Red Again?

‎I have always loved to call communism the most honest form of democracy, not in the models practiced by any particular nation, nor in the doctrines of any single leader, but in the simple, profound belief at its core: that all human beings deserve equal dignity, shared prosperity, and the power to shape the world they live in.

Yet after the fall of the USSR, it seemed that the dream was buried, history sealed, and liberal democracy crowned as humanity’s final destiny. The West declared a unipolar world-triumphant, absolute, and without rivals. But history did not end-it shifted. It evolved into new waves of cultural, ideological, and geopolitical contest.

The failure to impose democracy in Iran and Afghanistan, the collapse of Wall Street in 2008, and the quiet flowering of socialism in varied forms around the globe all exposed the fractures in that triumphalist vision. The so-called “end of history” has, in truth, given rise to a new beginning.

And now, we must ask-not for a return to the rigid blueprints of the past, but for a reimagining of what is possible: Can the world dare to dream red again-not in uniformity, but in forms rooted in the soul of each society? Let’s begin that conversation.

‎Though communism, in principle, represents the most complete form of democracy, offering economic equality, collective ownership, a classless society, and social solidarity, its practice often failed. Why? Centralized power, suppression of political freedom in the name of equality, neglect of cultural and historical realities, and imposing one-size-fits-all revolutions made it unpopular. ‎Yet despite the global retreat of communism since the 1990s, several distinct models have continued to evolve, demonstrating the relevance and resilience of socialist ideals when adapted intelligently.

The Chinese model represents civilizational statism, drawing strength from China's ancient traditions and centralized governance to pursue modernization, poverty eradication, and national sovereignty through a synthesis of state control and market flexibility.

The Vietnamese model reflects adaptive communist nationalism, blending socialist goals with pragmatic openness and developmental priorities while preserving national identity and political stability.

The Cuban model stands as an anti-imperialist socialist resistance, maintaining a commitment to universal healthcare, education, and international solidarity despite decades of economic blockade.

‎‎In Latin America, countries like Venezuela, Bolivia, and Nicaragua reflect a form of socialist populism, deeply rooted in anti-imperialism and aimed at empowering historically excluded communities. These movements emphasize redistribution, indigenous rights, and national sovereignty, even as they grapple with internal contradictions, economic pressures, and political centralization.

The Sandinista revolution in Nicaragua, for instance, began with sweeping literacy campaigns and land reform but has faced criticism in recent years for authoritarian drift. Still, Latin American socialism stands as a bold effort to reclaim justice and dignity for the masses in a region long dominated by foreign interests.

‎‎Parallel to these state-driven models are grassroots and cooperative experiments that illustrate how socialism can flourish through local empowerment and democratic control. Kerala, India, offers a model of democratic socialism within a parliamentary framework, achieving high levels of human development through land reforms, strong public services, and participatory governance. In war-torn Rojava (Northern Syria), a unique experiment in radical democratic confederalism has taken root, centered on gender liberation, ethnic pluralism, and ecological sustainability.

And in Mondragon, Spain, cooperative socialism thrives within a capitalist economy, as workers collectively own and manage enterprises that embody solidarity and equality in practice. These diverse models, state-led and grassroots, prove that communism endures by evolving, and a new hope of rise sparkles.

‎‎Hope for renewed communism is not only because of these evolving models but also because the global failure of capitalism under liberal democracy is now too stark to ignore. Liberal democracy, though once adaptive, is now in deep decay. Its internal contradictions have reached a breaking point. It promises political equality, yet is ruled by wealth, where billionaires fund elections, corporate lobbies write laws, and public voice is reduced to protest slogans. In countries like the U.S. and India, politics is no longer a people’s forum-it is a marketplace.

‎‎It speaks of freedom, but neglects justice. Across liberal democracies, millions lack access to basic needs: housing, healthcare, and education. In the U.K., public services have been dismantled under austerity. In the U.S., survival demands debt. This is not liberty-it is structured neglect. Liberalism’s obsession with the individual has fractured societies, shattered solidarity, and fueled dangerous polarization-from the culture wars in the West to rising hate movements in Europe.

‎‎Its claim to peace is also deceptive. Liberal democracies have led or supported wars in Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan, justified as humanitarian, but rooted in imperial interest. Today, war is outsourced through drone strikes, economic sanctions, and proxy regimes, allowing violence to continue under the veil of order.

‎Economically, liberal democracy has failed to deliver dignity to the many. Since 2008, inequality has soared, wealth has concentrated, and public institutions have withered. From Wall Street to Silicon Valley, the global economy now serves the few while abandoning the many. What remains is a society of insecurity, disillusionment, and rising anger.

‎‎These are not temporary setbacks. They are systemic failures. As political theorist Nancy Fraser observes, liberal democracy has “cannibalized” the very foundations of social justice. John Gray, once a liberal thinker, now admits we are living through “the end of the liberal era,” as old frameworks collapse and new forces rise. And as Noam Chomsky warns, neo-liberal capitalism has turned democracy into a shell, concentrating power in the hands of corporate elites while dismantling social protections.

‎The mask has fallen. The so-called “end of history” has reached its own end. Around the world, people are not only rejecting capitalism, but they are also questioning the structures that have protected it. Can communism, revived, reimagined, and rooted in the soul of each society, become the alternative? It is a question we must ask with courage, not nostalgia.

‎Shishir Bashyal is the secretary of the ANNISU (R)