anthem2025 2 days ago

there is not one intelligent credible person on planet earth who endorses horseshoe theory. It’s utter nonsense designed to try and discredit anyone outside of a narrow neoliberal window.

Had exactly the effect that I’d expect. Hollowed out every aspect of society and helped lead to exactly the sort of extreme government you don’t want.

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fooker 2 days ago | parent [-]

Okay, click on the wikipedia link and you can find a reasonable number of credible sources the article cites.

You can follow citations from these citations to find primary search that shows quite a bit of support for it in academic political science.

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anthem2025 2 days ago | parent [-]

I think the obvious conclusion from my post is that I don’t find any of those people credible. At all.

I’d go so far as to say I think anyone peddling horseshoe theory is a politically illiterate fool regardless of their supposed qualifications.

It’s funny that you want me to read the imitation though.

“ Several political scientists, psychologists, and sociologists have criticized the horseshoe theory.[3][4][5] Proponents point to a number of perceived similarities between extremes and allege that both tend to support authoritarianism or totalitarianism; political scientists do not appear to support this notion, and instances of peer-reviewed research on the subject are scarce. Existing studies and comprehensive reviews often find only limited support and only under certain conditions; they generally contradict the theory's central premises.”

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int_19h 2 days ago | parent [-]

I grew up in Russia in early 90s when we had literal Nazis and literal Stalinists openly marching on the streets and running in elections.

I don't know what to tell you except that the term "red-brown" became popular for a good reason.

(And I'm far left myself, by the way.)

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anthem2025 a day ago | parent [-]

That’s nice.

It’s not an argument at all IMO, but good for you.

> I'm far left myself, by the way

So you would, logically, describe yourself as a fascist then?

	▲	int_19h a day ago \| parent [-]
		No, because I'm an extreme libertarian, not an authoritarian leftist. But I would describe many tankies as borderline fascist or worse, yet I cannot deny that their economic platform is left-wing.