Champagne socialist is a pejorative political term originating in the United Kingdom.[1][2] The phrase is used to describe self-identified socialists whose comfortable upper middle class lifestyles are perceived to be incompatible with their professed political convictions. The term is used by opposing politicians to portray and ridicule their opponents as hypocritical.[3][4]
History and origin [edit]
The label arose from the perceived activity of proposing toasts to famous socialists with champagne.[citation needed] A similar concept, with aristocracy in place of capitalism, comes from the 19th-century philosopher Alexander Herzen, who in From the Other Shore (1855) wrote "It is they, none other, who are dying of cold and hunger...while you and I in our rooms on the first floor are chatting about socialism 'over pastry and champagne.'"
Comparable terms are limousine liberal and gauche caviar.
See also [edit]
Synonyms [edit]
- Chardonnay socialist, Australia and New Zealand
- Toskana-Fraktion, Austria and Germany
- Rosedale socialist, Canada (Ontario)
- Shaughnessy socialist, Canada (British Columbia)
- Gauche caviar, France
- Αριστερός με δεξιά τσέπη, Greece
- Radical chic, Italy
- Salonsocialist, The Netherlands
- Limousine liberal or Bourgeois bohemian, United States
- Esquerda caviar, Brazil and Portugal
- Loungeroom left, Slovenia
- Gauche divine, Pijo-progre, Spain
- Rödvinsvänster (red wine left) and Lattevänster (Latte left), Sweden
- Cüpli-Sozialist, Switzerland
- Caviar left, Peru
- Smoked Salmon Socialist, Ireland[5]
- Gucci socialist, USA
References [edit]
External links [edit]
