In the US, non-authoritarian leftists use it pretty often to mock the weird obsession of our right wing with the specter of communism. Most of the country thinks there’s no such thing as non-authoritarian leftism, so frankly, outside Eastern European neighborhoods, it makes no difference at all.

Please don’t use it in eastern countries. As someone who lives in country that had “them” for 40 years and more than 20 of those was occupied I take this term more like a insult.

I live in France, and the term “camarade” is daily used in my union instead of the first name, or when you talk about several members of the union. It has no negative connotation, it’s not used as a reversal of stigma.

It’s also used in several left parties, but not all. It’s quite common between people who primarily fight for the workers rights, but it’s much less common between other progressive/leftist activists (feminists, climate activists, LGBTQIA+ rights activists…).

For me, it makes sense to use it this way, according to the context.

Unfortunately meanings change over time and with context and from my american perspective comrade at best sounds sarcastic or like youre making fun of something. At worst it sounds like you’re genuinely supporting more authoritative soviet style authoritarianism.

if it makes you happy, use the term. no need to get caught up in all this nonsense unless you see it’s hurting somebody (which im sure it isnt) :p

I consider myself a sewer socialist. I have only ever used the term “comrade” in a derisive sense. I do not stand for kings, billionaires, dictators, or any form of political tyrant. The populist voice has proven to be largely reasonable, even if not the loudest, and I haven’t lost faith in democracy, despite the current US democracy being under threat from within. To answer the question, do not equate MLism to modern democratic socialism. They may share similar roots, but one is far more attainable and better serves an industrial society while the other is based on a nearly 200-year theory of social autocracy that has been put into practice dozens of times to abhorrent results. It is my right to own and make use of the fruits of my own labor. The government shall not own my mind or my hands, and its duty is to protect those rights for me and every American.

All left parties and trade unions and work songs will say “Genosse” or “Kameraden” a cooperative is literally called Genossenschaft. Both Words are just a variant of friend/sympathetic person. Words can be used by everyone so in Germany I don’t think you’ll encounter many people who’ll be offended.

“Leidensgenossen” which translates to “fellow sufferers” is a very nice description of what most people get turned into by the ever churning machine of capitalism. It’s also encapsulates the meaning of life as suffering if seen from a slightly different perspective.

I like to call things for what I understand them as, and seeing the average person react to the word anarchism tells me that on average I have a better understanding of what words mean at least in that realm of speech. Knowing that I think it’d be a disservice to my comrades to not speak with them using the terms of socialist philosophy, because ultimately it’s simpler to understand if we call things for what they are.

Use it if you want. Anarchism/socialism/communism are dirty words for a lot of people too, but if you’re letting your opponents control the narrative/framing then you’ve already lost. Culture won’t change unless you push for it.

I still use the word from time to time. I dont feel the Tankies have exclusive right to this… or any word. I don’t think we should allow authoritarians to usurp language like that.

https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/comrade?q=comrade