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Are you a "tankie"? (2025 edition)
(lemmy.ml)
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this post was submitted on 24 Sep 2025
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To be fair, it still means something different to everyone, the common denominator is generally anti-imperialism, pro-communism, Marxism, etc.
I don't think it's fair to say that "anti-imperialism" was one of the requirements when many of the western ML/Stalinist groups that would generally fall under any anarchist's definition of "tankie" were very much chauvinist/nationalistic. Like that describes basically nearly every "communist party" in the west.
Obviously the modern anarchist usage of the term was fairly different to the origin of the term anyway, which meant a self-proclaimed communist who supported Soviet imperialism in Hungary, which Stalinists were/are opposed to. But I guess they re-used the term now that Khrushchevites are not really a thing anymore.
I don't really agree with classifying putting down the 1956 color revolution where fascists were let out of jail to lynch Jewish people and communist officials as "Soviet imperialism," but putting that all aside anti-imperialism still gets you labeled a "tankie." Opposing the west these days and its plunder of the world is sufficient to be called a "tankie" even if you reject Marxism-Leninism.
Sure, some people use it that way, but you listed it as a requirement. Chauvinists get called "tankies" too so clearly it's not a requirement.
I listed it as an option, not a requirement.
I don't think it makes sense to list as something in common with the various groups called "tankie" when (at least until recently) it was rather orthogonal to whether or not anyone considered you a "tankie". But in any case it doesn't really matter.