Identity Socialism

Dinesh D’Souza coined the term “Identity Socialism.” In a recent Prager U video, he explains the transformation of Karl Marx’s Socialism to “Identity Socialism.”

Socialism, as envisioned by Karl Marx implored the oppressed working class to revolt against the capitalist oppressor to take control of manufacturing through public nationalization of resources—public ownership of everything (manufacturing, transportation, healthcare, food, housing, and employment) to establish a worker’s utopia. Since 1850, all attempts to implement Socialism, in any form—Socialism, Communism, Fascism, and Nazism—have resulted in brutal totalitarian governments that have failed or are failing. 

The new form of socialism is not about class differences. Instead, it is about race, gender, and transgender. Reassignment of the classic divisive Socialist roles of “oppressed working class” and “capitalist oppressor” were the foundation of the leftist movements such as “me too”, “Black Lives Matter”, and “Transgender boys competing against girls.” The new oppressed versus oppressor paradigms are people-of-color versus whites, women versus men, alternative lifestyles versus men & heterosexuals, and illegals versus citizens. Undoubtedly, to generate more “oppressed” and “oppressor” pairs only requires assignment. As an example, in my house, canines oppress felines.

Mr. D’Souza states Herbert Marcuse developed the perversion of the corrupt concept of Socialism to Identity Socialism. He was a German Jew born in Berlin on July 19th, 1898. Drafted into the German Army in 1916, serving as a stable hand in Berlin during World War I. In January 1919, he took part in the general strike known as the “Spartacist uprising” an uprising and battle between the German Post-War Socialist and Communist factions. Herbert achieved his PhD in 1922 from the University of Freiburg, at which he continued his academic career until 1932. In 1933, he joined the Institute for Social Research, which is also known as the Frankfurt School. Because of the rise of Nazism and Adolf Hitler, Herbert departed German in 1933 for Switzerland and eventually emigrating to the United States of America in 1934.

Marcuse was born 15 years after Karl Marx had died and approximately 45 years after the publication of the first papers outlining Socialism. He witnessed the birth of the communist Soviet state in 1917 and was a contemporary of Adolf Hitler. It is possible that Hitler and Marcuse crossed paths in the Berlin of post- World War 1 Germany. It is likely that Hitler knew of Marcuse because both identified as socialist, critics of communism, and hated capitalism. His death came at 81 years of age in 1979. During his life, he saw the heyday of Socialism — Fascism, Nazism and Communism. He saw the death and destruction across Europe and Northern Africa caused by NAZI Germany, Fascist Italy, and Soviet Russia. Halfway round the world, in Asia, he saw the brutality and killing by Mao and the Red Guard of China, and Fascist World War I to World War II Japan.

Herbert’s alteration of Socialism into Identity Socialism started in 1952 while teaching at the America universities of Columbia, Harvard, Brandies (1954 to 1965), and University of California San Diego (1965 to 1970). His many papers critiquing Capitalism and Communism coupled with his frequent speaking to crowds of protestors, and groups of activists inspired and influenced many radicals—Angela Davis, and Abbie Hoffman, to name a few. His influence upon the anti-Vietnam War movement and the Black Power Movement of the 1960s and 70s earned Marcuse the title as the “Father of the New Left”. 

The “Identity Socialism” movement is an outgrowth of Marcuse’s teachings. Using the college campus as a surrogate for a commune, he taught the new social constructs of oppressed versus oppressor. For feminism, the construct is men oppress women. These men are misogynists and propagators of classic gender roles. Citizens oppress illegal aliens by demanding controlled and regulated borders. For the black race, oppression is by whites, and comes with a long list of historical grievances. Finally, and the newest is that heterosexuals oppress gays, lesbians, transsexuals, and alternative lifestyles.

Since 1952, Marcus’s teaching has produced acolytes that have become activists, professors, teachers, and sometimes, higher ups in businesses and professions such as the law. The forerunner of “Identity Socialism” was “Identity Politics.” The concept that a person’s self-identification determines one’s politics. Under this concept, all gays, lesbians, and people-of-color should vote Democrat. No member of those groups should vote conservative. Those that do, are traitors to the group’s identity and need to be shouted down and cancelled. 
 
The left claims “Identify Socialism and Politics” are an inclusive movement. Yes, the identified oppressed groups are inclusive of those that embrace the same concepts and agenda. However, excluded are those not embracing the “groupthink” or do not fit into the group. Further, demanded is the silencing, suppression, and elimination of the opposition. The extension of “Identity Socialism” and “Identity Politics” is the very divisive Critical Race Theory (CRT). The common manifestation of CRT is to teach that the classic white person, culture, ethics, and morals are evil.

The lefts deployment and pushing of “identity Politics”, “Identity Socialism” and CRT, runs parallel to the NAZI constructed arguments and actions against the Jews in the late 1930s. The NAZI party excluded the Jews from society and business, blaming the Jews for the evils and misfortunes that fell upon the German people. It was a state constructed activity that included intense propaganda targeting the Jewish population as the national scapegoat. Eventually, the Jews and other undesirables were rounded up and moved to concentration camps. Then the NAZIs applied the ultimate in cancel culture.  

Federal employees, military, and some corporate workers are being forced to undergo CRT lectures and training. Major media outlets (CNN, MSNBC, ABC, CBS, NBC, printed media, and radio) are propaganda megaphones for the leftist talking points. Tech oligarchs (Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and Instagram) suppress free speech and prevent narratives counter to the approved talking points from being published. The left has moved to cancel conservative people and businesses. They blame all the ills existing in the United States of America upon conservative white heterosexuals. Post the 2020 election, leftist politicians and talking heads openly discussed rounding up Trump supporters and placing them in re-education camps. One talking head suggested that the Trump supporting portion of America needs to be eliminated.

The left has already started the production of a Fascist government. Now, the trend is accelerating towards a NAZI like regime.

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Garrett W. Lindemann, Ph.D. is a conservative having survived the liberalism of academia, life sciences, and the left coast. Professionally, he has worked and traveled in North American and Europe. Previous publications include peer-reviewed science articles and articles in medical and science magazines, one self-published book, and two film documentaries. He is the author of many white papers, and inventor or co-inventor on several patents.