These video clips are from the BBC Documentary: Useful Idiots, hosted by John Sweeny.
In political jargon, the term “useful idiots” was used to describe Soviet sympathisers in Western countries and the attitude of the Soviet government towards them.
Useful idiots, in a broader sense, refers to Western journalists, travellers and intellectuals who gave their blessing – often with evangelistic fervour – to tyrannies and tyrants, thereby convincing politicians and the public of the Utopian (rather than Dystopian) nature of the society.
In part one (the first three clips) John Sweeney looks at Stalin’s Western apologists.
In part two (the last three clips) he explores how present day stories of human rights abuses across the world are still rewritten.
(H/T to MuggedbyReality and Harry’s Place)
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AMqx-Cw_h0]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFdHmvXRq_U
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQ9x_6v9g50
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DU-7YaPmlKo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QuPOr4p5tAU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-if27a-yGo
