redwashing means the practice of a state, organization, political party or company presenting itself as progressive and concerned about social equality and justice, in order to use this perception for public relations or economic gain. Lexicurio rates it Sui generis — a strength score of 92 out of 100.
Why “redwashing” is a great word
REDWASHING — [Noun] The practice of presenting oneself as progressively aligned with social justice or leftist politics, often deceptively, to obscure flaws and secure public approval or profit. From red (the colour historically associated with the political left) + -wash (from the pattern of 'whitewash', meaning to conceal faults) + -ing (forming a noun of action). Unlike greenwashing, which conceals environmental harm, or virtue signaling, a public but often uncoordinated display of values, redwashing is a strategic campaign to cloak ambition in the fabric of social revolution. It is the sterile scent of a freshly printed “We Stand With You” manifesto from a union-busting corporation, the hollow warmth of a branded rainbow flag hung in a lobby while discriminatory policies persist, and the polished, frictionless texture of a marketing campaign that commodifies solidarity into a logo—the weary recognition that even the language of liberation can be processed into a product.
noun
- The practice of a state, organization, political party or company presenting itself as progressive and concerned about social equality and justice, in order to use this perception for public relations or economic gain.“The fourth crisis is that the left no longer has a distinct message. This is clearly related to the fracturing of this social base. If the left no longer speaks for the workers, if equality is now considered an economically illiterate goal, then the left often finds itself putting forward a message that differs little from those of its competitors. Indeed, since the 2008 crisis, there has been a l”