• PeleSpirit@lemmy.world
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    11 months ago

    They’re now trying to say liberals are actually conservatives to confuse all of the liberals. It’s a valid technique that could work if they keep trying to do it.

    The term tankie is confusing to me as well though. Did this start because of North Korea, Russia, China parades or Tienanmen Square or something? It seems easier to just call them fascists.

    • Fried_out_Kombi@lemmy.worldOP
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      11 months ago

      From wikipedia:

      The term “tankie” was originally used by dissident Marxist–Leninists to describe members of the Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB) who followed the party line of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU). Specifically, it was used to distinguish party members who spoke out in defense of the Soviet use of tanks to crush the Hungarian Revolution of 1956 and the 1968 Prague Spring uprising, or who more broadly adhered to pro-Soviet positions.[7][8]

      Basically it’s because certain western communists defended the use of tanks by the Soviet Union to forcibly crush rebellions, hence the term “tankie”.

      • Hyperreality@kbin.social
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        11 months ago

        It’s a problem in most far left parties.

        I’m quite far left, but I’m never going to be able to vote for them, because these parties are inevitably infested with tankie dinosaurs who have far too much influence and often seem to sabotaging any chance of the party gaining votes.

    • ComradeKhoumrag@infosec.pub
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      11 months ago

      Well, American liberals are pretty much capitalists that just want to spend more. Progressives might be more the distinction you had in mind

      • froggers@lemmy.world
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        11 months ago

        while tankies ARE fascists the word “tankie” actually comes from the 1956 Hungarian revolution, when the Soviets sent in tanks to crush a democratic socialist revolution. The tankie part comes from the people who were overjoyed and happy when the tanks rolled in. (IFAIK mainly used for Western communists)