this post was submitted on 12 Apr 2025
223 points (84.5% liked)

The Democratic People's Republic of Tankiejerk

876 readers
63 users here now

Dunking on Tankies from a leftist, anti-capitalist perspective.

Rules:

  1. No bigotry of any kind.
  2. No tankies or right-wingers. Liberals are allowed so long as they are aware of this
  3. No genocide denial

We allow posts about tankie behavior even off fedi, shitposts, and rational, leftist discussion.

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
 
top 50 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] amlor@lemmy.world 99 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)

Ah, yes, the famous democratic soviet elections with a single candidate.

[–] Phil_in_here@lemmy.ca 28 points 3 weeks ago

There would be plenty of other options if they stopped falling out of buildings or suffering sudden terminal illness!

[–] endeavor@sopuli.xyz 12 points 3 weeks ago

Just stop and let tankies dream of mass genocide in peace.

[–] Railcar8095@lemm.ee 5 points 3 weeks ago

It's absolute monarchy with extra steps really.

[–] Karyoplasma@discuss.tchncs.de 51 points 3 weeks ago (22 children)

China would be a democracy if the candidates put on the ballot for public approval weren't chosen by the CPC. In theory, their voting system is more fair and democratic than first-past-the-post (which is objectively the worst voting system).

[–] PugJesus@lemmy.world 51 points 3 weeks ago

Unfortunately, that's a pretty big barrier to being democratic.

But I agree that FPTP is one of the worst systems, and desperately needs to be replaced.

load more comments (20 replies)
[–] Hobo@lemmy.world 26 points 3 weeks ago (12 children)

This will spark valid discussion and not invoke weird tribalism that ignores the fact that we're all ruled by the rich under all of those systems. No siree. Just valid, non-divisive, discussions happening for this one.

[–] PugJesus@lemmy.world 7 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

"We're ruled by the rich in all of these systems!" when the issue being talked about is some basic level of democracy is missing the point entirely, jfc.

load more comments (11 replies)
[–] riodoro1@lemmy.world 25 points 3 weeks ago (10 children)

Reading about tankies while being from the post soviet bloc is especially aggravating since we all remember and some still have to endure our drunk parents glorifying the „good old days” when milk was a luxury item and people listened to your phone calls.

[–] SpicyColdFartChamber@lemm.ee 13 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

I mean people still listen to your phone calls even in western countries and egg is looking to become a luxury item.

[–] riodoro1@lemmy.world 7 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

Well you are comparing one totalitarian regime to another. The US is no longer a „western” country.

[–] SpicyColdFartChamber@lemm.ee 7 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)

Nah, it totally is. Being western isn't signified by "Good Values" it's signified by its location on the map.

[–] vsg@lemmy.world 7 points 3 weeks ago

And cultural-geopolitical factors.

[–] riodoro1@lemmy.world 6 points 3 weeks ago

That’s why I put western in quotes. It’s a dumb but helpful classification like the „first world”.

[–] boonhet@lemm.ee 5 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Plenty of western countries are located in the eastern hemisphere. Australia is considered a western country...

load more comments (1 replies)
load more comments (1 replies)
[–] boonhet@lemm.ee 10 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

I mean in the USSR, you definitely had choice when it came to voting. There was the right choice and the wrong choice. You'd better choose correctly.

load more comments (1 replies)
load more comments (8 replies)
[–] njm1314@lemmy.world 24 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Not entirely sure any of those are democracies.

[–] PugJesus@lemmy.world 30 points 3 weeks ago (22 children)

Well, some are markedly more democratic than others. I still wouldn't give the US high marks for democracy, but "The ability for the majority of the population to freely choose a candidate of their choice" is miles ahead of "There is one candidate and the Central Committee approved them", even with all the other fuckery that goes on.

[–] HK65@sopuli.xyz 19 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)

I'll be honest with you, "there are two candidates and the two party central comittees approved them" sounds only marginally better.

load more comments (3 replies)
load more comments (21 replies)
[–] Professorozone@lemmy.world 20 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

So China is a democracy where virtually everyone just happens to vote for the incumbent?

[–] Sprawl@lemmy.world 13 points 3 weeks ago

We prolly gonna have to get the guy to define democracy first. It likely ain’t what we think he thinks it is.

[–] TankovayaDiviziya@lemmy.world 19 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

In communism, you can vote so long as you vote for pre-approved candidates.

[–] Forester@pawb.social 5 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (7 children)

Unfortunately, our system isn't that much better with the fuckery in the political parties. Primary elections that set who is eligible to be elected at the national level. But that's just garden variety authoritarianism for you.

load more comments (7 replies)
[–] Duamerthrax@lemmy.world 19 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

I love how I'm just suppose to trust the official texts on China and Cuba, but not the US. That's what these "do your own homework" posts always imply.

[–] Uranus_Hz@lemm.ee 17 points 3 weeks ago

It’s not a democracy unless the official name of the country includes the word “democratic”.

[–] Anomalocaris@lemm.ee 15 points 3 weeks ago

not going to go full tankie and praises those democracies, but without a doubt, the US democracy is a farce.

[–] MTK@lemmy.world 6 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

Serious question, what truly successful, stable and properly representative democracies are there?

Like, even if we remove the major issues around capitalism, the US democracy is as far from representing the people as democratically possible. Heck, even if you remove the electoral college it would still be a super unrepresentative democracy because of the two party system and other factors.

So what countries are out there that have functional democracies that truly represent the will of the people while being stable?

[–] PugJesus@lemmy.world 16 points 3 weeks ago (6 children)

Serious question, what truly successful, stable and properly representative democracies are there?

Most of the EU. Aussieland and New Zealand. Canada. Taiwan. Mongolia. Mexico and Brazil, if you'll allow a little wiggle room in 'stable'. Possibly SK and Japan, depending on your definitions of 'properly representative'.

load more comments (6 replies)
load more comments (1 replies)
load more comments
view more: next ›