Was Marx Woke?

A specter is haunting America—the specter of, yes, communism. Nearly four decades after the collapse of the Soviet Union and China’s embrace of markets, conservative influencers have revived the rhetoric of their old Cold War crusade. Donald Trump has joined them, dubbing his opponent “Comrade Kamala” and, during their recent debate, declaring her “a Marxist.” Her running mate Tim Walz, meanwhile, has been portrayed as a new Manchurian candidate due to his educational trips to the People’s Republic.