Combat Liberalism
rationalwiki.org
Combat Liberalism is a 1937 pamphlet published by Mao Zedong, that helps to demonstrate that "liberalism" is criticised from the left, as well as the right. (Who knew?) However, it must be noted that "liberalism" here refers to all mainstream pro-capitalist viewpoints — so most forms of conservatism are also liberalism, but paleoconservatism, fascism and some reactionaries (read: those promoting mercantillist guilds) may actually avoid criticism. Furthermore, anything to the left of social liberalism wouldn't be considered "liberal" in this instance. Even Social Democracy tends to oppose capitalism and introduce social safety nets and state-planning to counter whatever effects they consider nefarious.

This is a short article yet so quotable:

Even Social Democracy tends to oppose capitalism

In this survey of liberal style, a number of different themes can be observed. One of the foremost is the notion that liberals are lazy, or not zealous enough in their attempts to deal with incorrect, harmful, or counter-revolutionary principles in their society. Whether or not we agree with these observations, it's still possible to see where they originate: in liberal ideas of self-determination, and the freedom of people to hold their own opinions.

Elsewhere in the piece, Mao paints a fairly typical view of liberalism as a deg*nerate, decadent political belief system, [...] This notion of liberalism as a weak, milksop ideology that rejects war and conflict in favour of mediocrity, and an "unprincipled peace" is common among authoritarian movements that seek to replace it with a more dynamic, powerful one.

  • emizeko [they/them]
    ·
    2 years ago

    there's that thought-terminating "authoritarian" again. they use it tautologically. liberal brainworms

    • BeamBrain [he/him]
      ·
      2 years ago

      Communist country refuses to let foreign investors plunder their nation

      Liberals: "1984 authoritarian dystopia"

      Liberals train death squads to genocide poor people in the global south for wanting to not starve quite as much

      Liberals: "This is wholesome 100 freedom and democracy"