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How do people actually fall into the "Tankie" mindset? (anarchist.nexus)

submitted 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) by stinky@anarchist.nexus to c/anarchism@lemmy.dbzer0.com

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After seeing a megathread praising Mao Zedong, an actual mass killer, and a post about a guy saying "99% of westerners are 100000000000% sure they know what happened in 'Tiny Man Square' [...] the reasons for this are complex and involve propaganda [...]," I am genuinely curious what leads people to this belief system. Even if propaganda is involved when it comes to Tiananmen Square, it doesn't change the atrocities that were/are committed everywhere else in China.

I am all for letting people believe what they want but I am lost on why one would deliberately praise any authoritarian system this hard.

Can someone please help me understand why this is such a large and prominent community? How have these ideals garnered such a following outside of China?

EDIT: Thank you to everyone who has responded! This thread has been very insightful :)

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[–] AntiBullyRanger@ani.social 8 points 1 week ago (1 children)

not a tankie, but how would you deal with fascists, parasites, slavers, murderers, terrorists, etc.?

[–] toomanypancakes@piefed.world 12 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I just don't think giving the state license to mass murder its political enemies is a smart idea. I think steps need to be taken to prevent bad actors like that from harming people, but I'd favor an approach based more on education and rehabilitation than outright murder. Every innocent you wrongly deem an enemy of the state should be an unforgivable occurence, not the cost of doing business.

Ultimately I'd prefer no state apparatus exists that could wield that sort of power to mass murder members of the population. Even if constructed with the best of intentions it's corruptible and fallible.

[–] AntiBullyRanger@ani.social 6 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (2 children)

I concur with you completely, but again, how do you prevent fascist genocides, landlord hostile evictions, slavers, state murderers (cops), terrorists, etc.? Education and Rehabilitation hasn't worked on them for 143 years, and science keeps proving why. RN, fascist are genociding in China, Gaza, US, Cambodia, etc.. And educated folks are letting it happen.

[–] toomanypancakes@piefed.world 4 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I disagree with your premise that it doesn't work, I don't believe many people have ever put serious effort towards that.

[–] AntiBullyRanger@ani.social 4 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

towards nonviolence, deescalation, and horizontal power?
you serious?

[–] lmmarsano@lemmynsfw.com 0 points 1 week ago (1 children)

The criminal justice system seems more than capable. Mass murder & a hierarchy of uncontrolled government power/authority to abuse individual liberties aren't necessary.

[–] AntiBullyRanger@ani.social 2 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

nvm, overviewed your profile.
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