I like to think of tankies as Anakin Skywalker in that scene on the Grass with Padme. Anakin is gently explaining his hopes for the future, the wonderful world he wants to build, but when asked if people disagree he says “then they’ll be made to”, revealing his authoritarian streak. To anakin, like the tankie, seems obvious that an ultimate authority is necessary to shepherd the people into their eventual utopia, by force if necessary.

Many recognize the goal of a far left state is to whither and die, but the tankie forgets that power begets power. A dictatorship of the prolietariat is all well and good until a well spoken wolf in the finest wool takes the reigns. Power does not corrupt; rather i believe it is corruption that seeks power, and like dragons those corrupted by power will not give it up, and will do anything for more