I think that fundamentally, most people on the right were anti-communists more than they were pro-fascists or pro-dictators. When the threat of global communism receded after the 1989-1991 collapse of most communist regimes, the need to support "bad guys" as a bulwark against "worse guys" went away. As a result, with the exception of actual, real, unrepentant Nazis or neo-Nazis, the right has withdrawn its support for most dictators, and the few dictators who have been supported are in the Middle East, where the existential threat of communism has been replaced by a threat of international jihad. Of course, the support of the likes of Mubarak was bi-partisan in the US, supported broadly on both sides in Europe and premised on a very low level of background violence.
The left, however, doesn't feel like a threat has gone away. They are obviously afraid of American power and/or against the free market system, and so they are still prone to gravitate towards allies in what they see as an existential threat to their utopian ideals.
It's not that the right wouldn't support dictators in the right (or perhaps better to say wrong) circumstances. It's just that the right feels less paranoid and threatened right now.
The left, however, doesn't feel like a threat has gone away. They are obviously afraid of American power and/or against the free market system, and so they are still prone to gravitate towards allies in what they see as an existential threat to their utopian ideals.
It's not that the right wouldn't support dictators in the right (or perhaps better to say wrong) circumstances. It's just that the right feels less paranoid and threatened right now.
Political correctness is the pettiest form of casuistry.
ἡ δὲ κἀκ τριῶν τρυπημάτων ἐργαζομένη ἐνεκάλει τῇ φύσει, δυσφορουμένη, ὅτι δὴ μὴ καὶ τοὺς τιτθοὺς αὐτῇ εὐρύτερον ἢ νῦν εἰσι τρυπώη, ὅπως καὶ ἄλλην ἐνταῦθα μίξιν ἐπιτεχνᾶσθαι δυνατὴ εἴη. – Procopius
Ummaka qinnassa nīk!
*MySmiley*
ἡ δὲ κἀκ τριῶν τρυπημάτων ἐργαζομένη ἐνεκάλει τῇ φύσει, δυσφορουμένη, ὅτι δὴ μὴ καὶ τοὺς τιτθοὺς αὐτῇ εὐρύτερον ἢ νῦν εἰσι τρυπώη, ὅπως καὶ ἄλλην ἐνταῦθα μίξιν ἐπιτεχνᾶσθαι δυνατὴ εἴη. – Procopius
Ummaka qinnassa nīk!
*MySmiley*
Why does the Left support dictators?
- 01/09/2011 02:37:25 AM
1323 Views
Do you have anyone besides those two?
- 01/09/2011 02:52:19 AM
859 Views
Well, he also mentioned Michael Moore
- 01/09/2011 04:34:03 AM
733 Views
I ususally do not respond to threads like this, for many threads like this are done by unreasonable
- 01/09/2011 12:21:10 PM
639 Views
I'm not trying to say they are mainstream left.
- 01/09/2011 02:39:18 PM
816 Views
I would agree currently that is true (if you are talking fringe left vs fringe right)
- 01/09/2011 03:59:45 PM
665 Views
As I mentioned in my reply to Legolas, 40 or 50 years ago it was mutual hypocrisy.
- 01/09/2011 08:01:23 PM
634 Views
don't confuse the far left with the vast majority of americans who support people like kucinich
- 01/09/2011 04:53:14 AM
871 Views
"the vast majority of americans who support people like kucinich" LOL thats funny *NM*
- 01/09/2011 01:19:12 PM
311 Views
Tom, leave the absurdist and patently false dichotomies to trzaska. *NM*
- 01/09/2011 11:43:35 AM
394 Views
Because there aren't any good right wing oppressive regimes for the Right to get behind these days?
- 01/09/2011 12:53:32 PM
671 Views
You should read Postwar. If you haven't already.
- 01/09/2011 06:18:55 PM
890 Views
No, there is at least one more explanation
- 01/09/2011 07:05:11 PM
875 Views
Yes, anti-Americanism is a very significant part of the equation. *NM*
- 01/09/2011 08:02:05 PM
397 Views
Outside America, yes, definitely. He seemed to be talking about inside the US though.
- 01/09/2011 08:26:27 PM
863 Views
well anti-Americanism runs about as strong in the American left as it does in European left
*NM*
- 01/09/2011 08:51:34 PM
439 Views
*NM*
- 01/09/2011 08:51:34 PM
439 Views
I was using US examples but not trying to limit myself to the US.
- 01/09/2011 09:57:57 PM
787 Views
I wanted to keep things confined to the present day.
- 01/09/2011 07:58:15 PM
660 Views
Hmm
- 01/09/2011 08:49:54 PM
702 Views
I disagree on the last point, and here's why:
- 01/09/2011 09:54:52 PM
824 Views
when you combine that with America's pro-British stance it explains why the Brits seem conflicted 
*NM*
- 01/09/2011 07:51:41 PM
435 Views
*NM*
- 01/09/2011 07:51:41 PM
435 Views
America has a pro-British stance? I'm thinking that'd be news to most Brits. *NM*
- 01/09/2011 08:27:33 PM
450 Views
I'm thinking that'd be news to most Brits. *NM*
- 01/09/2011 08:27:33 PM
450 Views
Well like most things the Brits think they know about the US they would be wrong
- 01/09/2011 08:48:47 PM
880 Views
Or they just see things differently.
- 01/09/2011 10:15:20 PM
748 Views
But the Brits do need us, and we don't need them.
- 02/09/2011 06:01:10 PM
716 Views
Of course it's obvious. That doesn't mean they have to like it, or can't resent it. *NM*
- 02/09/2011 06:14:37 PM
413 Views
The enemy of my enemy is my friend.
- 02/09/2011 01:25:40 AM
863 Views
I think your historical argument is flawed
- 02/09/2011 05:57:00 PM
913 Views
Apologies, I was sure I responded to this when you first posted the thread.
- 07/10/2011 05:55:27 AM
846 Views