Sunday Morning at the Marxist Forum
Sun., January 19, 2025: 10:30 am-12:30 pm PST
Compatible Left in Service of Imperialism
Speaker: Stansfield Smith
The CIA helped to build and subsidize a “compatible left” in the 1940-1960s to help counter the Communist bloc and associated organizations. This anti-communist compatible left still exists today, giving backhanded defense of US imperialism’s endless wars. They harshly criticize the same nations the US seeks to overthrow and cover up US covert operations and economic warfare against these countries; e.g., Qaddafi’s Libya, Assad’s Syria, Iran, Chavistas in Venezuela, Sandinistas in Nicaragua. They condemn Russia or China (or both) as imperialistic, while painting Trump as a fascist and the Democrats as preferable. In short, their politics aligns with the national security police state propaganda against its perceived enemies.
The compatible left is also closely involved in pushing the issue of “identity” as equal to or even more important than class. But we can work with the compatible left. Some compatible leftists take progressive positions in opposing the blockade on Cuba, gender issues, condemning Israeli mass murder and the Democratic Party hierarchy, and in defending the increasing labor union struggles.
Our speaker, Stansfield Smith, is a member of Chicago ALBA Solidarity. He is a long time anti-war activist and has opposed US interference over the years in Latin America. He produces AFGJ’s Venezuela & ALBA Weekly News and the online newsletter for the Nicaragua Solidarity Coalition. His website is ChicagoALBASolidarity.org.
Stansfield Smith has written:
- “Compatible Left Joins Imperialism in Celebrating Defeat of Syria,” https://libya360.wordpress.com/2024/12/18/compatible-left-joins-imperialism-in-celebrating-defeat-of-syria/
- “The Function of the Compatible Left Seen in Its Attacks on the Venezuelan Revolution,” https://orinocotribune.com/the-function-of-the-compatible-left-seen-in-its-attacks-on-the-venezuelan-revolution/
- “US National Security State Censoring Anti-Imperialists to Control ‘Compatible Left,” https://geopoliticaleconomy.com/2022/07/02/censorship-anti-imperialists-compatible-left/
- “Anti-Imperialism in the US Today: What It Is and Is Not,” https://orinocotribune.com/anti-imperialism-in-the-us-today-what-it-is-and-is-not/
Also see this YouTube by Ben Norton, “How the CIA supports a ‘compatible left’ to aid US imperialism,” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1sJ2uZ4aaQ&t=474s
