25th May 2020
Musings.......
Left Wing Fascism
While surfing through Quora app looking for something totally unrelated, I came across a question - “ Which dictator killed the most people- Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin or Mao Zedong ? I was surprised to find the answer, Adolf Hitler only comes third in this list, only after Stalin and Mao !!
We have generally attributed the fascism to right wing and have mostly ignored the fact that left wing fascism does exist.
Though traditionally and historically considered a right wing phenomena, fascism identify itself even as left wing in the following sense -
- [ ] Intolerance of its political opponents
- [ ] Suppression of freedom of speech and lack of respect for democratic principles
- [ ] Use of Violence.
The term was popularised by sociologists and one such philosopher, Victor Klemperer described the close similarities between the Nationalist Socialist Regime and the German Democratic Republic ( Nazi Party).
Most recently the term “left fascism” has been used to describe unusual hybrid political alliances. Many left wing supporters are infatuated with post modernist or anti- Enlightenment theories, opening up the opportunity for cult-like, irrational, anti-democratic positions that combine characteristics of the left with those of fascism.
It is a fact that BBC has reported that mass killings happened during the reigns of Stalin and Mao which went unreported and hushed up. The death toll of these dictators are astronishing.
Joseph Stalin -
The leader of the Russian Communist Party and its predecessor the Bolsheviks party, Stalin embraced Marxism at an early age. Stalin’s Soviet Union has been characterised as a totalitarian state with Stalin its authoritarian leader. Various biographers described him as a dictator, and an autocrat. It is a well known fact of how Stalin sidelined his nemesis, the communist leader Trotsky who was widely acknowledged to become the next leader of the Soviet Union after Lenin. It is history that Trotsky was assassinated by Stalins men in his old age while in exile.
Gulag or concentration camps in the Stalinist regime were well known and led to mass genocides. Official records reveal 7,99,455 documented executions in the Soviet Union between 1921 and 1938, the years of the Great Purge. ( Encyclopedia.com figures).
This is besides the death as a result of collectivisation, famine, terror campaigns, disease, war and mortality rates in the Gulag.
These are the reasons why after his death, the Soviet Union went through a period of de- Stalinisation. In the 20th Party Congress of the Russian Communist Party then leader Nikita Krushchev denounced Stalin for both his mass repression and personality cult. His body was removed from the musoleum and buried near the Kremlin wall without much adoration. The city of Stalingrad was renamed Volgograd. De-stalinisation found new traction and was aggressively pursued during the 1980s when Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev pursued his political movement of reformation within Communist party, the Perestroika and policy of openness, the Glasnost.
Mao Zedong
Chairman of the Communist Party of China and its predecessor the Kuomintang , was the founding father of the People’s Republic of China.
At the 1958 Party Congress in Chengdu, Mao expressed support for personality cults of people including Joseph Stalin in his commentary.
His policies led to the death of tens of millions of people in China during his 27-year reign, more than any other 20th Century leader. Figures say the number of people who died under his regime range from 40 to as many as 80 million through mass executions, prison labour, persecution and starvation.
It is interesting to note that the present Chinese Communist Party which Mao led to power, has rejected in practice the economic fundamentals of much of Mao’s ideology, although it retained for itself all of Mao’s extraordinary political powers.
Some historians argue that “Mao was a historical criminal who exhibited oppressive tendencies that were discernible in all major absolutist regimes of the twentieth century. “. There is obvious parallels between Mao’s China, Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia.
Pol Pot
The General Secretary of the Communist Party of Kampuchea, and the 27th PM of Cambodia. He was the leading figure of Cambodian Communist movement, the Khmer Rouge. Pol Pot was a highly controversial figure. He transformed Cambodia into a one party state. He is regarded as a totalitarian dictator guilty of crimes against humanity.
Khmer Rouge classified people on the basis of religious and ethnic backgrounds. They had a policy of state atheism.
There was widespread killings- purge of members of communities whom the party didn’t like. If the first state sponsored mass murders were related to religious crimes, the second one was said to be accusing the fleeing poor to be Vietnamese symphathisers. Many had sought refuge in Vietnam against the state sponsored purge.
Estimates say 1.6 to 1.8 million Cambodians died as a result of Khmer Rouge policy or between 21-24% of the population.
Pol Pot who later changed his name to Phem was widely influenced by Marxist- Leninist ideology and considered Mao as one of his hero’s.
On his death The New York Times referred to him as the creator of “ one of the 20th century’s most brutal and radical regimes”.
North Korea
The Communist government or the Kim Family fiefdom of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, according to reports, have been responsible for over a million deaths from 1948-1987. A wide range of atrocities have been committed in concentration camps including forced abortions, infanticides and torture.
Vietnam
Reports attribute 80,000 to 2 Lakh death due to “communist mass killings” in North and South Vietnam before they reunited.
Ethiopia
Amnesty International estimates half a million was killed during the “ Ethiopian Red Terror”. Mengistu Haile Mariam, the General Secretary of the Workers Party of Ethiopia and its first President himself is alleged to have killed political opponents with his bare hands.
Going further into East European soviet communist countries and taking count of the left government’s atrocities and killings there ( including in Yugoslavia) is beyond the scope of this article, but in no way less tragic.
RJ Rummel in his book “Death by Government” included about 110 million people, killed by communist democide ( intentional killing of unarmed or disarmed persons by government agents acting in their authoritative capacity and pursuant to government policy ) from 1910-1987.
Stephane Courtois book “ Black Book of Communism” have a rough estimation of around 100 million killings.
At this point I should mention that, same as how this writer has multiple times over the years shown his constant ideological differences for right wing fascist forces, in the same way, left wing fascism and the Marxist- Leninist model too cannot be tolerated and accepted.
In the Indian context it is best to say that the Indian National Congress has upheld the practical values of socialism and the left wing for all practical purposes, rendering the so called Indian communists redundant and out of tune with the times.
Practically speaking the Communist model has failed the world over. Taking into account the social indicators, democracy index and freedom of press and the economy in these remaining Communist regimes would be enough to support my statement.
Some say those criticising Communism are the supporters of Colonialism and capitalism. However we have seen in the Indian context of how the Communist Party refused to take part in the Quit India Movement, and sided with the British Imperialists. It was only the National Congress and the Indian National Movement that led the freedom struggle against colonial forces.
- [ ] Intolerance of its political opponents
- [ ] Suppression of freedom of speech and lack of respect for democratic principles
- [ ] Use of Violence
These three points show us without doubt why Communism is against democracy and why strengthening communist forces would indirectly strengthen left wing fascism.
If the above three points seem familiar to circumstances near home then I am not to blame !
Is it time for India to show the left wing fascists the door ? Is it time to sent the Communists to the annals of history, as for all practical purposes the Congress party seems to imbibe and represent the aspirations of the left too.
In the present Indian scenario it is only the Congress that can help in the protection of Minorities including SC/STs, strengthen democracy, uphold freedom of speech with respect for democratic institutions and abdicate violence and stop political killings. Both the left and right wing forces have failed the people miserably.
Food for Thought
RC
rohitchennithala.blogspot.com
rohitchennithala.home.blog
Left Wing Fascism
While surfing through Quora app looking for something totally unrelated, I came across a question - “ Which dictator killed the most people- Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin or Mao Zedong ? I was surprised to find the answer, Adolf Hitler only comes third in this list, only after Stalin and Mao !!
We have generally attributed the fascism to right wing and have mostly ignored the fact that left wing fascism does exist.
Though traditionally and historically considered a right wing phenomena, fascism identify itself even as left wing in the following sense -
- [ ] Intolerance of its political opponents
- [ ] Suppression of freedom of speech and lack of respect for democratic principles
- [ ] Use of Violence.
The term was popularised by sociologists and one such philosopher, Victor Klemperer described the close similarities between the Nationalist Socialist Regime and the German Democratic Republic ( Nazi Party).
Most recently the term “left fascism” has been used to describe unusual hybrid political alliances. Many left wing supporters are infatuated with post modernist or anti- Enlightenment theories, opening up the opportunity for cult-like, irrational, anti-democratic positions that combine characteristics of the left with those of fascism.
It is a fact that BBC has reported that mass killings happened during the reigns of Stalin and Mao which went unreported and hushed up. The death toll of these dictators are astronishing.
Joseph Stalin -
The leader of the Russian Communist Party and its predecessor the Bolsheviks party, Stalin embraced Marxism at an early age. Stalin’s Soviet Union has been characterised as a totalitarian state with Stalin its authoritarian leader. Various biographers described him as a dictator, and an autocrat. It is a well known fact of how Stalin sidelined his nemesis, the communist leader Trotsky who was widely acknowledged to become the next leader of the Soviet Union after Lenin. It is history that Trotsky was assassinated by Stalins men in his old age while in exile.
Gulag or concentration camps in the Stalinist regime were well known and led to mass genocides. Official records reveal 7,99,455 documented executions in the Soviet Union between 1921 and 1938, the years of the Great Purge. ( Encyclopedia.com figures).
This is besides the death as a result of collectivisation, famine, terror campaigns, disease, war and mortality rates in the Gulag.
These are the reasons why after his death, the Soviet Union went through a period of de- Stalinisation. In the 20th Party Congress of the Russian Communist Party then leader Nikita Krushchev denounced Stalin for both his mass repression and personality cult. His body was removed from the musoleum and buried near the Kremlin wall without much adoration. The city of Stalingrad was renamed Volgograd. De-stalinisation found new traction and was aggressively pursued during the 1980s when Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev pursued his political movement of reformation within Communist party, the Perestroika and policy of openness, the Glasnost.
Mao Zedong
Chairman of the Communist Party of China and its predecessor the Kuomintang , was the founding father of the People’s Republic of China.
At the 1958 Party Congress in Chengdu, Mao expressed support for personality cults of people including Joseph Stalin in his commentary.
His policies led to the death of tens of millions of people in China during his 27-year reign, more than any other 20th Century leader. Figures say the number of people who died under his regime range from 40 to as many as 80 million through mass executions, prison labour, persecution and starvation.
It is interesting to note that the present Chinese Communist Party which Mao led to power, has rejected in practice the economic fundamentals of much of Mao’s ideology, although it retained for itself all of Mao’s extraordinary political powers.
Some historians argue that “Mao was a historical criminal who exhibited oppressive tendencies that were discernible in all major absolutist regimes of the twentieth century. “. There is obvious parallels between Mao’s China, Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia.
Pol Pot
The General Secretary of the Communist Party of Kampuchea, and the 27th PM of Cambodia. He was the leading figure of Cambodian Communist movement, the Khmer Rouge. Pol Pot was a highly controversial figure. He transformed Cambodia into a one party state. He is regarded as a totalitarian dictator guilty of crimes against humanity.
Khmer Rouge classified people on the basis of religious and ethnic backgrounds. They had a policy of state atheism.
There was widespread killings- purge of members of communities whom the party didn’t like. If the first state sponsored mass murders were related to religious crimes, the second one was said to be accusing the fleeing poor to be Vietnamese symphathisers. Many had sought refuge in Vietnam against the state sponsored purge.
Estimates say 1.6 to 1.8 million Cambodians died as a result of Khmer Rouge policy or between 21-24% of the population.
Pol Pot who later changed his name to Phem was widely influenced by Marxist- Leninist ideology and considered Mao as one of his hero’s.
On his death The New York Times referred to him as the creator of “ one of the 20th century’s most brutal and radical regimes”.
North Korea
The Communist government or the Kim Family fiefdom of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, according to reports, have been responsible for over a million deaths from 1948-1987. A wide range of atrocities have been committed in concentration camps including forced abortions, infanticides and torture.
Vietnam
Reports attribute 80,000 to 2 Lakh death due to “communist mass killings” in North and South Vietnam before they reunited.
Ethiopia
Amnesty International estimates half a million was killed during the “ Ethiopian Red Terror”. Mengistu Haile Mariam, the General Secretary of the Workers Party of Ethiopia and its first President himself is alleged to have killed political opponents with his bare hands.
Going further into East European soviet communist countries and taking count of the left government’s atrocities and killings there ( including in Yugoslavia) is beyond the scope of this article, but in no way less tragic.
RJ Rummel in his book “Death by Government” included about 110 million people, killed by communist democide ( intentional killing of unarmed or disarmed persons by government agents acting in their authoritative capacity and pursuant to government policy ) from 1910-1987.
Stephane Courtois book “ Black Book of Communism” have a rough estimation of around 100 million killings.
At this point I should mention that, same as how this writer has multiple times over the years shown his constant ideological differences for right wing fascist forces, in the same way, left wing fascism and the Marxist- Leninist model too cannot be tolerated and accepted.
In the Indian context it is best to say that the Indian National Congress has upheld the practical values of socialism and the left wing for all practical purposes, rendering the so called Indian communists redundant and out of tune with the times.
Practically speaking the Communist model has failed the world over. Taking into account the social indicators, democracy index and freedom of press and the economy in these remaining Communist regimes would be enough to support my statement.
Some say those criticising Communism are the supporters of Colonialism and capitalism. However we have seen in the Indian context of how the Communist Party refused to take part in the Quit India Movement, and sided with the British Imperialists. It was only the National Congress and the Indian National Movement that led the freedom struggle against colonial forces.
- [ ] Intolerance of its political opponents
- [ ] Suppression of freedom of speech and lack of respect for democratic principles
- [ ] Use of Violence
These three points show us without doubt why Communism is against democracy and why strengthening communist forces would indirectly strengthen left wing fascism.
If the above three points seem familiar to circumstances near home then I am not to blame !
Is it time for India to show the left wing fascists the door ? Is it time to sent the Communists to the annals of history, as for all practical purposes the Congress party seems to imbibe and represent the aspirations of the left too.
In the present Indian scenario it is only the Congress that can help in the protection of Minorities including SC/STs, strengthen democracy, uphold freedom of speech with respect for democratic institutions and abdicate violence and stop political killings. Both the left and right wing forces have failed the people miserably.
Food for Thought
RC
rohitchennithala.blogspot.com
rohitchennithala.home.blog
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