Origination of “Useful Idiots”
In a political context, the disparaging term “useful idiots” describes individuals who, wittingly or unwittingly, provide propaganda for a cause not fully understood, and are regarded contemptuously by the leader of that cause.
Though never confirmed, many believe the Russian, Vladimir Lenin—a master of propaganda and manipulation, and founder of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR)—was the first to use the term. Others attribute it to his successor, Joseph Stalin. Whether either one ever uttered the exact words, their master plan was to spread communism worldwide exploiting “useful idiots.”
Russia becomes the USSR – Communism Advances
Lenin seized power during the 1917 Bolshevik (Russian) Revolution, and quickly initiated a civil war to consolidate his power and solidify the establishment of communism. Three years later, the Red Army, supported by Lenin’s newly created Russian Communist Party was victorious against the White Army, an informal alliance of those who opposed communism—capitalists, monarchists and democratic socialists.
In 1922 Lenin entered into a treaty uniting Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and the Trans Caucasus Federation—now Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan—creating the USSR. He was then elected chairman of the new government. But during the next two years he experienced a series of strokes and ultimately died in 1924.
As Communist Party General Secretary, Joseph Stalin used his position to appoint Party members to their posts so that at the time of Lenin’s death, the Party Congress, the group that theoretically governed the country, owed their positions to him. Having thus gained control at Lenin’s death, and despite not being Lenin’s choice, he moved ruthlessly to consolidate his power.
Though there were some differences, both shared the fundamental ideology and goal of Marxism-Leninism—to create a worldwide communist society led by the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. To advance that objective, individual communist parties from around the world met and formed the Communist International (Comintern), agreeing to support socialist movements in a number of foreign countries. Though the Comintern’s activities were supposedly transparent, clandestine efforts to subvert governments were not uncommon.
The Era of Vladimir Putin Begins
Now let’s jump ahead to the era of Vladimir Putin.
Putin, born in 1952 in Leningrad—now St. Petersburg—came of age during the reigns of Nikita Khrushchev and Leonid Brezhnev, who were then engaged in a non-shooting war with the United States and the West. While their policies were less oppressive than those practiced by Stalin, they were, nevertheless oppressive.
As pure-blooded communists, they continued to pursue the Leninist-Stalinist objective of world domination. The KGB, formed in 1954, was one instrument employed in its pursuit. With its operatives well trained in propaganda dissemination, espionage, recruitment of enemy agents, counter-intelligence, assassination and other related traits, the KGB produced well-rounded specialists, capable of implementing Party directives.
In 1970, Putin enrolled in St. Petersburg State University’s law department, which many believed to have been a training ground for the KGB. After graduating, he was recruited and eagerly joined that organization. He spent most of his fifteen years with the spy agency in East Germany where he learned the trade craft of subverting an enemy. So, Putin prepared himself well to follow in the footsteps of his predecessors when he became President.
Putin Exercises his Power
As his Presidential terms progressed, he became more powerful within the Russian Federation. And as Lord Acton, the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries’ historian famously stated, “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” That is certainly true of Putin, who became emboldened enough to emulate the early leaders of the Soviet Union.
He directed the assassination of opponents and others he considered traitorous. He invaded and occupied 20% of Georgia and the eastern area of the Ukraine, while annexing Crimea from the Ukraine Federation. Sanctions did not deter him from moving forward with plans to subvert the Western democracies, and of course the United States. It was time to employ the principles so eloquently expressed by the founder of the Soviet Union, Vladimir Lenin.
Lenin’s Principles of Government
“He who now talks about the ‘freedom of the press’ goes backward, and halts our headlong course towards Socialism.”
“There are no morals in politics; there is only expedience. A scoundrel may be of use to us just because he is a scoundrel.”
“The press should be not only a collective propagandist and a collective agitator, but also a collective organizer of the masses.”
“Give me four years to teach the children and the seed I have sown will never be uprooted.”
“A lie told often enough becomes the truth.”
“The dictatorship means — take note of this once and for all — unrestrained power based on force, not law.”
Lenin denounced his opponents as “bloodsuckers,” “insects,” “spiders,” “leeches” and “vampires.”
The Words of Joseph Stalin
And to these, we can add the words of Joseph Stalin:
“I trust no one, not even myself.”
“It is enough that the people know there was an election. The people who cast the votes decide nothing. The people who count the votes decide everything.”
“Death is the solution to all problems. No man – no problem.”
The Useful Idiots in the United States
It’s impossible not to relate the foregoing statements to particular individuals in the United States who embrace them.
Of course, the most obvious is the President, Donald Trump. He is the scoundrel with no morals, who constantly attacks the free press, continually lies, obsessively attacks his opponents in a mean, spiteful and personal manner, attempts to exercise his power without regard to the law and trusts no one. In my last blog I spoke about the Fifth Column in the United States with Trump at its head. To that, I must now add the appellation of “Useful Idiot,” for he wittingly provides propaganda for Vladimir Putin. Yet there is no doubt that Putin is contemptuous of him.
Others have also become “Useful Idiots,” clamoring to prove their loyalty to Trump out of fear for their political futures, for the gratification of basking in the reflected glory, or for the benefits he brings them. But in the process, they aid Putin’s objectives:
Rudolph Giuliani, by his endless lies about the Russian investigation and Trump’s involvement—“truth isn’t truth;”
Fox News’ Sean Hannity and Tucker Carlson, by using their media positions to reinforce Trump’s lies;
Mike Pence and Rand Paul, by their vocal support of Trump’s lies and inappropriate actions;
Paul Ryan, by allowing the House Intelligence and Judiciary Committees to conduct deceitful investigations of Russian intervention in the 2016 election and instead, turn them into attacks on the FBI and Justice Department;
Devin Nunes by his blatant actions to curtail the Russian investigation while colluding with Trump;
One could also add the entire Republican Party, by its failure to speak out against Trump’s “Promote Putin Policy.”
So congratulations to all you “Useful Idiots.” You’ve earned your title.
