this post was submitted on 21 Jul 2023
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GenZedong
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Oh! I think this might be a good explanation for a lot of the western left. Revolutionary movements are hard, and arguably they are the hardest in the imperial core. So it can often feel hopeless, but if those other socialist countries "failed" then it isn't so bad, because hey, everyone sucks at revolution, not just "us." And if there is some magical "universal" solution that will always succeed, even better, we can just do the one special thing that always works.
I've been thinking about "hope" and the western left a lot lately. A lot of the western left, like most people in the west, are constantly downtrodden and have their self-esteem torn apart by the system. And unlike libs who don't even notice this breaking down and just purchase the next distraction to ignore it, the western left are aware of how the system tears people apart, but feels utterly hopeless and trapped within it. So a "perfect" solution gives them what they sorely need: Hope.
Unfortunately, revolutions are not won on hope, but on pragmatic action. But I think there are a lot of reasons why the western left tends to fall for idealism a lot. (And that's ignoring the elephant in the room that actual materialist communists are targeted by the state, while idealists make excellent controlled opposition.)