Definitions by Abzugal
Capitalistology
The study of capitalism—especially late‑stage capitalism—using Sovietological methods: analyzing its internal contradictions, elite factions, crisis management mechanisms, and ideological production. Capitalistology treats markets not as natural forces but as politically constructed and maintained. It examines how bailouts, regulatory capture, and financial engineering work like the Kremlin’s command economy—centralized decisions made by a few, presented as inevitable outcomes. It also studies the cultural apparatus (advertising, entertainment, self‑help) that produces consent for exploitation. The goal is to denaturalize what is presented as just “how things work.”
Example: “His capitalistology of the 2008 crash showed that the ‘invisible hand’ was actually a very visible set of coordinated government actions that saved banks while letting homeowners drown.”
Capitalistology by Abzugal April 2, 2026
Liberalology
The study of liberalism and neoliberalism using the methods of Sovietology: treating them not as neutral political philosophies but as ideological systems with their own dogmas, rituals, and power structures. Liberalology examines how concepts like “freedom,” “choice,” and “individual responsibility” function as controlling narratives, masking the concentration of wealth and the rollback of collective protections. It analyzes the think tank network, media pundits, and academic departments that produce and reproduce neoliberal orthodoxy—the functional equivalent of Marxist‑Leninist institutes for capitalist realism.
Example: “Her liberalology of the ‘Third Way’ traced how Clinton and Blair transformed social democracy into a vehicle for deregulation and austerity—using the language of the left to implement right‑wing policies.”
Liberalology by Abzugal April 2, 2026
Americanology
A broader term for the study of U.S. society, culture, and political economy using the detached, critical methods of Sovietology. Americanology treats American exceptionalism as an ideology to be decoded, not a fact to be assumed. It examines how national myths (frontier, melting pot, land of opportunity) are produced and maintained through education, media, and popular culture. It also studies elite networks, think tanks, and foundations as the functional equivalent of the Communist Party’s apparat—shaping policy outside the formal democratic process.
Example: “His americanology of the nonprofit sector revealed how ostensibly ‘independent’ foundations coordinated funding to steer policy debates within narrow, establishment‑friendly parameters.”
Americanology by Abzugal April 2, 2026
Unitedstatology
Another name for the critical study of the United States using Sovietological methods, emphasizing the federal structure and the tension between state and federal power. Unitedstatology examines how the U.S. maintains coherence despite its internal contradictions: a weak central state that projects enormous global power, a market ideology that coexists with vast public spending, and a democratic rhetoric that masks oligarchic tendencies. It pays special attention to the electoral college, gerrymandering, and campaign finance as the equivalent of the Politburo’s nomenklatura—formal structures that produce predictable outcomes.
Example: “Her unitedstatology research showed how the ‘swing state’ system functions like a Central Committee—small groups of voters in a few states actually determine national policy, while the majority’s preferences are systematically ignored.”
Unitedstatology by Abzugal April 2, 2026
Washingtonology
A variant of Columbiaology with a sharper focus on the federal government as a closed system: the White House, executive agencies, intelligence community, and the permanent bureaucracy. Washingtonology treats official explanations as often misleading, paying close attention to leaks, background briefings, and the subtle signals of who is “in” or “out.” It examines the unwritten rules of the capital—seniority, protocol, off‑the‑record relationships—as keys to understanding actual policy outcomes. Like Kremlinology, it recognizes that much of what matters happens in corridors, not press conferences.
Example: “His Washingtonology of the Pentagon’s budget process revealed that ‘official’ priorities were often shaped by informal deals between committee staff and defense contractors—no vote required.”
Washingtonology by Abzugal April 2, 2026
Columbiaology
The study of the United States using the methods of Sovietology/Kremlinology—treating Washington D.C. as a foreign capital whose inner workings are opaque, ritualized, and driven by hidden power networks. Columbiaology analyzes congressional procedures, executive orders, Supreme Court signals, and the revolving door between government and corporations as clues to a system that presents itself as transparent but is anything but. It pays attention to who sits on which committees, who funds which campaigns, and what language signals loyalty to which faction. The name plays on the personification of America as Columbia.
Example: “Her Columbiaology of the Senate Judiciary Committee tracked how hearing performances were choreographed to create media narratives while the real negotiations happened in closed rooms—Kremlinology for the Capitol.”
Columbiaology by Abzugal April 2, 2026
Westernology
A variant of Westology, focusing specifically on the cultural, political, and economic systems of the Global North/West as objects of critical study. Westernology examines the mythologies of progress, individualism, and free markets as ideological constructs—analogous to how Sovietology examined Marxist‑Leninist ideology. It studies elite reproduction through universities and corporate boards, the management of public opinion via media, and the rituals of elections as performances of legitimacy. Westernology treats the West not as a transparent norm but as a particular, contingent system worthy of the same skeptical scrutiny once reserved for the Eastern bloc.
Example: “His Westernology of Silicon Valley traced how ‘disruption’ functioned as an official ideology, justifying monopolization and labor precarity while promising liberation.”
Westernology by Abzugal April 2, 2026