Controlled opposition.

[milkmiku]

Controlled opposition, do you believe that some of the "left" movements in the world are controlled to divide and make a mockery of leftism in general?

I believe so, from watching the "revolutions" in the mid-east and seeing first hand the debacle that the occupy movement turned into. I think it is pretty obcioues that many leftsit organzations are just fronts or traps, not "have a seat over there" traps, but traps which waste ones effort and time.

Which of the "left" parties do you believe to be controlled opposition? If you believe such a thing.

How do you keep a organization "pure" and free of corruption?

[Book O'Dead]

How do you keep a organization "pure" and free of corruption?

By keeping pumkin' heads like you restricted?

[Lynx]

I have seen "socialist" parties in power use their majority to support austerity.

[Panda Tse Tung]

The Socialist party in the Netherlands was set up by the secret service. Nowadays it's a left-wing soc-dem party. Back in the day it was a maoist grouping, and like many others formed at the time they we're created to weaken the Communist Party.
So if the slightly incompetent Dutch secret service managed to form several parties (one of them exclusively consisting off secret service members and receiving money from China), then i'm sure they picked up the strategy from someone more competent (CIA/MI5). Which means it's a common strategy in Western countries.

[Krano]

CPUSA, enough said.

[Deicide]

Apparently Ken Livingston said the CPGB-PCC were 'MI5 agents'.

[NGNM85]

There's plenty of precedent for agents provocateurs among the Radical Left, this was, a fairly regular practice, utilized by the FBI, during the 60's, and early 70's. While I'm not aware of any specific cases, I'm pretty sure this still happens, albiet, to a lesser extent.

Honestly, though; I think the impact of any such initiatives is minimal. I think the biggest threat to the Radical Left, is the Radical Left. The factionalism, the quasi-religious dogmatism, the short-sightedness, etc., etc. We really don't need an opposition. We're experts at marginalizing ourselves. I think the Occupy movement is a perfect example. I don't think Occupy will live, or die, by the Right, and their mouthpieces, or by the excess of zeal on behalf of, sometimes, thuggish local police forces, or, even, usurped by moderates. Rather; I think it will be broken over the knee of the Radical community. Perhaps that isn't the right way of phrasing it; I envision this as more of a slow dissolution, rather than a momentous collapse, more of a whimper, than a bang. There's no law of physics that necessitates this. This is a real opportunity, the kind that doesn't present itself very often. However; I find it difficult to be optimistic.

[Admiral Swagmeister G-Funk]

The left is an irrelevant force.

[¿Que?]

Interesting, I was reading about one such example in Mexico just today. While not exactly radical, the #YoSoy132 movement in Mexico set itself up specifically against the reemerging PRI, and while, from my understanding, mostly comprised of young, middle/upper class students, nonetheless threatened the legitimacy of the PRI's more than certain victory. At some point, a group of anywhere from 5-15 (depending on who you ask) self proclaimed former #YoSoy132istas started a group called GeneracionMX which claimed the #YoSoy132 movement was simply a left front of the leading left opposition candidate. Turns out, some of the people who actually claimed to be part of #yoSoy132 were never really part of it, and had direct ties to the PRI. The evidence for this was the media's favorable coverage of GeneracionMX, along with ties to PRI and private businesses associated with PRI, uncovered by hacktivist group Anonymous.

Although in this case, the controlled opposition was thoroughly and quickly discredited, and the movement it set out to sabotage was not exactly radical, it is a perfect example that such things do indeed occur.

[Winkers Fons]

It's a shame that the CPUSA sucks so hard. They had to go and take the most straightforward and easy to remember party name and leave the rest of us with parties that would be disqualified from taking power simply on the basis of being too tedious to pronounce. I say we take it back.

[Yazman]

Moderator action:


By keeping pumkin' heads like you restricted?

If you make one more post like this I'm going to infract you. It's worthless and it doesn't contribute anything to the thread. Don't do it again! In fact, you're lucky I'm letting you off without an infraction, as you've been warned elsewhere for this crap!

This post constitutes a warning to Book O'Dead.