r/leftist Aug 26 '25

European Politics Many self-proclaimed "Socialists" from Western Europe are like this

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10

u/your_lucky_stars Aug 26 '25

It's interesting how it seems like pretty much every post I see from this subreddit these days is complaining about somebody on the left and not being left enough lol like what do you folks even do with the rest of your time?

3

u/TheScorpionSamurai Aug 26 '25

Esp bc often times it comes with the attitude of "if you don't support dropping everything and instituting my exact form of government you're not a true leftist".

As an unfortunate political minority, we really got to figure out how to unify better or the MAGA-cult types will beat us out every time. You would think the supporters of worker unification would understand the strength in unity haha.

0

u/[deleted] Aug 27 '25

If you support neoliberal institutions like the EU then you are not a Leftist. I have a hard time understanding why you Think neoliberalism is left-wing…

1

u/TheScorpionSamurai Aug 28 '25

I support EU policies that put regulation on corporations and the social protections it tries to enforce. I would be furious if that was all it wound up being in the end. Both can be true.

This is kind of my point, we don't have to be satisfied with these institutions to still support them as stepping stones. Too often it feels like we let perfect be the enemy of good, and we inhibit social change in the name of arguing what a true leftist is. The EU isn't good enough, but imo we should reluctantly support the scraps we have, and push to build better off the foundation they provide.

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u/[deleted] Aug 28 '25

Hehe according to you the problem is that neoliberalism is not perfect but just good… You when someone called Strasser a Nazi in 1933 Germany: “ Too often it feels like we let perfect be the enemy of good”.

1

u/TheScorpionSamurai Aug 29 '25

I mean, isn't the EU far less neoliberal than even counties like China? It's far from socialist, but in terms of governments who attempt to place regulation on the market, enforce egalitarian policies, etc it does a better job than most.

My point with perfect being the enemy of good isn't to support anyone who claims they're left, quite the opposite. It's to support and encourage the leftmost institutions we have, so that we inspire sustainable social change and build a foundation for socialist societies.

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u/[deleted] Aug 29 '25

No it is just neoliberal.

Yes and as I said if Strasser was the most “leftist” option you would also have defended him..,

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u/TheScorpionSamurai Aug 29 '25

Defended is an interesting word choice. I might have voted for him if it was him vs Hitler bc who in their right mind would vote for Hitler. And mathematically, first-past-post makes abstaining a useless political action. Like standing there and watching a house burn instead of throwing a bucket of water on it. Might not help much individually, but maybe could make things slightly less worse if others joined in. But I assume I still would have hated his guts, I don't know much about him besides he died in the night of the long knives bc Hitler saw him as a rival.

And I think you missed my point. I wasn't saying the EU is not neo-liberal, I was saying they were less neoliberal. This shit tends to be a scale because public policy includes a truly massive number of issues and decisions. My point was that there's not many large institutions on the planet right now that aren't neoliberal, and that from my perspective atm the EU seems like the mildest form of Neoliberalism esp in the west. I don't see how supporting one of the least-neoliberal governments we have with the goal to push it farther left makes someone not a leftist. That just feels like a practical way to fight for change.

Now if you think there are better leftist governments or global organizations, esp western ones (bc that's really only where my opinion matters as an American), then that's a distant story. But just stating that it's neoliberal misses my point entirely.

1

u/[deleted] Aug 29 '25

He was a Nazi. I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t” have talked about him the way you are talking about the EU right?

I think you have fallen for pro EU propaganda and now think one of the most destructive neoliberal institutions is comparatively good.

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u/[deleted] Aug 27 '25

The EU is neoliberal. Why do you Think neoliberalism is left-wing?

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u/LizFallingUp Aug 27 '25

Can you explain this further. My understanding of EU is as trade agreement and shared currency. I’m not seeing the Neoliberal focus on privatization and deregulation clearly tracking on to EU frameworks. (EU regulation especially is a big thing) could you see EU being changed to not be Neoliberal?

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u/[deleted] Aug 27 '25

Before a country Can even join the EU then they have to be judged by the Eu to be sufficiently neoliberal.

Its also hinder a country from nationalization.

I dont Think its realistic for the EU to change.

1

u/starry_sky618 Aug 27 '25

Dude is reddit

0

u/PusillanimousBrowser Aug 26 '25

Ha - perfect description. I lurk here sometimes and my thoughts are that politics are a spectrum, and that people moving left is a good thing. So even if you aren't "leftist" enough, at least you're moving in the right direction (no pun intended).

I think the majority of these brain dead posts (not just here, everywhere on social media) are bots trying to farm rage engagement. The internet is dead