The Left's Love Affair With Russia

The Left was overjoyed! With the Russian Revolution and the Communist takeover, finally a bold nation had taken the steps to implement the perfect system of government laid out by Marx and Engels in their seminal works. Russia was perfect for the program.

It had long aspired to be part of the European community, often adopting its courtly ways, its music, and many customs. Yet, it was still essentially a feudal system with only a few incursions of capitalism. It could transition directly to the Socialist ideal without the need for a side trip into capitalism. Great things were expected! The Socialist Left of the Western World rejoiced!

For a while, it looked like the grand Russian experiment in Socialism would succeed. Stalin, with his five year plans, turned a rural, agrarian society into a modern industrial nation almost overnight. So what if a few tens of millions of peasants died in the process. It was a small price to pay for the promise of the future. The Left has never been afraid to spend whatever it took in other peoples' lives and fortunes to accomplish their dreams.

Despite the setbacks due to the German invasion of Russia and its Soviet republics during the Second World War, Russia continued to show the great promise of Socialism. Every Russian citizen had a place to live, food, clothing, a good education—all provided by a benevolent state. Soviet scientists developed the atomic bomb only a few short years after America, and went on to demonstrate the superiority of the Soviet system by launching the first artificial satellite, Sputnik, in the late ‘50s.

Socialist Left attempted to create a "New Man" who would put the interests of the State ahead of their own

Questions began to arise, though, as stories leaked out of what was a tightly closed shell. It was rumored that the Soviet Union had become a police state, with secret police, midnight raids on dissidents, and suppression of individual rights, including freedom of speech. At first, these stories were dismissed as capitalist propaganda attempts to discredit a superior system. As time went on, though, and as more visitors returned with even more alarming stories, it became evident that the Socialist state was not the worker's paradise it had been presented to be.

One of the greatest challenges of the Socialist state was that in order to function, citizens had to put the interests of the State ahead of self interest, even of family and survival. This ran counter to a million years of human experience, and required a complete repudiation of that deeply ingrained survival instinct.

Recognizing the problem, the Socialist Left attempted to create a "New Man" who would put the interests of the State ahead of their own. As one might expect, this didn't work so well. The Left's assumption that the human psyche was infinitely malleable and could be reshaped through proper education and training, proved a dismal error. Human nature is not changed so lightly.

Left was willing to overlook the failings of their beloved Russia so long as it remained true to its Socialist ideals

Still, though, the Left was willing to overlook the failings of their beloved Russia so long as it remained true to its Socialist ideals. Two lovers, striding confidently, hand in hand into the future was just too strong an image to be overcome by any petty inconsistencies. So long as they shared a common dream and upheld their shared ideals, a few glitches could be overlooked. Socialist Russia, and the Western Left were a match made in heaven, or so it seemed.

More time passed, however, and the Soviets began to fall behind. The promised prosperity never fully materialized. Kruschev's famous "we will bury you" speech was beginning more and more to seem like another failed prediction of Socialism. Even a more accurate translation along the lines of "we will be around to bury you long after you (capitalists) are gone" wasn't aging well.

Finally, though, the flaws and shortcomings became too obvious to ignore any longer. In 1989 the Soviets abandoned Socialism, and in 1991, the Union dissolved. The Left was devastated. How could the Socialists betray them so? Their adoption of despised capitalism was worse than any transient affair. It was a repudiation and rejection of everything the Left idealized. As with any jilted lover, the Left's infatuation turned to hate. How dare Russia deceive them so! They must be punished and reviled for their infidelity!

The Left has always been resistant to the lessons of reality

So we arrive at today, when every thing the Left doesn't like is blamed on Russia. Donald Trump winning an election? Must be due to Russian manipulation. A dispute with Ukraine that turned hot? All due to Russian aggression and their evil dictator Putin. European economic woes from high energy prices? Russia again. Russia, Russia, Russia. Russia must be punished for their unfaithfulness!

The Leftist Elites of the European Union are even getting in on the act. Insecure in their power, they want to distract their dissatisfied peasantry by stoking fears of Russian imperialism. Given a history of invasion by just about everyone from the Japanese to the Swedes, and most recently by the French and the Germans, Russia has more to fear from European invasion than Europe has to fear Russia.

You would think the French would have learned something from Napoleon's Russian campaign, but then, the Left has always been resistant to the lessons of reality.

Anyone with a modicum of awareness and an ability to look at facts can see that Russia does not have the will to try to conquer Europe. Even if they had the will, they do not have the means. Just look at the situation in Ukraine. If Russia were as powerful as the European Leftist Elite would have the world believe, the war there would have been over in a few weeks at most.

Let Russia be a lesson to any who would cross the Left

No, the love affair of the Left with its idealized mate Russia—an affair with such promise at its beginning, has turned sour. Russia, once the brave Socialist knight striking down the evil dragons of capitalism, has fallen off his horse. Russia has shown itself to be, rather than the shining example of Socialism, no better or worse than most other nations throughout history. This is unforgivable! For its sins, for its transgressions, for its Promethean betrayal, for letting down the Left, it must be perpetually punished.

For the Left, if Russia cannot serve as a positive example, it can at least be used as a scapegoat upon whose head all evils of the world can be laid. It can serve as an example of what happens to those who would betray the ideals of the Left—a cautionary tale for those who would defy the loving, tolerant, oh so compassionate Left.

Let them be a lesson to any who would cross the Left.

For the rest of us, it is a different lesson. If you take on the Left, you cannot rest until it is totally defeated. No stone can remain standing and the ground must be salted if peace is ever to be attained.

Let Russia serve as an example of what happens if you disappoint the Left, and why we must win.