• alci@sh.itjust.works
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    15 days ago

    Not sure yet what this “tankie” thing is about… It seems to be an american thing, and as far as I understand it is used to disqualify anyone not aligned with social democrat point of view (ie western world is the good ones, despite what the 70 last years show us, capitalism is the least worst system, and societal liberalism is a huge enough concession to leftism). Or am I wrong ?

    • PugJesus@lemmy.worldM
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      15 days ago

      “Tankie” refers to the kinds of people who like Soviet and Chinese style oligarchies because they paint themselves red. Often, these people are in opposition to all Western countries, and social democrats in particular, whom they think of as ‘social fascists’ and, in many cases, oppose social democrats more than actual right-wing opposition.

    • Noel_Skum@sh.itjust.works
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      13 days ago

      Tankies were originally members of the Communist Party of Great Britain who were in favour of Soviet tanks mowing down first Hungarian and secondly Czechoslovakian ( as they were then ) protesters. These days it’s used as a pejorative towards anyone who has a good thing to say about communism / socialism etc.

      • goat@sh.itjust.worksM
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        13 days ago

        lol no it’s not. You can be a communist and not be a tankie. Tankies are hardly communists themselves.

        Tankies are authoritarians and defend authoritarianism. Do not use apologia.

        • Noel_Skum@sh.itjust.works
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          12 days ago

          You genuinely have never heard it used in a pejorative way against any red? I never said all commies were tankies. I explained the words etymology and then its subsequent broad (mis)application in current online parlance. Hope you’re not reading theory with those comprehension skills, comrade.

          • goat@sh.itjust.worksM
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            12 days ago

            I’m not the one lacking in reading comprehension.

            Do you not believe that the tankies featured in this community are indeed tankies?

            • Noel_Skum@sh.itjust.works
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              12 days ago

              What I’m saying is that whilst actual Tankies did, and still do, exist you do not have to be one to be called one. It’s now become a catch-all slur applied well outside of its original target.