hate each other. That only could be a failure. The real problem is that they weren't asked how did they want to get their independence, and, of course, that most of them weren't really abandoned as their resources and main bussiness are still controlled by imperialist super-powers. I don't think they needed more time as colonies, considering that they weren't capable of self-governance is a way to impose social processes that maybe they shouldn't be suffering right now. That creates an indefense society, If they want to evolve, they need to make their own decisions.

Also, I think that we can't talk about real independece. Every time a superpower doesn't like a government they overthrow it. Lets take a look to latin america. How many elected presidents have been killed? A few days ago it was the anniversary of the murder of Allende. Venezuela (although I strongly disagree with a lot of the measures of the bolivarian revolution) is in a constant attack, Chavez suffered a coup, and he is not the only one. Bolivia, Ecuador, Argentina and other countries are attacked in the media, and in Europe and the USA we pay to the opposition. What do those countries have in common? They nationalised their resources so western companys could't take the benefit and instead of that they tried to invest it in their own people. So, no, I don't think we can talk about independence at all.

I think its hard to divide people into groups like "hard left wing" without creating misunderstandings. "left" can mean such a different variety of things, and is hardly something with that you can indentify the political point of others. their are "left" groups who support israel, their are "left" groups who dont. Often, especialy when it comes to israel, people with major differencies, like radical nazis and communists hate israel both. which makes me like it a little bit ^^

But yeah, i think I understand what you mean. And the situation in the near east is by far more complicated than the plot of a mediocre videogame, having israel as the evil state.

Because of the same shit we have today in a way more extreme form.
Look up Tulip mania.