"A lie told often enough becomes the truth"
"A lie told often enough becomes the truth"
Vladimir Lenin, 1870-1924,
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Lenin is the Model for Lying Politicians
How to Avoid Falling for Politicians’ Deceptive Lies
Lenin is the Model for Lying Politicians
Politicians may not know much about Vladimir Lenin but many of them intuitively understand and apply his strategy about the benefits of repeated lying. This makes politicians real threats to American democracy like Lenin was a threat to the state of Russia in his day. Here is another Lenin quote:
While the state exists, there will be no freedom. When freedom exists, there will be no state.
—The State and Revolution, Vladimir Lenin, 1919
In Lenin’s language, the state (i.e. government) is an instrument of class rule, used by the ruling class to maintain power over the oppressed classes. His quote argues that there is no freedom for people who are not in the ruling class, and that there will be no freedom for those people until the state (i.e. government loses its authority to oppress others. This is the context in which Lenin advocates for repeating lies.
Although Lenin was not a pure populist, his rhetoric often appealed to "the people" and mixed populist appeal to the masses with other ideologies. His rhetoric advocated for “dictatorship of the proletariat (i.e. working class.) He described his movement as "an immense expansion of democracy" for the poor and working people, while limiting democratic freedoms for the former ruling class. Evidence of this ideology is found in the MAGA movement in America today. This explains Donald Trump’s appeal to uneducated, working-class voters who feel culturally alienated from liberal elites who control government.
The MAGA movement shares other similarities with Lenin’s Marxist movement. A wide network of organized revolutionaries (e.g. Conservative Partnership Institute, Christian Nationalists, Heritage Foundation, Project 2025, Save America PAC, Oath Keepers: Proud Boys, etc.) works to promote MAGA ideology, support Trump and aligned candidates, influence policy, and mobilize supporters. Some supporters focus on legal action, others on policy development, while others engage in more direct political activities or even militant organizing. MAGA supporters are not a monolithic group but they have all lost faith in traditional institutions. Supporters who have lost faith in traditional institutions see Trump as a kind of savior who will "blow up the system."
While Lenin did not directly advocate for blowing up the government, he did call for fundamental, strategical dismantling and replacement of state structures and institutions. This is exactly what the MAGA movement hopes to do in Project 2025 which is a blueprint for reshaping federal agencies and bureaucracies:
It calls for "assertive application of the expansive powers of the executive branch to restore authority" and the "courage to reshape or even disrupt the bureaucracy to align with presidential objectives."
The plan aims to remove civil service protections from many federal employees, potentially allowing for mass replacements.
The Department of Justice is targeted for significant changes, including reshaping its Civil Rights Division.
The FBI would potentially be stripped of its legal workforce.
The movement seeks to build a "deep state" designed replace or dominate existing federal government structures.
Overcome resistance from the current bureaucracy:
Plans involve potentially appointing up to 50,000 political appointees if civil service protections are removed.
The goal is a massive overhaul of federal agencies and their operations.
While not all MAGA supporters may endorse these specific plans, the movement's leadership and policy architects appear to have a clear goal of fundamentally reshaping many government institutions to align with their ideology and policy objectives.
Massive overhaul of the state (i.e. federal agencies and their operations) was the ideological context for Lenin’s quote about the necessity to lie. Perplexity.ai reports the following summary of his strategies:
Lenin's approach to achieving his revolutionary goals was marked by a pragmatic acceptance of deception as a necessary tool. His belief that "telling the truth is a petty-bourgeois prejudice" reflects a broader philosophy that justified the use of any means—ethical or not—to attain socialist objectives. In his view, deception could be justified by the ultimate goal of advancing the cause of socialism, particularly in a time of political turmoil and moral decay following World War I
Key Points on Lenin's Use of Deception
Amoral Context: Lenin operated in an environment characterized by chaos and lawlessness, which he believed necessitated extreme measures, including the use of deception and violence. He famously endorsed the idea that "worse is better," suggesting that the destruction of existing structures could pave the way for a new socialist order.
Strategic Deception: During the Bolshevik Revolution, Lenin and his party employed deceptive tactics in their campaign promises. He later acknowledged that these utopian slogans were not realistic expectations but tools to mobilize support. This admission highlighted his understanding that achieving power often required misleading the populace about immediate outcomes.
Revolutionary Elitism: Some interpretations of Lenin's ideology suggest he lost faith in the working class's ability to achieve revolutionary consciousness independently. This led him to advocate for a tightly organized party of professional revolutionaries who could effectively lead and manipulate public sentiment, further justifying the use of deceit as a means to an end.
Historical Context: Lenin’s methods were not unique but rather reflective of broader revolutionary strategies throughout history. He recognized that political deception has been a common practice among leaders seeking to change societal structures, viewing it as an inevitable aspect of revolutionary politics.
Conclusion: Lenin's philosophy on lying and deception was rooted in his belief that the ends justified the means. His strategies were shaped by the tumultuous historical context in which he operated, leading him to prioritize revolutionary success over moral considerations. This pragmatic approach has been both criticized and analyzed extensively in discussions about his legacy and the nature of revolutionary movements.
This history explains Lenin’s motives for lying:
Pursuit of power
Ideological justification
Political expediency
Propaganda purposes
Authoritarian tendencies
Deception was a key part of his political strategy and leadership style.
These motives are common for all politicians who use lies and deception to achieve their goals. This includes Donald Trump and others who share MAGA’s goals.
They lie because they do not believe that telling the truth is an effective strategy for accomplishing their personal and legislative goals. Somehow they imagine that lies are more powerful and persuasive than truth. The fact that they lie so much and that so many voters will believe their lies and vote for them seems to indicate that they are right. President Franklin Roosevelt, however, disagreed when he said this:
Repetition does not transform a lie into a truth.
Franklin Roosevelt, 1882-1945
How to Avoid Falling for Politicians’ Deceptive Lies
It is always good to pay close attention to the things politicians say but it is especially important during election seasons when politicians have greater incentives to lie: People who believe their lies will vote for them.
Paying close attention requires doing the following intellectual work:
Judge their character by evaluating the things they say and do to
Don’t assume that everything a politician says is truth.
Assume that a politician will tell lies to get elected until you have judged him/her to have good character.
If they keep repeating themselves, dismiss them as liars.
Investigate to verify or disprove what politicians say.
Cross-reference multiple sources:
Compare information from different reputable news outlets and fact-checkers.
Look for consensus among multiple independent sources.
Check for context:
Consider the full context of politicians’ statement.
Look at the complete speech or interview to understand the broader message.
Be aware of your own biases that incline you to believe or reject what politicians say:
Research evidence and data that confirms or denies politicians’ statements:
Seek out statistical information, research studies, or expert opinions that support or refute claims.
Be cautious of politicians who cherry-pick data or quote statistics out of context.
Look at the politician's history of truthfulness and consistency in their statements.
Closely evaluate conspiracy theories and oversimplified solutions to complex problems.
Be suspicious when they promise to solve all your problems when they get into office.
Be suspicious when they blame others for all of your problems.
Learn to identify common, illogical, abusive strategies politicians use to attack opponents who fact-check their promises and claims.
Discount claims they make if they don’t back up claims with facts.
Be very suspicious of politicians who appeal to emotions, grievances and existential fears.
Seek opinions from experts and academics.
Reject politicians who reference their religious faith or religious concepts because they are appealing to your emotions — not intellect.
Being a patriotic American does not require that voters judge politicians’ character or do the hard intellectual work of discovering if they tell lies or speak truth. There is nothing in the Constitution that suggests you need to justify why you vote the way you do. But, sincere patriots will do this work for their own peace of mind and the well being of their fellow Americans.
Failure to do the work of discovering truth is a concession to liars who are energized by self serving motives and to those lazy Americans who are not willing exercise their minds so they can vote for the best possible elected officials.
How to Judge Character
Many Americans — perhaps most Americans — choose whom to vote for on the basis of policies and party identity. This is a perfectly legitimate strategy in democratic societies. When we consider, however, that this strategy has produced dysfunctional government, social division, extreme political partisanship and open talk of anarchy, we must conclude that choosing politicians on the basis of policy and party loyalty is a very flawed strategy. The preferred strategy has two parts:
Do the intellectual work necessary to avoid falling for politicians’ lies.
Evaluate politicians’ character.
Good character may be defined by a set of positive traits that contribute to an individual's integrity, relationships, and overall impact on society. Here is a comprehensive list of these traits reported by Perplexity.ai:
Emotional Qualities
Empathetic: Understanding and sharing the feelings of others.
Loving: Showing deep affection and care for others.
Warmhearted: Kind and compassionate towards others.
Intellectual Qualities
Curious: Eager to learn and explore new ideas.
Logical: Reasoning clearly and sensibly.
Imaginative: Creative in thinking and problem-solving.
Interpersonal Qualities
Supportive: Offering help and encouragement to others.
Sociable: Enjoying the company of others and engaging easily.
Humorous: Able to bring joy and laughter to situations.
Ethical Qualities
Honest: Truthful and transparent in actions and words.
Respectful: Showing consideration for others' feelings and rights.
Fair: Treating everyone equally without bias.
Dynamic & Energetic Qualities
Enthusiastic: Showing intense enjoyment or interest.
Vibrant: Full of energy and life.
Positive: Maintaining an optimistic outlook.
Resilient & Steadfast Qualities
Persistent: Continuing firmly in a course of action despite difficulties.
Tenacious: Holding fast to goals or principles with determination.
Strong: Exhibiting mental or emotional strength.
Leadership & Influential Qualities
Motivated: Driven to achieve goals and inspire others.
Proactive: Taking initiative rather than waiting for opportunities.
Strategic: Planning effectively to achieve desired outcomes.
Reliability & Trustworthiness
Dependable: Reliable in fulfilling commitments.
Loyal: Faithful to commitments or obligations.
Trustworthy: Deserving of trust; honest in dealings.
Skill & Efficiency
Competent: Having the necessary ability or knowledge to do something well.
Organized: Structured in approach, able to manage tasks effectively.
Productive: Capable of producing significant results efficiently.
Openness & Adaptability
Open-minded: Willing to consider new ideas or opinions.
Flexible: Able to adapt to new conditions or changes easily.
Tolerant: Accepting of differing views or behaviors.
These traits collectively form the foundation of good character. They influence how individuals interact with one another and contribute positively to their communities. Lazy pseudo patriots will not do the hard intellectual work of judging politicians’ character and testing for lies in their political rhetoric.
Real patriots, however, will do that hard intellectual work because they understand that America will not become a better nation unless voters elect leaders with good character. That does not mean that patriotic voters are not concerned about good government policy. They are very concerned about policy but they know that elected officials with good character are the only ones who will legislate for policy that is beneficial for the common good of all Americans. That is why they are willing to do the hard intellectual work of judging character.
See Voters’ Guide to Choosing the Best Elected Leaders below for a printable list of character qualities and things to do to avoid believing lies. Click Download to install PDF file to your computer and print from there.
