this post was submitted on 20 Jun 2023
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what is a tankie?
Stalinists. It originated in British left-wing politics, in reference to British communists who supported the Soviet Union when they sent tanks in to crush the Hungarian Revolution in 1956 (in contrast to those British communists who broke away from the Soviets over this), but nowadays it's used more generally to refer to that brand of authoritarian leftists who act as apologists for Putin, the Chinese Communist Party, North Korea, etc.
Has there been conducted any studies into where these people come from? Both geographically, generationally, and ideologically. Is it just random people with a fascination with the Soviet Union who somehow end up reading a bit too much Russia Today? Are they brainwashed from birth?
I struggle to believe how any well meaning leftie could take a look at Putin and think "yeah, that's what I'm talking about".
Can’t respond with any studies but based on my own experience (and failings), it often begins with a feeling of, "What else have they lied about?" This usually occurs after one starts questioning 'the system'. At the same time, seeing entities like Russia/China/etc. as the only forces combating whatever represents "the system" for them can contribute to this mindset.
Using the vague “the system” since this pattern of thought isn't exclusive to any one group, such as tankies, but rather is a more widespread phenomenon.
Russia has also been actively spreading disinformation in western countries for decades. paying communist parties, buying papers etc.
Authoritarians, primarily communists.
No but same principle, it's basically people who saw nothing wrong with Stalin using tanks to crush the Hungarian people's attempt to be free of the USSR.
It was a moment when a lot of the young western communists were disillusioned and noped out of supporting Russian communism. Tankies were the ones who were still down with it.