Tankie - Revision history

Wisconcom: /* Definition */ Updated.

2026-07-31T23:35:40Z

Definition: Updated.

← Older revision		Revision as of 23:35, 31 July 2026
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	===Definition===		===Definition===
	In order for someone to be a ''tankie'', a perceived [[authoritarian]] group or person must be involved. The use of individual ''persons'' said to be authoritarian is especially common, presumably because strong feelings toward an individual, especially a face, are effective tools: if [[Vladimir Putin]] is the new Hitler,<ref>[https://www.forbes.com/sites/currentevents/2014/04/16/is-vladimir-putin-another-adolf-hitler/ Is Vladimir Putin Another Adolf Hitler?] ''Forbes'', 16 Apr 14.</ref><ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2022/02/24/hitler-czechoslovakia-sudeten-putin-ukraine/ Putin's attack on Ukraine echoes Hitler's takeover of Czechoslovakia], ''The Washington Post''.</ref><ref>[https://thehill.com/opinion/international/3909219-putin-and-xi-must-be-taught-the-lessons-hitler-and-mussolini-learned-the-hard-way/ Putin and Xi must be taught the lessons Hitler and Mussolini learned the hard way], 23 Mar 23.</ref> then any association with this new Hitler is a sign of untrustworthiness. Hence figures from [[Bashar al-Assad]]<ref name="intc" /> and [[Kim Jong-Un]] to [[Daniel Ortega]]<ref name="intc" /> are far more prominent in anti-tankie rhetoric than [[Syria]], [[North Korea]], or [[Nicaragua]].		In order for someone to be a ''tankie'', a perceived [[authoritarian]] group or person must be involved. The use of individual ''persons'' said to be authoritarian is especially common, presumably because strong feelings toward an individual, especially a face, are effective tools: if [[Vladimir Putin]] is the new Hitler,<ref>[https://www.forbes.com/sites/currentevents/2014/04/16/is-vladimir-putin-another-adolf-hitler/ Is Vladimir Putin Another Adolf Hitler?] ''Forbes'', 16 Apr 14.</ref><ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2022/02/24/hitler-czechoslovakia-sudeten-putin-ukraine/ Putin's attack on Ukraine echoes Hitler's takeover of Czechoslovakia], ''The Washington Post''.</ref><ref>[https://thehill.com/opinion/international/3909219-putin-and-xi-must-be-taught-the-lessons-hitler-and-mussolini-learned-the-hard-way/ Putin and Xi must be taught the lessons Hitler and Mussolini learned the hard way], 23 Mar 23.</ref> then any association with this new Hitler is a sign of untrustworthiness. Hence figures from [[Bashar al-Assad]]<ref name="intc" /> and [[Kim Jong-Un]] to [[Daniel Ortega]]<ref name="intc" /> are far more prominent in anti-tankie rhetoric than [[Ba'athist Syria]], [[North Korea]], or [[Nicaragua]].

	It must be emphasized that being a ''tankie'' does not directly necessitate being a [[communist]]. Communists who hold mainstream Western foreign policy positions are exempt, whereas anti-establishment liberals, such as Glenn Greenwald,<ref name="kos1">[https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2022/5/18/2098657/-Ukraine-update-The-tankies-think-everything-even-the-Ukraine-invasion-is-America-s-fault Ukraine update: The tankies think everything—even the Ukraine invasion—is America's fault], Markos Moulitsas, founder of Daily Kos.</ref> Max Blumenthal<ref name="kos1" /> and Michael Tracey,<ref name="kos1" /> are not.		It must be emphasized that being a ''tankie'' does not directly necessitate being a [[communist]]. Communists who hold mainstream Western foreign policy positions are exempt, whereas anti-establishment liberals, such as Glenn Greenwald,<ref name="kos1">[https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2022/5/18/2098657/-Ukraine-update-The-tankies-think-everything-even-the-Ukraine-invasion-is-America-s-fault Ukraine update: The tankies think everything—even the Ukraine invasion—is America's fault], Markos Moulitsas, founder of Daily Kos.</ref> Max Blumenthal<ref name="kos1" /> and Michael Tracey,<ref name="kos1" /> are not.

Wisconcom at 22:20, 29 July 2026

2026-07-29T22:20:47Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:20, 29 July 2026
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	'''''~~Tankie~~''''' is a term to ~~describe~~ [[~~Maoism~~\|~~Maoists~~]] ~~and~~ [[~~Stalinism\|Stalinists~~]]~~. Although the term has been used as an insult toward these people~~, the term ~~saw resurrection~~ by the [[~~online left~~]]. ~~The~~ term and ~~its defination have been controversial and debated among~~ the ~~online left~~.		{{Featured article}}
			[[File:Tank T-54 in Verkhnyaya Pyshma.jpg\|thumb\|T-54 tanks. This model was used by the [[Union of Soviet Socialist Republics\|Soviet Union]] and [[Warsaw Pact]] countries during the [[Cold War]]. ]]
			The word '''''tankie''''' is a pejorative or self-descriptive term which can have several meanings. First used within sections of the [[Cold War]] [[Leftism\|left]] to decry support for [[USSR\|Soviet]] interventions in [[Warsaw Pact]] countries, the term was later resurrected by [[Online Left\|internet leftists]] and broadened in scope to include [[Historical revisionism\|historical revisionists]]{{efn\|name=rev\|"Historical revisionism" can refer to the overturning of myths and distortions with new evidence or interpretations and is not to be confused with [[revisionism\|Marxist revisionism]].}} concerned with any [[socialist state]]. Because of their opposition to liberal historical narratives and longtime association with the [[Soviet Union]], [[Marxism–Leninism\|Marxist–Leninists]] were often labelled ''tankies''; the persistent use of the term in this sense has given rise to neutral or even positive connotations, and modern leftists may use the two interchangeably.

			Starting in the 2010s (or possibly earlier), left-adjacent [[liberal]]s such as [[progressive]]s and [[radlib]]s, either by deliberate innovation or as the result of a misconception (e.g., that only a tankie could hold such positions), began to use the term against critics of Western narratives concerning the [[Syrian Civil War]], [[North Korea]], and the [[Ukraine\|2014 Ukraine conflict]], among other topics. This usage is unequivocally negative and has achieved widespread currency online, even among [[centrist]]s and [[Rightism\|rightists]]. The term is now a favorite of establishment media figures (including "blue-checks"), who have in recent years taken to several mainstream outlets to criticize specific ideas or figures which they believe are part of a rising tide of tankie influence. The use of the word almost always implies support for [[authoritarianism]].

			As the other senses of the word ''tankie'' are fairly straightforward, this article will deal primarily with the term as liberals use it today.
			<!-- If you want to change this, then put basically all of current Analysis and Usage underneath a new top-level header for "Liberal usage". However, I do not see much reason to do this. -->

			==History==
			===Cold War===
			Tanks played a prominent and highly publicized role in the Soviet intervention in Hungary in 1956. The term tankie is said to originate from this invasion.{{citation needed}}
			===Internet age===
			[[/leftypol/]] users use "tankie" neutrally to refer to [[ML]]s to this day.
			===Use by liberals===
			It is unclear whether the liberal appropriation of ''tankie'' occurred before 2013–14. Google Trends<ref>https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=2008-03-21%202023-03-21&q=tankie</ref> indicates rising interest during 2013-14 (coinciding with US intervention in Syria and, later, Russian involvement in Ukraine), a bump in 2017 (possibly related to the 2017 Venezuelan constitutional crisis), a peak in 2020 (of unclear significance), and sharp jump in February 2022 (Russian invasion of Ukraine).
			==Usage==
			===Who can be a tankie?===
			There are several ways to get a liberal to call you a tankie. As Western tensions with [[China]] and [[Russia]] have increased, the term is now prominent enough to be referenced in online outlets like ''The Intercept''<ref name="intc">[https://theintercept.com/2022/03/01/ukraine-russia-leftists-tankie/ Don’t Be a Tankie: How the Left Should Respond to Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine], The Intercept, 1 Mar 23.</ref> and ''New York magazine'',<ref name="nymg">[https://web.archive.org/web/20220303141052/https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2022/03/russias-invasion-of-ukraine-tests-the-american-left.html Russia Tests the American Left], New York Magazine, 3 Mar 23.</ref> and these mainstream sources alone contain several different examples of ''tankiehood''. Tankies can include individuals who contradict Western narratives on the [[Ukraine#1991-present\|war in Ukraine]],<ref name="intc" /><ref name="nymg" /> Chinese actions in [[Xinjiang vocational education and training centers\|Xinjiang]]<ref name="nymg" /><ref name="dplm">[https://web.archive.org/web/20210331062729/https://thediplomat.com/2021/03/tankie-man-the-pro-democracy-hong-kongers-standing-up-to-western-communists/ Tankie Man: The Pro-Democracy Hong Kongers Standing Up to Western Communists], 29 Mar 21.</ref> and [[Hong Kong]],<ref name="nymg" /><ref name="dplm" /> support for [[Hamas]],<ref name="tmis">[https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/tankie-tears-who-are-these-people-why-do-they-matter/ TANKIE TEARS! Who are These People, & Why Do They Matter?], Times of Israel, ''The Blogs''.</ref> or even [[Holocaust denial]].<ref name="tmis" /> Even a mild statement such as the one made by the [[DSA]] upon the Russian invasion merits an entire article about "tankies".<ref name="nymg" /> [[Twitter]] users, of course, are far more creative with the term.

			===Definition===
			In order for someone to be a ''tankie'', a perceived [[authoritarian]] group or person must be involved. The use of individual ''persons'' said to be authoritarian is especially common, presumably because strong feelings toward an individual, especially a face, are effective tools: if [[Vladimir Putin]] is the new Hitler,<ref>[https://www.forbes.com/sites/currentevents/2014/04/16/is-vladimir-putin-another-adolf-hitler/ Is Vladimir Putin Another Adolf Hitler?] ''Forbes'', 16 Apr 14.</ref><ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2022/02/24/hitler-czechoslovakia-sudeten-putin-ukraine/ Putin's attack on Ukraine echoes Hitler's takeover of Czechoslovakia], ''The Washington Post''.</ref><ref>[https://thehill.com/opinion/international/3909219-putin-and-xi-must-be-taught-the-lessons-hitler-and-mussolini-learned-the-hard-way/ Putin and Xi must be taught the lessons Hitler and Mussolini learned the hard way], 23 Mar 23.</ref> then any association with this new Hitler is a sign of untrustworthiness. Hence figures from [[Bashar al-Assad]]<ref name="intc" /> and [[Kim Jong-Un]] to [[Daniel Ortega]]<ref name="intc" /> are far more prominent in anti-tankie rhetoric than [[Syria]], [[North Korea]], or [[Nicaragua]].

			It must be emphasized that being a ''tankie'' does not directly necessitate being a [[communist]]. Communists who hold mainstream Western foreign policy positions are exempt, whereas anti-establishment liberals, such as Glenn Greenwald,<ref name="kos1">[https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2022/5/18/2098657/-Ukraine-update-The-tankies-think-everything-even-the-Ukraine-invasion-is-America-s-fault Ukraine update: The tankies think everything—even the Ukraine invasion—is America's fault], Markos Moulitsas, founder of Daily Kos.</ref> Max Blumenthal<ref name="kos1" /> and Michael Tracey,<ref name="kos1" /> are not.

			==Analysis==
			The old "tankie" was someone who did not sufficiently condemn certain Soviet actions, whereas the modern "tankie" is someone who believes or argues certain things which are held to be false; in other words, while the original use of "tankie" was a moral charge that indicated a difference of opinion, interpretation, or perhaps strategy, its modern application represents a fundamental dispute over the veracity of basic facts and sources, especially concerning the historical record. This difference seems to indicate that Western [[propaganda]] has shifted its focus away from moral and ideological disagreements (battling "for the soul of mankind") in favor of an attempt to monopolize facts and even truth itself, a change which is reflected in many other cultural spheres. Hence the term now belongs in the same ideological category as [[disinformation]], [[authoritarianism]], and [[propaganda\|foreign propaganda]]. As Western liberalism continues to lose its ideological vitality, liberal institutions are increasingly forced to become more authoritarian in order to fill the gap; what once was a biting attack that outflanked the left on its own principles now becomes a hollow label designed to prevent the contamination of liberalism with facts.
			<!--Add your own analyses as new paragraphs. Then bind them all together under "One analysis is... another is..." etc.-->
			== See also ==

			* [[Commie]], another colloquial term used by anti-communists
			* [[Radical liberal\|Radlib]], and "opposite" of a tankie in many ways
			* [[BreadTube]], a group of nominally leftist voices opposed to "tankies"

			==External links==
			Some of these links are appended for the purpose of critical research and not necessarily out of approval.
			* [https://en.prolewiki.org/wiki/Tankie ''Tankie'' at ProleWiki], a page run by MLs
			* [https://twitter.com/HotTankie Hot Tankie Takes], a Twitter account with 20,000 followers

			==Notes==
			{{notelist}}
			==References==
			{{reflist}}
	[[Category:Online left]]		[[Category:Online left]]
			[[Category:Internet]]
			[[Category:Issues]]

Wisconcom: 1 revision imported

2026-07-29T22:20:18Z

1 revision imported

← Older revision	Revision as of 22:20, 29 July 2026
(No difference)

Planty at 01:24, 19 May 2026

2026-05-19T01:24:40Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 01:24, 19 May 2026
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	'''''Tankie''''' is a term to describe ~~communists who support the authoritarian, repressive, and/or militaristic actions of the~~ [[~~People’s Republic of China~~]] or [[~~Joseph Stalin~~]]. Although the term has been used as an insult toward these people, the term saw ~~usage online to describe users who treat~~ [[~~communism~~]] ~~as an aesthetic instead of a political ideology~~.		'''''Tankie''''' is a term to describe [[Maoism\|Maoists]] and [[Stalinism\|Stalinists]]. Although the term has been used as an insult toward these people, the term saw resurrection by the [[online left]]. The term and its defination have been controversial and debated among the online left.

	[[Category:Online left]]		[[Category:Online left]]

Planty: Created page with "'''''Tankie''''' is a term to describe communists who support the authoritarian, repressive, and/or militaristic actions of the People’s Republic of China or Joseph Stalin. Although the term has been used as an insult toward these people, the term saw usage online to describe users who treat communism as an aesthetic instead of a political ideology. Category:Online left"

2026-05-19T01:11:47Z

Created page with "'''''Tankie''''' is a term to describe communists who support the authoritarian, repressive, and/or militaristic actions of the People’s Republic of China or Joseph Stalin. Although the term has been used as an insult toward these people, the term saw usage online to describe users who treat communism as an aesthetic instead of a political ideology. Category:Online left"

← Older revision		Revision as of 01:11, 19 May 2026
Line 1:		Line 1:
	~~{{Featured article}}~~		'''''Tankie''''' is a term to describe communists who support the authoritarian, repressive, and/or militaristic actions of the [[People’s Republic of China]] or [[Joseph Stalin]]. Although the term has been used as an insult toward these people, the term saw usage online to describe users who treat [[communism]] as an aesthetic instead of a political ideology.
	~~[[File:Tank T-54 in Verkhnyaya Pyshma.jpg\|thumb\|T-54 tanks. This model was used by the [[Union of Soviet Socialist Republics\|Soviet Union]] and [[Warsaw Pact]] countries during the [[Cold War]]. ]]~~
	~~The word~~ '''''~~tankie~~''''' is a ~~pejorative or self-descriptive~~ term ~~which can have several meanings. First used within sections of the [[Cold War]] [[Leftism\|left]]~~ to ~~decry~~ support ~~for [[USSR\|Soviet]] interventions in [[Warsaw Pact]] countries~~, the ~~term was later resurrected by~~ [[~~Online Left\|internet leftists]] and broadened in scope to include [[Historical revisionism\|historical revisionists~~]]~~{{efn\|name=rev\|"Historical revisionism" can refer to the overturning of myths and distortions with new evidence~~ or ~~interpretations and is not to be confused with [[revisionism\|Marxist revisionism]].}} concerned with any~~ [[~~socialist state~~]]. ~~Because of their opposition to liberal historical narratives and longtime association with~~ the ~~[[Soviet Union]]~~, [[~~Marxism–Leninism\|Marxist–Leninists~~]] ~~were often labelled ''tankies''; the persistent use~~ of ~~the term in this sense has given rise to neutral or even positive connotations, and modern leftists may use the two interchangeably~~.

	Starting in the 2010s (or possibly earlier), left-adjacent [[liberal]]s such as [[progressive]]s and [[radlib]]s, either by deliberate innovation or as the result of a misconception (e.g., that only a tankie could hold such positions), began to use the term against critics of Western narratives concerning the [[Syrian Civil War]], [[North Korea]], and the [[Ukraine\|2014 Ukraine conflict]], among other topics. This usage is unequivocally negative and has achieved widespread currency online, even among [[centrist]]s and [[Rightism\|rightists]]. The term is now a favorite of establishment media figures (including "blue-checks"), who have in recent years taken to several mainstream outlets to criticize specific ideas or figures which they believe are part of a rising tide of tankie influence. The use of the word almost always implies support for [[authoritarianism]].

	~~As the other senses of the word ''tankie'' are fairly straightforward, this article will deal primarily with the term as liberals use it today.~~
	~~<!-- If you want to change this, then put basically all of current Analysis and Usage underneath a new top-level header for "Liberal usage". However, I do not see much reason to do this. -->~~

	~~==History==~~
	~~===Cold War===~~
	~~Tanks played a prominent and highly publicized role in the Soviet intervention in Hungary in 1956. The term tankie is said to originate from this invasion.{{citation needed}}~~
	~~===Internet age===~~
	~~[[/leftypol/]] users use "tankie" neutrally to refer to [[ML]]s to this day.~~
	~~===Use by liberals===~~
	It is unclear whether the liberal appropriation of ''tankie'' occurred before 2013–14. Google Trends<ref>https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=2008-03-21%202023-03-21&q=tankie</ref> indicates rising interest during 2013-14 (coinciding with US intervention in Syria and, later, Russian involvement in Ukraine), a bump in 2017 (possibly related to the 2017 Venezuelan constitutional crisis), a peak in 2020 (of unclear significance), and sharp jump in February 2022 (Russian invasion of Ukraine).
	~~==Usage==~~
	~~===Who can be a tankie?===~~
	There are several ways to get a liberal to call you a tankie. As Western tensions with [[China]] and [[Russia]] have increased, the term is now prominent enough to be referenced in online outlets like ''The Intercept''<ref name="intc">[https://theintercept.com/2022/03/01/ukraine-russia-leftists-tankie/ Don’t Be a Tankie: How the Left Should Respond to Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine], The Intercept, 1 Mar 23.</ref> and ''New York magazine'',<ref name="nymg">[https://web.archive.org/web/20220303141052/https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2022/03/russias-invasion-of-ukraine-tests-the-american-left.html Russia Tests the American Left], New York Magazine, 3 Mar 23.</ref> and these mainstream sources alone contain several different examples of ''tankiehood''. Tankies can include individuals who contradict Western narratives on the [[Ukraine#1991-present\|war in Ukraine]],<ref name="intc" /><ref name="nymg" /> Chinese actions in [[Xinjiang vocational education and training centers\|Xinjiang]]<ref name="nymg" /><ref name="dplm">[https://web.archive.org/web/20210331062729/https://thediplomat.com/2021/03/tankie-man-the-pro-democracy-hong-kongers-standing-up-to-western-communists/ Tankie Man: The Pro-Democracy Hong Kongers Standing Up to Western Communists], 29 Mar 21.</ref> and [[Hong Kong]],<ref name="nymg" /><ref name="dplm" /> support for [[Hamas]],<ref name="tmis">[https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/tankie-tears-who-are-these-people-why-do-they-matter/ TANKIE TEARS! Who are These People, & Why Do They Matter?], Times of Israel, ''The Blogs''.</ref> or even [[Holocaust denial]].<ref name="tmis" /> Even a mild statement such as the one made by the [[DSA]] upon the Russian invasion merits an entire article about "tankies".<ref name="nymg" /> [[Twitter]] users, of course, are far more creative with the term.

	~~===Definition===~~
	In order for someone to be a ''tankie'', a perceived [[authoritarian]] group or person must be involved. The use of individual ''persons'' said to be authoritarian is especially common, presumably because strong feelings toward an individual, especially a face, are effective tools: if [[Vladimir Putin]] is the new Hitler,<ref>[https://www.forbes.com/sites/currentevents/2014/04/16/is-vladimir-putin-another-adolf-hitler/ Is Vladimir Putin Another Adolf Hitler?] ''Forbes'', 16 Apr 14.</ref><ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2022/02/24/hitler-czechoslovakia-sudeten-putin-ukraine/ Putin's attack on Ukraine echoes Hitler's takeover of Czechoslovakia], ''The Washington Post''.</ref><ref>[https://thehill.com/opinion/international/3909219-putin-and-xi-must-be-taught-the-lessons-hitler-and-mussolini-learned-the-hard-way/ Putin and Xi must be taught the lessons Hitler and Mussolini learned the hard way], 23 Mar 23.</ref> then any association with this new Hitler is a sign of untrustworthiness. Hence figures from [[Bashar al-Assad]]<ref name="intc" /> and [[Kim Jong-Un]] to [[Daniel Ortega]]<ref name="intc" /> are far more prominent in anti-tankie rhetoric than [[Syria]], [[North Korea]], or [[Nicaragua]].

	It must be emphasized that being a ''tankie'' does not directly necessitate being a [[communist]]. Communists who hold mainstream Western foreign policy positions are exempt, whereas anti-establishment liberals, such as Glenn Greenwald,<ref name="kos1">[https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2022/5/18/2098657/-Ukraine-update-The-tankies-think-everything-even-the-Ukraine-invasion-is-America-s-fault Ukraine update: The tankies think everything—even the Ukraine invasion—is America's fault], Markos Moulitsas, founder of Daily Kos.</ref> Max Blumenthal<ref name="kos1" /> and Michael Tracey,<ref name="kos1" /> are not.

	~~==Analysis==~~
	The old "tankie" was someone who did not sufficiently condemn certain Soviet actions, whereas the modern "tankie" is someone who believes or argues certain things which are held to be false; in other words, while the original use of "tankie" was a moral charge that indicated a difference of opinion, interpretation, or perhaps strategy, its modern application represents a fundamental dispute over the veracity of basic facts and sources, especially concerning the historical record. This difference seems to indicate that Western [[propaganda]] has shifted its focus away from moral and ideological disagreements (battling "for the soul of mankind") in favor of an attempt to monopolize facts and even truth itself, a change which is reflected in many other cultural spheres. Hence the term now belongs in the same ideological category as [[disinformation]], [[authoritarianism]], and [[propaganda\|foreign propaganda]]. As Western liberalism continues to lose its ideological vitality, liberal institutions are increasingly forced to become more authoritarian in order to fill the gap; what once was a biting attack that outflanked the left on its own principles now becomes a hollow label designed to prevent the contamination of liberalism with facts.
	~~<!--Add your own analyses as new paragraphs. Then bind them all together under "One analysis is... another is..." etc.-->~~
	~~== See also ==~~

	* [[Commie]], another colloquial term used by anti-communists
	* [[Radical liberal\|Radlib]], and "opposite" of a tankie in many ways
	* [[BreadTube]], a group of nominally leftist voices opposed to "tankies"

	~~==External links==~~
	~~Some of these links are appended for the purpose of critical research and not necessarily out of approval.~~
	* [https://en.prolewiki.org/wiki/Tankie ''Tankie'' at ProleWiki], a page run by MLs
	* [https://twitter.com/HotTankie Hot Tankie Takes], a Twitter account with 20,000 followers

	~~==Notes==~~
	~~{{notelist}}~~
	~~==References==~~
	~~{{reflist}}~~
	[[Category:Online left]]		[[Category:Online left]]
	~~[[Category:Internet]]~~
	~~[[Category:Issues]]~~

imported>RedParabola: Cleaned article in certain spots and added "see also"

2024-04-07T15:37:02Z

Cleaned article in certain spots and added "see also"

New page

{{Featured article}}
[[File:Tank T-54 in Verkhnyaya Pyshma.jpg|thumb|T-54 tanks. This model was used by the [[Union of Soviet Socialist Republics|Soviet Union]] and [[Warsaw Pact]] countries during the [[Cold War]]. ]]
The word '''''tankie''''' is a pejorative or self-descriptive term which can have several meanings. First used within sections of the [[Cold War]] [[Leftism|left]] to decry support for [[USSR|Soviet]] interventions in [[Warsaw Pact]] countries, the term was later resurrected by [[Online Left|internet leftists]] and broadened in scope to include [[Historical revisionism|historical revisionists]]{{efn|name=rev|"Historical revisionism" can refer to the overturning of myths and distortions with new evidence or interpretations and is not to be confused with [[revisionism|Marxist revisionism]].}} concerned with any [[socialist state]]. Because of their opposition to liberal historical narratives and longtime association with the [[Soviet Union]], [[Marxism–Leninism|Marxist–Leninists]] were often labelled ''tankies''; the persistent use of the term in this sense has given rise to neutral or even positive connotations, and modern leftists may use the two interchangeably.

Starting in the 2010s (or possibly earlier), left-adjacent [[liberal]]s such as [[progressive]]s and [[radlib]]s, either by deliberate innovation or as the result of a misconception (e.g., that only a tankie could hold such positions), began to use the term against critics of Western narratives concerning the [[Syrian Civil War]], [[North Korea]], and the [[Ukraine|2014 Ukraine conflict]], among other topics. This usage is unequivocally negative and has achieved widespread currency online, even among [[centrist]]s and [[Rightism|rightists]]. The term is now a favorite of establishment media figures (including "blue-checks"), who have in recent years taken to several mainstream outlets to criticize specific ideas or figures which they believe are part of a rising tide of tankie influence. The use of the word almost always implies support for [[authoritarianism]].

As the other senses of the word ''tankie'' are fairly straightforward, this article will deal primarily with the term as liberals use it today.


==History==
===Cold War===
Tanks played a prominent and highly publicized role in the Soviet intervention in Hungary in 1956. The term tankie is said to originate from this invasion.{{citation needed}}
===Internet age===
[[/leftypol/]] users use "tankie" neutrally to refer to [[ML]]s to this day.
===Use by liberals===
It is unclear whether the liberal appropriation of ''tankie'' occurred before 2013–14. Google Trends<ref>https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=2008-03-21%202023-03-21&q=tankie</ref> indicates rising interest during 2013-14 (coinciding with US intervention in Syria and, later, Russian involvement in Ukraine), a bump in 2017 (possibly related to the 2017 Venezuelan constitutional crisis), a peak in 2020 (of unclear significance), and sharp jump in February 2022 (Russian invasion of Ukraine).
==Usage==
===Who can be a tankie?===
There are several ways to get a liberal to call you a tankie. As Western tensions with [[China]] and [[Russia]] have increased, the term is now prominent enough to be referenced in online outlets like ''The Intercept''<ref name="intc">[https://theintercept.com/2022/03/01/ukraine-russia-leftists-tankie/ Don’t Be a Tankie: How the Left Should Respond to Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine], The Intercept, 1 Mar 23.</ref> and ''New York magazine'',<ref name="nymg">[https://web.archive.org/web/20220303141052/https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2022/03/russias-invasion-of-ukraine-tests-the-american-left.html Russia Tests the American Left], New York Magazine, 3 Mar 23.</ref> and these mainstream sources alone contain several different examples of ''tankiehood''. Tankies can include individuals who contradict Western narratives on the [[Ukraine#1991-present|war in Ukraine]],<ref name="intc" /><ref name="nymg" /> Chinese actions in [[Xinjiang vocational education and training centers|Xinjiang]]<ref name="nymg" /><ref name="dplm">[https://web.archive.org/web/20210331062729/https://thediplomat.com/2021/03/tankie-man-the-pro-democracy-hong-kongers-standing-up-to-western-communists/ Tankie Man: The Pro-Democracy Hong Kongers Standing Up to Western Communists], 29 Mar 21.</ref> and [[Hong Kong]],<ref name="nymg" /><ref name="dplm" /> support for [[Hamas]],<ref name="tmis">[https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/tankie-tears-who-are-these-people-why-do-they-matter/ TANKIE TEARS! Who are These People, & Why Do They Matter?], Times of Israel, ''The Blogs''.</ref> or even [[Holocaust denial]].<ref name="tmis" /> Even a mild statement such as the one made by the [[DSA]] upon the Russian invasion merits an entire article about "tankies".<ref name="nymg" /> [[Twitter]] users, of course, are far more creative with the term.

===Definition===
In order for someone to be a ''tankie'', a perceived [[authoritarian]] group or person must be involved. The use of individual ''persons'' said to be authoritarian is especially common, presumably because strong feelings toward an individual, especially a face, are effective tools: if [[Vladimir Putin]] is the new Hitler,<ref>[https://www.forbes.com/sites/currentevents/2014/04/16/is-vladimir-putin-another-adolf-hitler/ Is Vladimir Putin Another Adolf Hitler?] ''Forbes'', 16 Apr 14.</ref><ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2022/02/24/hitler-czechoslovakia-sudeten-putin-ukraine/ Putin's attack on Ukraine echoes Hitler's takeover of Czechoslovakia], ''The Washington Post''.</ref><ref>[https://thehill.com/opinion/international/3909219-putin-and-xi-must-be-taught-the-lessons-hitler-and-mussolini-learned-the-hard-way/ Putin and Xi must be taught the lessons Hitler and Mussolini learned the hard way], 23 Mar 23.</ref> then any association with this new Hitler is a sign of untrustworthiness. Hence figures from [[Bashar al-Assad]]<ref name="intc" /> and [[Kim Jong-Un]] to [[Daniel Ortega]]<ref name="intc" /> are far more prominent in anti-tankie rhetoric than [[Syria]], [[North Korea]], or [[Nicaragua]].

It must be emphasized that being a ''tankie'' does not directly necessitate being a [[communist]]. Communists who hold mainstream Western foreign policy positions are exempt, whereas anti-establishment liberals, such as Glenn Greenwald,<ref name="kos1">[https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2022/5/18/2098657/-Ukraine-update-The-tankies-think-everything-even-the-Ukraine-invasion-is-America-s-fault Ukraine update: The tankies think everything—even the Ukraine invasion—is America's fault], Markos Moulitsas, founder of Daily Kos.</ref> Max Blumenthal<ref name="kos1" /> and Michael Tracey,<ref name="kos1" /> are not.

==Analysis==
The old "tankie" was someone who did not sufficiently condemn certain Soviet actions, whereas the modern "tankie" is someone who believes or argues certain things which are held to be false; in other words, while the original use of "tankie" was a moral charge that indicated a difference of opinion, interpretation, or perhaps strategy, its modern application represents a fundamental dispute over the veracity of basic facts and sources, especially concerning the historical record. This difference seems to indicate that Western [[propaganda]] has shifted its focus away from moral and ideological disagreements (battling "for the soul of mankind") in favor of an attempt to monopolize facts and even truth itself, a change which is reflected in many other cultural spheres. Hence the term now belongs in the same ideological category as [[disinformation]], [[authoritarianism]], and [[propaganda|foreign propaganda]]. As Western liberalism continues to lose its ideological vitality, liberal institutions are increasingly forced to become more authoritarian in order to fill the gap; what once was a biting attack that outflanked the left on its own principles now becomes a hollow label designed to prevent the contamination of liberalism with facts.

== See also ==

* [[Commie]], another colloquial term used by anti-communists
* [[Radical liberal|Radlib]], and "opposite" of a tankie in many ways
* [[BreadTube]], a group of nominally leftist voices opposed to "tankies"

==External links==
Some of these links are appended for the purpose of critical research and not necessarily out of approval.
* [https://en.prolewiki.org/wiki/Tankie ''Tankie'' at ProleWiki], a page run by MLs
* [https://twitter.com/HotTankie Hot Tankie Takes], a Twitter account with 20,000 followers

==Notes==
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==References==
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[[Category:Online left]]
[[Category:Internet]]
[[Category:Issues]]