Draft:Pseudopedia/Biological Leninism

Biological Leninism is a term coined by internet blogger Spandrell to describe what he sees as a political strategy adopted by leftists and liberals that prioritizes identity and social justice issues over economic and class-based issues. According to the theory, certain individuals (including white men) are born with traits that naturally lead them to succeed in society, while others (such as women, gay people, black people, transsexuals, and Muslims) are inherently disadvantaged and would struggle to succeed without intervention.

The theory posits that to secure loyalty, a ruling class must build a coalition of the fringes, a group of individuals with grievances against the prevailing society. Spandrell argues that white men lack the necessary loyalty because they would perform well in any society, and therefore have little to lose. In contrast, marginalized groups such as women, minorities, and LGBTQ+ individuals have much to gain from the promise of high status and greater opportunities in exchange for their loyalty.

Spandrell draws parallels between Lenin's coalition of the fringes, which relied on the grievances of groups such as workers, peasants, Jews, Latvians, Ukrainians, etc., and the modern Democratic Party's coalition of the fringes, which is built on identity politics and minority groups. While Lenin's coalition relied on economic status and class, the modern coalition of the fringes prioritizes identity politics to maintain loyalty. This is due to the United States economy advancing by 1945 so far that class struggle could not be relied on as a generator of loyalty.

According to Spandrell, the coalition of the fringes is a form of "literal kakistocracy," where individuals who would lose status in a better-run society are elevated to positions of power.