Baizuo

Baizuo (白左, pronounced [pǎi.tswò], literally "white left") is a derogatory Chinese neologism that emerged in the mid-2010s to describe Western liberals, leftists, or progressives perceived as naive, hypocritical, or obsessed with political correctness. The term gained international attention around 2017 as it reflected growing Chinese criticism of certain aspects of Western progressive politics.

Origin and meaning

The term combines two Mandarin Chinese words: "bai" (白, white), referring to Caucasians or Western people, and "zuo" (左, left), referring to left-wing politics. It emerged on Chinese social media platforms such as Weibo and Zhihu in the mid-2010s and gained wider usage during the 2016 United States presidential election.

According to Chinese political scientist Chenchen Zhang, who documented the term's rise, baizuo typically describes those who:

• "Only care about topics such as immigration, minorities, LGBT and the environment"
• "Have no sense of real problems in the real world"
• "Only advocate for peace and equality to satisfy their own feeling of moral superiority"
• "Are obsessed with political correctness to the extent that they tolerate backwards Islamic values for the sake of multiculturalism"
• "Advocate for welfare and tolerance while living in comfort and safety"

The archetypal baizuo is often characterized as an educated, middle or upper-class Western person who advocates for social justice causes perceived as abstract or distant from tangible economic concerns.

Usage and spread

The term gained international attention following the 2016 U.S. presidential election and the Brexit referendum, as Chinese social media users employed it to criticize what they perceived as naive liberal reactions to these events. Western media outlets began reporting on the phenomenon in 2017, with articles appearing in publications such as OpenDemocracy and The Washington Post.

The term has been used in discussions of various Western political figures. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been frequently cited as a quintessential example of baizuo by Chinese netizens, particularly regarding her refugee policies during the European migrant crisis. Other figures sometimes labeled as baizuo in Chinese discourse include Justin Trudeau, Hillary Clinton, and Barack Obama.

International adoption

Following its exposure in Western media, the term has been adopted by some Western right-wing commentators and communities as a critique of progressivism. It has appeared on forums like 4chan and Reddit, and occasionally in conservative commentary. This adoption represents part of a broader pattern in which certain non-Western criticisms of progressive politics are selectively embraced by Western conservatives.

Cultural and political context

The popularity of baizuo in Chinese discourse reflects several aspects of contemporary Chinese political culture:

Economic pragmatism

The Chinese Communist Party's shift from ideological purity to economic pragmatism under Deng Xiaoping created a political culture that often prioritizes material development over abstract ideals. This context informs criticisms of Western liberals as supposedly focusing on social justice issues at the expense of economic growth.

Chinese nationalism

The rise of nationalist sentiment in China, particularly among online communities, has contributed to skepticism toward Western political models and values. The baizuo concept aligns with nationalist narratives that portray China's political system as more pragmatic and effective than Western liberal democracy.

Internet culture

Chinese social media platforms foster distinct discursive communities with their own vocabulary and memes. The baizuo concept emerged from these online spaces and reflects the blend of political commentary, humor, and cynicism characteristic of Chinese internet culture.