Look, we’ve all met this argument before. My side is everything nice, if it’s not nice then it’s not my side.
Republicans claim to fear left-wing authoritarianism — but there’s no such thing
Yes, dictators sometimes cloak themselves in “socialism.” But tyranny, here and elsewhere, is always right-wing
Err, yes.
During and after the Cold War, the right undertook a relentless campaign that rages on to this day of falsely smearing Democrats and the left as the cause of authoritarianism, like the horrendous dictatorships of Joseph Stalin in the Soviet Union, Adolf Hitler in Germany, Fidel Castro in Cuba and Hugo Chávez in Venezuela.
Umm….
The truth is that left-wing policies, broadly speaking, are popular and beneficial to society, while dictatorial regimes are right-wing, with policies that are unpopular and horrendous for society.
Yep, it really is the argument that the existence of puppy dog tails proves that it’s the right.
Unfortunately, it was hijacked by a right-wing dictator in Stalin, steered into the opposite direction, and transformed into a right-wing totalitarian state, all under the false pretense of being a left-wing movement. This too was a Big Lie. Stalin falsely proclaimed to be governing under left-wing principles for the people, when in fact he was concentrating power into his own hands and governing as a right-wing dictator.
We agree that Stalin was bad, therefore Stalin must be right wing.
This transformation of the Soviet Union by Stalin from a beneficial left-wing movement into a hideous right-wing dictatorship was masterfully described by George Orwell in his famous novel from 1945, “Animal Farm.”
That’s possibly not the correct reading of that book. Of a would be beneficial left wing movement into, yes, maybe.
Therefore, to say that Stalin, dictatorships and totalitarianism are left-wing is the exact opposite of the truth. It is indeed a Big Lie.
This writer is going to be so pissed with his earlier self when he turns 13, isn’t he?
The societies ruled by Castro and Chávez were never left-wing democracies, and cannot truly be considered “socialist.”
“Proper socialism has never been tried” cannot be far behind, eh?
Indeed, the theory of communism may be riddled with many problems and contradictions, although it’s fair to say it has never really been implemented anywhere in the world.
Oh, look!
Seriously, the wonder is that this got published. Even in Salon. Are we sure Cody Cain isn’t Skokal?
Socialism/Communism has been tried many times around the world. It has failed into dictatorship.
Every. Single. Time.
You think that would think that would be a clue.
Probably not Skokal. Might be Sokal, though. Proper proof reading has never been tried.
Jesus Christ! That’s some pig ignorance there. Makes Spud look rational.
This transformation of the Soviet Union by Stalin from a beneficial left-wing movement into a hideous right-wing dictatorship was masterfully described by George Orwell in his famous novel from 1945, “Animal Farm.”
That Lenin chappie was a real softy…
Wait, Iosif Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili was a bad guy? Has anyone told Susan Michie or Seumas Milne?
I can’t see how it can be possible to have socialism without authoritarianism.
Far left wing and far right wing are indistinguishable who knew? So where do I stand with my belief that free market economies work best and that the government should involve itself in as little as possible? Small government and low taxes meaning that people get to spend their money on stuff that they need or want, rather than what the government thinks that they should have. It certainly seems that I’m off the hook when it comes to claims that I’m right wing.
Yeah, ’cause Vladimir Ilyich was a saint. Ask any Kulak. If you can find one.
@Longrider
I am tempted to suppose that, had George Orwell anticipated that anyone would ever write such obtuse self-styled “journalism” for a mass audience, then he would have been goaded out of the reticence, of which he is suspected by non-marxist critics of Animal Farm, in excluding any representation of Lenin and jumping straight from the Old Major (Marx) to Snowball and Napleon (Trotsky and Stalin respectively).
Undershooting the lowest expectations of George Orwell would be quite an achievement.
The twat needs the Marxist shite beaten out. A more disgraceful and brazen pack of lies it would be hard to imagine.He can get away with such shite only because Marxism has hollowed every institution in the West-esp education.
Time for the Purge. And Blojob Johnson is the ideal place to start.
To be fair, Stalin was quite right wing. He had the cult of the great leader, brought back nationalism (rather than internationalism) and in the 1930s turned from fighting external enemies to internal ones (and the Jews were even in line, saved by his death).
But those who followed him explicitly repudiated those tendencies and turned back to much more orthodox Marxism.
To be fair, Stalin was quite right wing
After a certain point, left-wing and right-wing totalitarianism is indistinguishable. For the oppressed, it is the boot on the neck that matters, not the brand of the boot.
The ‘communism hasn’t been tried properly yet’ argument is as stupid as claiming National Socialism would have worked a treat if only Mr Hitler hadn’t been a bit funny about Jews…
Although you could make a much more convincing argument that Italian Fascism would have worked had Mussolini not got caught up in WW2.
– “right-wing totalitarianism”
What?
Those extreme right-wingers with their limited government and preachy speeches about personal liberty?
Erm, Lenin and his régime were all sugar and spice and all things nice were they? Ummmm, I think not…
And if Stalin was “right wing”, why was he actively supported by so many prominent left-wingers?
Actually, why bother engaging at all with arguments that are literally cracked in the heed?
HITLER right left wing.
STALIN left left wing.
No right wing to be seen.
So their idea of a political spectrum is really just a lopsided cantilever. There’s the center, a little left-of-center, and then a whole range of right-wing ideologies.
OR, maybe they think the far left just means an overabundance of rainbows and unicorns, a utopia where a government official tucks us into bed every night.