Tankie glossary

{{sources needed}}
{{communism}} 

[[Tankies]] and [[Chinese]] [[nationalist|nationalists]] (i.e., [[Chinese Communist Party]], not [[Kuomintang]]) use [[memes]] and re-appropriated terminology in order to [[circlejerk]] each other. Just like the [[alt-right]], this group of [[leftists]] use a lot of [[racist]] and {{wpl|Dehumanization|dehumanizing}} [[Dog whistle politics|dog whistles]].<ref>[https://archive.ph/7CvJc On Western-controlled sites, we should use dogwhistles more.] by KiG V2 (29 August 2023) ''Lemmygrad'' (archived from 30 Aug 2023 14:01:47 UTC).</ref> The majority of these terms can be found in online forums such as [[Reddit]] and [[Twitter]]. Tankies are distinct from other communists due to their hardline, even uncritical support for the actions and policies of authoritarian countries such as [[Soviet Union]], [[China]], [[Russia]], or [[Iran]]. In fact, the name "Tankie" derives from their uncritical support of tank-centric interventions in respect of domestic and foreign problems when used by those countries.
<gallery>
Szétlőtt harckocsi a Móricz Zsigmond körtéren.jpg|The remains of a Soviet tank in Budapest, [[Hungary]] in 1956
František Dostál Srpen 1968 4 (cropped).jpg||Soviet tank invading [[Czechoslovakia]] in 1968
Wandmalerei -tankman-, A. Signl, Vogelsanger Straße 283,Köln-Ehrenfeld-9256.jpg|[[German]] mural depicting {{wpl|Tank Man|"Tank Man"}} from the 1989 [[Tiananmen Square Massacre|Tiananmen Square protests]] in Beijing, China
Destruction of Russian tanks by Ukrainian troops in Mariupol (3) (cropped).jpg|Destroyed Russian tank in Mariupol, Ukraine in 2022
</gallery>

==Symbols and numbers==

===🇨🇳 🇰🇵 🇻🇳 🇨🇺 🇱🇦===
Tankies will often display (some or all of) the emojis of the five so-called "actually existing socialist" states ([[China]], [[North Korea]], [[Vietnam]], [[Cuba]], and [[Laos]]) on their [[social media]] descriptions. This serves to help tankies hastily identify one another.<ref>[https://archive.ph/3VSkb Michael Gregory] ''Twitter'' (archived from 11 Dec 2025 07:07:37 UTC).</ref><ref>[https://archive.ph/Du42i kazakhmarxist] ''Instagram'' (archived from 11 Dec 2025 07:13:20 UTC).</ref>

===🦍☀️===
Tankies (mostly [[Patsoc|Patsocs]] in this case) will often use the "🦍☀️" emojis (usually spammed) to help coordinate attacks against their online enemies. Despite initial appearances, this "gorilla-sun" emoji combination likely represents more sinister concepts, such as ''machismo'' and [[anti-intellectualism]].{{cn}}

===1989===
Tankies will, in the event of unrest in China, evoke memories of the 1989 events at [[Tiananmen Square]] in order to demonize anybody who disagrees with the chauvinistic and Capitalist policies of the Chinese government as capitulating to "Western/Imperialist/State Department propaganda", as they consider the Tiananmen Square incident itself to be a "Western-backed color revolution".<ref>[https://dissidentvoice.org/2014/06/massacre-what-massacre/ Massacre? What Massacre? 25 Years Later: What really happened at Tiananmen Square?] by Kim Petersen (9 June 2014) ''Dissident Voice''</ref><ref>[https://www.liberationschool.org/tiananmen-the-massacre-that-wasnt/ Tiananmen: The Massacre that Wasn’t] by Brian Becker (14 June 2014) ''Liberation School''</ref>

Tankies have labeled events such as the {{Wpl|2019 Hong Kong protests}} and the {{Wpl|2022 COVID-19 protests in China}} as being "imperialist {{sl|color revolution}}s" despite their often worker-supported nature.<ref>[https://socialistchina.org/2022/12/23/covid-in-china-western-propagandists-look-set-to-be-disappointed-again/ Covid in China: Western propagandists look set to be disappointed again] (23 Dec. 2022) ''Friends of Socialist China''</ref>

===2036===
The year in which [[MAGA communism|certain American tankies]] hope to successfully infiltatrate and reconstitute the [[Communist Party USA]] in accordance to their chauvinistic ideology and win the 2036 presidential election.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20221120220810/https://www.cpusa2036.org/home CPUSA2036 website.] Archived.</ref>{{Better source}}

===800,000,000===
Tankies, when attempting to [[Useful idiot|defend]] "[[bullshit|Chinese socialism]]", will often attempt to claim that the modern Chinese government has successfully lifted "800 million" out of poverty. However, this figure is dubious, given the fact that the Chinese government has a much lower definition of what income is below the poverty line, along with other considerations such as a lack of informational reliability.<ref>[https://socialistchina.org/2022/01/16/western-experts-should-understand-chinas-building-of-socialism-from-chinas-perspective/ Western experts should understand China’s building of socialism from China’s perspective] (19 January 2022) ''Friends of Socialist China</ref><ref>[https://www.wsj.com/articles/china-says-it-has-met-its-deadline-of-eliminating-poverty-11606164540 China Says It Has Met Its Deadline of Eliminating Poverty] by James T. Areddy (23 November 2020) ''Wall Street Journal''.</ref>

===95%===
As a means to [[thought-terminating cliché|terminate]] [[critical thinking]] about "socialist" China, tankies will often dismiss any criticism of the Chinese economy and government by citing the fact that the CCP officially has an approval rating of 95%.<ref>[https://socialistchina.org/2022/11/01/what-is-new-about-the-new-path-of-chinese-style-modernisation/ What is “new” about the new path of Chinese-style modernisation?] (1 Nov. 2022) ''Friends of Socialist China''</ref>{{efn|How such a high approval rating is attainable despite the Chinese "Communist" Party and government being controlled by oligarchs and otherwise plutocratic, labor protections being minimal, government repression being high, and so forth is extremely unlikely}}

==Terms==
{{messagebox|info|'''Note'''

Some terms have been indirectly translated from Chinese and may be inaccurate.}}

===Actually existing socialism===
Actually existing socialism,<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/asktankies/comments/po4vo1/what_is_your_view_of_chairman_gonzalo/ What is your view of Chairman Gonzalo?] r/asktankies (2021) ''Reddit''.</ref> commonly known as "AES", this term is used by tankies to refer to what most commonly includes China, [[Cuba]], [[North Korea]], [[Laos]], and [[Vietnam]] (and optionally some more, like [[Venezuela]] or [[Nicaragua]]).<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/asktankies/comments/1arp94i/what_exactly_makes_you_have_faith_in_aes_countries/ What exactly makes you have faith in "AES" countries?] r/asktankies (2024) ''Reddit''.</ref> Tankies make heavy use of this term in order to deflect any sort of criticism of these (what are in reality largely state-capitalist) countries by other communists/[[socialists]]; most supporters of "AES" blindly declare critics "[[CIA]] shills", "abandoners of socialism", "[[Western world|Western]] [[chauvinist]]s/[[Scotsman fallacy|fake left]]", etc.

===Anarkiddies===
The term anarkiddies is used to make fun of [[anarchists]],<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/sendinthetanks/comments/slyc98/i_have_no_respect_for_the_anarkiddies/ I have no respect for the anarkiddies] r/sendinthetanks (2021) ''Reddit''.</ref> [[Anarcho-communism|ancoms]], and [[Anarchism#Anarcho-syndicalism|ansyns]]<ref>[https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=anarkiddies anarkiddies] ''Urban Dictionary''.</ref> for not supporting [[authoritarian]] regimes such as the [[Soviet Union]], [[Russia]], [[China]], [[Iran]], [[North Korea]], and [[Venezuela]]. They might just resort to calling them [[liberals]]. This can be a form of [[Guilt by association|guilt by association]]. [[Stopped clock|However]], it can be considered a leftist slang term for [[moonbat|crazy]] [[Anarchism|anarchists]].

===Anti-imperialism===
{{main|Imperialism}}
Tankies use the term "anti-imperialist" largely to describe countries that do anything even vaguely opposed to the [[USA]], and [[NATO]] in general. Not to be confused with genuine anti-imperialist movements.<ref>[https://lemmygrad.ml/post/775804 Many of the modern anticapitalists and marxists in the western world are aging out. Parenti is currently suffering from Dementia and Wolff is in his eighties and can't go on forever. Who comes next?] (2023) ''Lemmygrad''. "…Anti-imperialism is the one litmus test, wishing for the defeat of the west to which we must hold ourselves and all who would call themselves Marxists who are not in fact vulgar perverters of that term.…"</ref>

===Anti-revisionism===
{{main|Historical revisionism}}
Anti-revisionism is used basically, a [[euphemism]] for [[Stalin apologetics]], similar to how [[white nationalists]] call themselves "[[race realists]]" and [[TERFs]] insist on being called "gender critical". The term originally referred to opposition towards [[Nikita Khrushchev]]'s reforms within the Soviet Union after Stalin's death.

The term, however, is most infamous as the endonym used by [[Enver Hoxha|Hoxhaists]] and [[Maoism|Maoists]], who support Stalin but do not support modern countries such as China.<ref>[https://revolutionaryspiritapl.blogspot.com/2010/02/ The Marxist-Leninist Guide to Leftist Factions] by APL (February 27, 2010) ''Revolutionary Spirit'' 1(1). Revised text.</ref>

===''Baizuo''===
Chinese: 白左, literally "white left". The term is meant to insult leftists in Western countries who care about non-economic topics, especially "[[identity politics]]". Although tankies may use the phrase to insult detractors who care about human rights, the term actually seems to see widest use among [[Donald Trump]] fans (both in America ''and'' in China).<ref>Chenchen Zhang (May 11, 2017). [https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/digitaliberties/curious-rise-of-white-left-as-chinese-internet-insult/ "The curious rise of the 'white left' as a Chinese internet insult"] by Chenchen Zhang (11 May 2017)  ''openDemocracy''.</ref><ref>[https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/03/27/baizuo-chinese-conservatives-liberals-decoder-tucker-carlson/ 'Baizuo' Is a Chinese Word Conservatives Love] by Frankie Huang (March 27, 2021)  ''Foreign Policy''.</ref>

===Color revolution===
A color revolution historically refers to the wave of anti-communist popular uprisings in the late 1980s that saw the toppling of the [[Warsaw Pact]] governments or, in the case of [[Tiananmen Square Massacre|Tiananmen Square]], an attempted popular uprising that was brutally crushed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Tankies use it to allege that popular uprisings "seemingly" led by the [[proletariat] in countries that they like are actually [[false flag operation]]s coordinated by "imperialist interests."<ref name="colorprolewiki">{{cws|https://en.prolewiki.org/wiki/Colour_revolution|Colour revolution|ProleWiki}}</ref> Popular uprisings that have been deemed "color revolutions" by tankies include the [[Ukraine#Euromaidan, Crimean crisis, and War in Donbas|Euromaidan]] and the [[One country, two systems#One country, Xi's system|2019–2020 Hong Kong protests]].<ref name="colorprolewiki"/>

===Critical support===
In typical socialist parlance, this means to criticize a person, group, or government while standing with them at the end of the day, based on one's personal overall calculus of the benefits/harms caused by doing so. In tankie parlance, it could mean this, but more often than not it means gesturing [[vague]]ly at possibly-nonexistent (or excessively marginal/hypothetical) "criticisms" they pertain to the person, group, or government; it often functions as a "[[handwave]]" in this way. This vulgarized use of the phrase became so cliché that the term "critical support for X" became something of an in-joke within online socialist circles. Sometimes one may be left wondering whether its users have misunderstood the ''critical'' part to mean "critical" in the sense of "important", rather than "having criticisms of" the subject. The concept can even go so far as support for anti-communist [[monarchism]], as with Stalin's support for the Emir of [[Afghanistan]] in 1924.<ref>''The Foundations of Leninism'' by J. V. Stalin (1970 [1924]) Foreign Languages Press''.</ref>{{rp|75}}<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/asktankies/comments/s7ugfu/when_was_the_concept_of_critical_support_created/ When was the concept of "critical support" created?] by AngevinAtaman (2021) r/asktankies ''Reddit''.</ref>

===Decadence===
"[[Degenerate|Degeneracy]]", but with a coat of red paint. Sometimes prefixed with "[[Bourgeois]]", especially when [[LGBTQ+]] (particularly [[transgender]]) [[rights]] are involved.

===Fascist enabler===
{{main|Fascism}}
While originally used to refer to centrists who acted as [[useful idiot]]s to fascists as a result of things like the [[balance fallacy]], tankies abuse it to refer to anyone who disagrees with anything done by a regime calling itself communist. [[Ironically]], Stalin himself can be considered an enabler of fascism due to the [[Stalin apologetics#Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact|Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact]].

===Liberal===
Though originally used as short-hand for [[Neoliberalism]], tankies often use the term "liberal" nowadays as a catch-all insult directed at anyone on the left they perceive as not being far-left or [[authoritarianism|authoritarian]] enough, including [[Anarchism|anarchists]] and "[[Social democracy|succdems]]". Might also sometimes apply to right-wing ideologies such as [[Classical Liberalism|classical liberalism]], [[conservatism]] (which conservatives don't like being called), [[libertarianism]] (includes left-libertarianism), and [[Ancap|ancaps]]. Most tankies spend more time complaining about "liberals" than they do fascists.

===Multipolarity===
Multipolarity is geopolitical concept in which there is a lack of a single, unipolar hegemon which exerts influence globally. Tankies believe that by supporting Russia's and China's 
imperialist
 "anti-imperialist" actions, the [[American]] and [[European Union|European]] "unipolar" order will be destroyed.<ref>[https://multipolarista.com/2022/02/07/china-russia-multipolar-historic-meeting/ EURASIA China and Russia declare ‘new era’ of multipolarity, challenging US interventionism] by Ben Norton (7 Feb. 2022) ''Multipolarista''</ref>

===Mecha tankie===
A mecha tankie is a socially conservative "communist" who supports American nationalism and [[Donald Trump]] as well as [[Kim Jong Un]].<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USK031EZLXE Introducing Mecha-Tankies: The Internet's Newest Political Subculture] by Infrared (Jul 8, 2022) ''YouTube''</ref> See also: [[MAGA communism]]

===Nazbol===
{{main|National Bolshevism}}
An [[Ultranationalism|ultranationalist]] tankie, or alternatively a tankie who is open about being a fascist. The concept originated with the Red Army defectors to Nazi Germany, the {{wpl|Russian Liberation Army||.}} The term still survives today in one of Russia's opposition parties, the {{wpl|National Bolshevik Party}} (Russian: Национал-большевистская партия, abbreviated as Нацбол, English: Nazbol)<ref>''Russian Nationalism, Foreign Policy and Identity Debates in Putin's Russia: New Ideological Patterns After the Orange Revolution'', edited by Marlène Laruelle (2012) Columbia University Press. ISBN 9783838263250.</ref>{{rp|147}} though it really isn't a coherent ideology. Nazbols may also be referred to as "red-browns", which can also describe an alliance between fascists and tankies.

===Popular front===
{{cquote|We define a “People’s Front” or “Popular Front” as an alliance on specific issues, and the alliance is not necessarily based on class character. This is opposed to a “United Front,” which is a more stable and permanent coalition of united working class orgs. It can be other communists, labor activists, liberals, Democrats, and other progressive groups.|||comradecalzone<ref>[https://lemmygrad.ml/u/comradecalzone "The Communist Party USA is saddened to learn about the passing of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong. Our Party sends condolences to all members of the Communist Party of Vietnam..."] by comradecalzone (2024) ''Lemmygrad''.</ref>}}
An effort by communists to organise any non-communists, ostensibly for a particular campaign.

===Re-education===
Brainwashing of so-called "enemies of the revolution".

===Red fascism===
Red fascism is a snarl word used by some democratic socialists and social anarchists equating Marxist-Leninism and its variants with fascism. See {{wpl|social fascism}} for the exact opposite.

===Socialism in one country===
Socialism in one country was a strategy of the [[Soviet Union]] after the initial failures to bring communism to [[Germany]] and [[Hungary]], a retreat from internationalism to [[nationalism]].<ref>{{wpa|Socialism in one country}}</ref>

===Trotskyist===
{{Main|Trotskyism}}
Any opponents (sometimes left-wingers) perceived as covert and deserving of enmity, contempt, disrespect, or persecution. Not necessarily supporters of Trotsky.<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/sendinthetanks/comments/110ogz5/just_paid_my_dues_and_received_my_membership/ Just paid my dues 🤑 and received my membership shirt from my local Trotskyist organisation!😎] r/sendinthetanks (2023) ''Reddit''.</ref>

===Ultra===
An "ultra-left" is a leftist whom tankies and [[Dengist]]s view as [[dogma]]tic or uncompromising (that is, those who don't uncritically support Russia and China),<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/sendinthetanks/comments/k07ahz/ultra_unbased_libs/ Ultra UNbased libs] r/sendinthetanks (2020) ''Reddit''.</ref> despite the fact that most Western supporters of the CCP are themselves usually extremely dogmatic. This term often refers to [[Left communism|left-communists]] or Gonzaloists and is usually used against communists who don't support any of real-life socialist states (or at least what tankies view as being "socialist states"). 

===Vatnik===
{{Main|Vatnik}}
A similar but distinct category from ''tankie''. It refers to impoverished Russian jingoists who believe state propaganda. Some "vatniks" may be tankies and vice versa, but they are not synonyms. See: [[ruscism]].

===Western media===
Tankies consider Western-owned media unreliable, so they will often dismiss anything from them off-hand as "Western propaganda".<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/sendinthetanks/comments/q4enlf/look_at_how_dystopian_western_media_censors_the/ Look at how dystopian western media censors the murder of people by the regime through language manipulation. Total silence by the usual "leftist" leaders in these criminal settler regimes.] r/sendinthetanks (2021) ''Reddit''.</ref> That doesn't stop them from consuming blatant government propaganda like [[Russia Today]], CGTN, and Global Times.

===Westoid===
An insulting term for Westerners,<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/sendinthetanks/comments/td2jfl/westoids_simping_for_staged_photo_of_child_soldier/ Westoids simping for staged photo of child soldier] r/sendinthetanks (2022) ''Reddit''.</ref> particularly people from the United States. The “e” is often replaced with an asterisk.

===Yoghurts===
Yoghurts refers to Uighur [[Muslims]]; it is a portmanteau of the words "Uighur" and "yurt" (a traditional dwelling of Uighur and oher central Asian peoples). The term was coined to mock the pronunciation of "Uighur" and to claim they are Western [[victim blaming|imperialists]],<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/AgainstHateSubreddits/comments/oystxe/r_genzedong_openly_refers_to_uighur_and_muslim/ r/ GenZedong openly refers to Uighur and Muslim minorities as "Yoghurts"] by Late_Lingonberry_864 (c. July 2020) ''Reddit''.</ref><ref>[https://archive.ph/G2dDc "But muh Yoghurt Campz!!!"] by ThaneMarxmanKrios (04 Sep 2020) ''Reddit'' (archived from 5 Aug 2021 21:47:51 UTC).</ref><ref>[https://archive.ph/YuvdJ Brutal image of a chinese killing a yoghurt] by CTNKE (31 Oct 2020) ''Reddit'' (archived from 5 Aug 2021 21:45:11 UTC).</ref><ref>[https://archive.ph/lzxgC West: We care very deeply about what is happening to yoghurts in concentration fridges] by CTNKE (10 Nov 2020) ''Reddit'' (archived from 5 Aug 2021 21:48:05 UTC).</ref> a form of [[genocide denial]].

==See also==
*[[Alt-right glossary]]
*[[Communist glossary]]

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=note}}

==References==
{{reflist|2|80%}}
[[Category:Glossaries]][[Category:Internet]][[Category:Racism]][[Category:Lists]][[Category:Internet]][[Category:Memes]][[Category:Pseudohistory]][[Category:Genocide denial]]

Categories: Glossaries, Internet, Racism, Lists, Internet, Memes, Pseudohistory, Genocide denial