For other uses, see Useful idiot (disambiguation).
A useful idiot or useful fool is a person who thinks he is fighting for a cause without fully comprehending the consequences of his actions, and who is cynically manipulated by the cause's leaders or by other political players.[1][2] The term was often used during the Cold War to describe non-communists regarded as susceptible to communist propaganda and psychological manipulation.[1] A number of authors attribute this phrase to Vladimir Lenin, but this attribution is not supported by any evidence. Similar terms exist in other languages.
^ ab"useful idiot". Oxford English Dictionary. Oxford University Press. 2017.
^Holder, R. W. (2008), "useful fool", Oxford Dictionary of Euphemisms, Oxford University Press, p. 394, ISBN 978-0199235179, useful fool—a dupe of the Communists. Lenin's phrase for the shallow thinkers in the West whom the Communists manipulated. Also as useful idiot.
A usefulidiot or useful fool is a person who thinks he is fighting for a cause without fully comprehending the consequences of his actions, and who is...
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former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton described Carlson as a "usefulidiot"; the phrase is erroneously attributed to Vladimir Lenin, the first leader...
host of the podcast The Katie Halper Show and co-host of the podcast UsefulIdiots with Aaron Maté. Halper was born in New York City. She grew up on Riverside...
Lucas, Edward (29 October 2007). "In Russia's shadow – The Kremlin's usefulidiots". Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 22 July...
Soviet influence on the peace movement U.S. Army Field Manual 30-31B Usefulidiot Post-Soviet era Cyberwarfare on Estonia during the Russo-Georgian War...
Soviet influence on the peace movement U.S. Army Field Manual 30-31B Usefulidiot Post-Soviet era Cyberwarfare on Estonia during the Russo-Georgian War...
Truthdig. Retrieved June 13, 2022. Bawer, Bruce (September 2019). "UsefulIdiot: The Curious Case of Max Blumenthal". Commentary. Archived from the original...
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of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Retrieved November 13, 2016. "UsefulIdiot". American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Retrieved November...
reasonable chance of not coming into the awareness of counter-intelligence. Usefulidiot is a term attributed to Lenin, principally in Soviet use, for a person...
Soviet influence on the peace movement U.S. Army Field Manual 30-31B Usefulidiot Post-Soviet era Cyberwarfare on Estonia during the Russo-Georgian War...
Looks Like - Above the Law". February 24, 2022. "Hillary Clinton drags "usefulidiot" Tucker Carlson for Putin interview". February 8, 2024. Turner, Camila...
Red fascism Regressive left Taistoism Tank Man The Stalinist Legacy Usefulidiot Vatnik (slang) Reg Birch's hardline attitudes later led him to split...
Soviet influence on the peace movement U.S. Army Field Manual 30-31B Usefulidiot Post-Soviet era Cyberwarfare on Estonia during the Russo-Georgian War...
Soviet influence on the peace movement U.S. Army Field Manual 30-31B Usefulidiot Post-Soviet era Cyberwarfare on Estonia during the Russo-Georgian War...
Soviet influence on the peace movement U.S. Army Field Manual 30-31B Usefulidiot Post-Soviet era Cyberwarfare on Estonia during the Russo-Georgian War...
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