José Saramago

[Dystopia]

I'm yet to read Ensaio sobre a cegueira (Blindess) - It's really just a shame he was a communist (pun intended) - Still better than being a nationalist neo-fascist prick, there's no worse than that. I end up respecting the communist party for its atheism and position on social justice - Just not on economics and their extremely strict concept of equality as well as the conception of classes

I remember when the Church tried to ban some of his books and their proposal was refused by the government.

I too understand where your coming from in regards of communism because it does not reward merit. It's an utopic concept far too improbable to work on the current world (maybe as he said in the future the state will ceize to exist, i can see that happening if we achieve a level of development so high it no long is required).
However the roots of comunism, socialism, i stand by despite believing that the country has to produce enough for the system to work perfectly (here in Portugal it doesn't work because we aren't self sustainable).
It all goes around money, if it's abundant things might work, if it's not then we are screwed.

PS: I have no affiliation to PS (Socialist party here in Portugal for you dirty foreigners) since i don't believe that what they stand for is socialism but rather their own personal interests.

I call myself a social democrat (not for PSD party but rather my personal conception of social democracy) - I believe in social justice and equity, but also in democracy (representative and participative) - I'm also a pragmatic capitalist - Capitalist because I haven't seen evidence of an economic system that works better, pragmatic because I think capitalism and the the free market economy aren't nearly enough to ensure development and growth occur and therefore I gladly accept some socialized or socialist measures that provide helpful to give people basic human dignity (like labour laws, minimum wages, some positive discrimination, free healthcare, etc.)