The Borg : Ultimate Communism or Ultimate Facism

Raphael

In my opinion the borg are an ultimate form of facism as the borg queen can command any drone to do as she wills, whether the drone likes it or not. But what does everyone else think?

Woden

Since i'm too stupid to know the difference i can't really comment so eh i'll just agree with you or something

bizmark

i guess their like commys alright trying to "improve" others by inforceing their will on you useing millitry power

simu

I'm not sure if these terms of human social organisation can rightly be said to apply to the Borg. I'd always likened them more to ants or other insects that function in a "hive-like" manner.

bloggs

I think communism, as in fascism (in regard to Hitler) it was based on loyality to the leader, but individalism seemed to be tollerated. While under communism (in regard to Stalin) it was in regard to 'better things' and the leader was just a wait to 'guide' them, but individualism was rejected. So i guess the Borg would be more communist than fascist.

Mutant Traitor Commie (i regard to the RPG Paranoia)

Havelock

Ultimate Communism wouldn't impose its self on others. Facism believes it is the greatest form of existance and all it does it better itself. Ego the Borg are the ultimate facists, as they believe they are the highest form of life and that all should be like them and all that join them make them better.

The Beer Baron

Ultimate Globalisation?

Certainly you can see how the Borg Collective is the Bill Gates of the galaxy- no room for open source when they're in town.

(edit- nice to see there's as many who voted for facism as there was vodka)

Capt'n Midnight

just see if closer to Hitler or Stalin ..

They exploit other races and Capitalism is the explotation of man by man - whereas Communism is the exact opposite.

Well there was a queen so I guess it's a dictatorship which means .. of course that ...

eh - all the drones are expendible ...

Ok - they invade thier neighbours and kill any who resist and force the rest to work as slaves....

They disapprove of other belief systems ....

spooky donkey

i say they are commies!
commies without the vodka!

bloggs

It's a tough question alright, thing is our only examples of extreme facism and communism are hilter and stalin, but as both of them were more or less the same, it's hard to put the Borg down as either side.

Capt'n Midnight

How about trying to find the closest human society they match...

"Comunism"
Albania (post zog)
Cambodia (Kymer Rouge)
China Mao
Vietnam

Dictatorships
as above...
And
Most of Eastern Europe before '39 inc Poland
Spain Portugal Italy
South America
Bolivia when they had a coastline

Other types of societies
Many Muslim countries
Aboriginal/Tribal ones

Tummon

You see this is wher over thinking things can hurt. They are like ants, ants dont have politics and i dont think borg do either now whats the situation wItH the federation?

Woden

the federation is pretty much all living happily ever after at the moment, lets see what happens next

ilkhanid

Not Fascism. Even if the Borg was ruled by a queen, it takes more than an authoritarian ruler to be fascist. After all,these types of regime existed long before the twentieth century. The Queen appears to be something more, a kind of expression of the will of the collective,a kind of organizing principle.
Also, a common trait of Fascist regimes is racism and an emphasis on destroying or enslaving out-groups (jews,gypsies,homosexuals) regarded as being inferior. But the Borg often assimilate other species, making them the same as themselves,so this does'nt apply. In fact they often ignore species they consider inferior,like the Kazon.
I would consider them to be nearest (but still very unlike them) to the most radical types of 20th century Communism, such as Maoism,North Korea or the Khmer Rouge, in attempting to deny individuality,make everybody as similiar as possible and institute a regime of total control. But even then there are great differences. Really,the best comparisons are to ants or bees.

komodosp

I wouldn't say they are the "ultimate" of either, but they are closer to communism... Even though they have a "Queen", she is more like a "Queen bee" than a monarch / dictator, that is, she is a manifestation of the collective ... er... will...

While a fascist dictator makes the decisions him/herself and tells the people the way it is, it would seem to me that the Borg Queen is more considerate of the needs of the people and the decisions she makes are just reflections of the decisions made by the collective itself. For instance, I don't believe the Queen would have the ability to say, build herself a luxurious palace at the expense of a little of the integrity of the collective.

ilkhanid

Indeed. In fact she does'nt seem to be even an individual herself. She is more a principle than a person. Note the way that she is regularly replaced,(killed in "The Best of Both Words", again in "First Contact") yet remains so similiar.