The psychology of 'Communist liberals'

Communism and its political policy were conceptualized in October around 1847. However, in 2020 their political principles and policy clearly look irrelevant and invalid. The extinction of 175-year-old communist political ideology seems a certainty by the first half of this century.

When Friedrich Engels and Karl Marx theorized the ideology and objectives of Communism, it was for long considered similar to Socialism. While political and electoral compulsions of even the largest capitalist democracies in the world have a partial socialist face, Communism as a viable political ideology has failed to find neither stability nor traction anywhere in the world.

China, Cuba, Laos and Vietnam are the only proclaimed communist countries left in the world today, but in contrary their state policy, political ideology and governance models have nothing to do with Marxist or Leninist policies. Nations like China and Vietnam are competing with the largest capitalist nations in the world and are very highly industrialized. These nations have left the principles of Communism, especially the core agenda of 'protection of proletariat' long back, in pursuit of massive global investments and international trade. The other two remaining communist nations are clearly on their way to emulate their big communist brothers.

The Psychology of Communist Liberals across the world is quite similar, especially in the last few decades, and quite understandably so. The communist nations have moved on with the dawn of realism and have transformed themselves into ultra-capitalist governments for wealth creation. The objectives and principles of Communism are forgotten even in the nations ruled by communist governments. There is hardly any difference between a Capitalist to a Communist nation anymore. The Communist ideology has been killed and buried almost four decades back, after the fall of the Soviet Union, merger of East & West Germany and the industrial revolution in China.

However, many idealists and theorists defending the principles of Communism from their arm-chairs in air-conditioned university campus work cabins, and tax-payer sponsored campus homes. They are still trying to sell 'a dead & gone ideology' and holding on to the 175-year-old stagnant political theories, which are no more relevant in any part of the world. Some disillusioned journalists, misguided youngsters, pseudo-rebel authors and part-time social activists still find employment and career advancement through their allegiance to this almost-dead political ideology. Especially in large democracies, it 'pays' to be a Communist Liberal even in this time period.

As I researched what constitutes a model of a modern age 'Communist Liberal' – I could draft a psychological profile by analyzing both the mainstream political leaders and the ardent advocates of Communist Liberal ideology.

Some conspicuous psychological aspects of the modern age Communist Liberals are highlighted here. This profile is not comprehensive, with word-count constraint only important few psychological traits are presented.

Defeatism

Almost all the Communists visibly display 'Defeatism'. It's their eternal fight for something they can never achieve –'a communist state' - is what drives this psychological trait in them. When one fails at every goal one sets with a confused concept of social transformation, it's imminent that the journey will lead one nowhere. There are no victories, no celebrations, no successful milestones and no ideological rewards… compounding to serious psychological turmoil of 'Defeatism'.

No wonder, the arguments of Communist Liberals are always drowned in negativity, helplessness, hopelessness and desperation.

Deceptive hypocricy

Almost all the Communist ideology representatives in TV studios and in the Press are upwardly mobile, middle or upper middle-class folks in well-paid jobs, most of them are educated in English medium convent schools, if not from world-class foreign universities. Even the mainstream, modern Communist political leaders are not very far behind their publicly visible liberal activists.

In no possible way their life represents the 'proletariat' or the life of a real communist ideology practitioner. The modern Communist Liberals invest in stock markets, possess private property, send their children to best American universities, possess and enjoy every aspect of a regular capitalist Joe's life. However, they cannot resist outrageously criticizing the same way of life, at any given opportunity.

Self-Deception unsettles one's mind and builds massive stress driven by guilt. It's almost a bi-polar life the modern Communists are living today. They rarely practice what they preach. They have neither mind nor body connection to the pains of a 'proletariat' whom they set out to protect. And in their ideological journey of 175 years, Communists have achieved nothing worthy.

Low-self-esteem

Self-esteem is the outcome of consistent emotional validation by one's self and others around. Self-esteem is also the product of accomplishing quantifiable or qualifiable results, from every day or periodic pursuits of goals.

Communist liberals across the world seriously suffer from lack of Self-esteem and no wonder they are against all concepts which drive self-respect and self-esteem in other nationals. They oppose self-reliance, nationalism, culture, heritage and indigenous language and knowledge, all these concepts which impact the emotional strength and self-esteem positively in the citizens of a nation.

There are no notable ideological wins in over half-a-century for this political group. It's a political compulsion for Communist parties across the world to be a tail-ender for a Center-of-Left or a Socialist party, they can never hold their own than in very minimally exceptional cases. Emotional-Invalidation is a very tricky proposition, and the Liberals try to invalidate everyone and everything which is currently underway in the world and claim they have better models.

However, in a few nations and states where they are in power, they do exactly opposite to what Communism proposes, and follow the Capitalism route. This is one of the reasons why Communists are finding it hard to recruit thoughtful young men and women into their ideological fold. Everyone else invalidates their theories, thoughts, propositions and ideology in whole. No wonder they operate from very low self-esteem and are very easy to snap.

Pseduo-liberalism

Pseudo is falsehood. Pseudo is dishonest. It's a psychological condition under which chronic liars operate.Forced false notion of equality has ruined the institution of marriage and family system. Misappropriation of rights over responsibilities have destroyed the sanctity of roles in a family hierarchy, leading to lack of respect, trust and even unconditional love in personal relationships.

Pitching men over women, and women over men in the name of liberal agenda has created an irreparable gender-divide and inter-gender-trust-deficit. It also led to unhealthy competition, insecurity and incompatibility within a family system. Increasing rate of divorces, broken families many times impacting lives of young children forever.

Instead of healing past wounds and insults of few primitive social system norms for social harmony and peace, the Communist Liberals feed on flaring communal fires, re-igniting forgotten social-ills to destroy social peace, promote hate, bitterness, retribution amongst social groups. The 'Pseudo agenda' is to trigger this level of social unrest and disruption in the guise of social activism.

The above are only a few psychological aspects of Communist Liberals. The damage they have done to the social and political fabric is unquantifiable and irreparable.

Real Liberalism should be to liberate people from their enslaved mindset, guide people upwards from economic and social depravity, educate and empower individuals to rise above unjust oppression in any phase of their life.

If alive, Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels would be certainly not proud of how Communist Liberals have turned out eventually, despite the grand communist political principles and ideology they both proposed for the larger good of the 'Proletariat'.

(The writer is an Organizational Strategist / a Leadership Coach and an Author)