this post was submitted on 06 Jun 2024
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Asklemmy
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It doesn’t. But just like “fascist” has been used as an insult and scaremongering tactic since the late 40s, “tankie” has been used indiscriminately in recent years against anyone people disagree with. But I, like you, am an anarchist, and initially I would only see it in anarchist circles when communists came calling. Because that’s where the insult originated, if I’m not mistaken? Anarchists calling communists statist-leftists, to the point that they’re willing to lie for and defend their preferred states (those that use the communist name without actually being communist. Read: current day russia, china, and yes, even North Korea)
Nobody calls Russia Communist, and nobody believes China is economically fully Socialist, but has a mixed economy.
Ever talked to a tankie?
I’m not saying they’re communist. I’m saying that western e-communists confuse the concept of fighting “western propaganda” with defending everything that runs contrary to it. That means the Russia fearmongering that goes on in a lot of US-based circles must be countered with full throated defense of everything Russia has ever done. Especially under the Soviet Union.
Atrocities under Stalin? western propaganda!
That type of stuff.
I've spoken to a lot of people on Grad and Hexbear, and on .ml as well.
I haven't found many, if any, people confusing fighting western propaganda with defending anything that runs contrary to it. I have seen a lot more expression of nuanced views of the USSR than "100 million dead" memes, sure.
Have you tried properly engaging with these people in good-faith? They more often than not have genuine reasoning behind their beliefs, which helps explain some takes, that isn't just blind support for opponents of western hedgemony.
I have. Unless people come at me swinging, I prefer good, honest, non hostile conversations. But look:
https://feddit.nl/post/16246531
This post mentions exactly what I’m talking about. Being critical of Russia and China—modern day Russia and China, neither of which are communist—is met with pretty swift anger from tankies. I’m not crazy in having had this experience
People on Hexbear, .ml, and Lemmygrad are regularly critical of Russia and China. They critically support them in their efforts against Imperialism along Lenin's definitions, which is basically Hyper-Capitalism, because they believe countries under the thumb of Imperialism cannot become Socialist, and Imperialist countries will not become Socialist until after they lose the countries they extract from.
I dunno what to tell ya. The amount of gross authoritarianism I saw from communists there was more than enough.
Like what?
I don’t have examples that far back. But constantly denying the ongoing Uyghur crisis by calling it “western propaganda,” running cover for the Hong Kong crackdown by saying it was “their territory already so they can do what they want,” denying the Tiananmen square massacre, shit like that.