Used to describe a member of a Communist subculture on the internet who genuinely believes that countries such as China and North Korea are global champions of social justice and Communist utopias. The group has particular traction amongst 2nd generation Asian migrants in the west who incorporate these regimes into their own identity struggles.
If you believe China is a global force for anti-racism and equality, and put a hammer and sickle in your twitter handle, you're a Tankie.
by StillLaughtingAtTankies September 13, 2020
1) Communists who are anti american imperialism to the extent that they defend cartoonishly bad people/countries as long as they claim to be socialist and challenged the interests of the U.S. or other western countries. They can be found defending Joseph Stalin, Bashar al-Assad, and North Korea.
It began as an insult to members of the Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB), who supported the Soviet Union's response to the Hungarian Revolution (1956) and the Prague Spring in Czechoslovakia (1968)
2) People who fetishize the aesthetics of 20th century socialist states and treat communism like a social group rather than a political ideology; not everyone who calls themself communist on Twitter is a tankie.
It began as an insult to members of the Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB), who supported the Soviet Union's response to the Hungarian Revolution (1956) and the Prague Spring in Czechoslovakia (1968)
2) People who fetishize the aesthetics of 20th century socialist states and treat communism like a social group rather than a political ideology; not everyone who calls themself communist on Twitter is a tankie.
Tankie: "I try not to argue with people Lenin would have shot."
T: "Come back after you've read theory, Radlib."
T: "Happy birthday, Stalin! 🎉🎊"
T: "Come back after you've read theory, Radlib."
T: "Happy birthday, Stalin! 🎉🎊"
by Whette Aeggue December 27, 2021
Tankie: A word describing a delusional communist supporter that denies the countless genocides committed by the USSR and other communist/socialist countries.
Person 1: The ccp are great and don’t systematically kill Muslims. Also all Muslims are terrorists and deserve to be systematically murdered.
Person 2: I really hate you 14 year old genocide denying tankie that knows nothing about anything.
Person 2: I really hate you 14 year old genocide denying tankie that knows nothing about anything.
by Sadsocks February 6, 2021
Tankies are anyone who apologizes/defends/supports authoritarian/fascist/totalitarian/capitalist/generally right-wing regimes while pretending to be a communist/socialist/general leftist.
The "tankie" ideologies you commonly run into are Stalinist/"Marxist"-Leninist, Maoist, National "Socialist", National Bolshevik.
The "tankie" ideologies you commonly run into are Stalinist/"Marxist"-Leninist, Maoist, National "Socialist", National Bolshevik.
by Dust Palace October 10, 2020
Someone who idealises military pageantry, communist iconography, and milatary strength including tanks in favour of a far left-wing communist/socialist regime to a borderline fascistic degree.
by Captain_Flare December 13, 2019
Your average person in the former USSR who grew up with a Soviet, communist mentality. Typically an old, middle aged boomer who likes watching cringy Russian bandit movies in their spare time who just wants to go back to how it was in their childhood.
Tankies are usually very for strict gender roles and patriarchy, homophobic, and ableist (unless it's a: narcissist, alcoholic, psychopath, or some other harmful disability).
They also hate technology and think GPS navigation makes people retarded, and really hate swearing and children enjoying anything edgier than Dora the Explorer (I.e SpongeBob)
Despite being raised atheist, they're usually into Islam or Christianity on a surface level, depending on what former Soviet country do they come from. They also typically encourage narcissist-like behavior and assholery in people.
Authentic tankies that aren't LARPers on weird political circlejerk communities aren't commonly found outside former USSR countries.
Tankies are usually very for strict gender roles and patriarchy, homophobic, and ableist (unless it's a: narcissist, alcoholic, psychopath, or some other harmful disability).
They also hate technology and think GPS navigation makes people retarded, and really hate swearing and children enjoying anything edgier than Dora the Explorer (I.e SpongeBob)
Despite being raised atheist, they're usually into Islam or Christianity on a surface level, depending on what former Soviet country do they come from. They also typically encourage narcissist-like behavior and assholery in people.
Authentic tankies that aren't LARPers on weird political circlejerk communities aren't commonly found outside former USSR countries.
Matvey: My tankie dad forces us to use outdated maps whenever we go on road trips because he thinks GPS is bourgeois and would make us retarded!
Olga, his friend: Oh, and my tankie mom doesn't let me watch SpongeBob because she thinks it's too bourgeois and would make my brain shrink!
Olga, his friend: Oh, and my tankie mom doesn't let me watch SpongeBob because she thinks it's too bourgeois and would make my brain shrink!
by xx_SteamedHams_xx September 12, 2023