ADL Logo
ADL Logo
Back to Glossary Terms

Cultural Marxism

“Cultural Marxism” is a term used typically by right-wing ideologues to attack an array of ideas and concepts they oppose, including multiculturalism, globalism, feminism and LGBTQ+ rights, among others. The term often functions as an antisemitic dog whistle or codeword. Promoters of the term typically invoke a conspiracy theory that falsely claims such progressive ideas originated with the so-called Frankfurt School, a leftist intellectual collective active in Germany between the two World Wars. Exploiting the fact that a number of the Frankfurt School intellectuals were Jewish, antisemitic versions of this conspiracy theory link the Frankfurt School, and thus “cultural Marxism” itself, to Jews, claiming that Jews seek to subvert and weaken Western (and Christian) society by imposing their left-wing and politically correct (or “woke”) views. Antisemites also use the term to reinforce their longstanding antisemitic trope that Communism is “Jewish.”

This database provides an overview of many of the terms and individuals used by or associated with movements and groups that subscribe to and/or promote extremist or hateful ideologies.

Other terms tagged with Right-wing

Terrorgram

Terrorgram

Terrorgram is a decentralized network of white supremacist, neo-Nazi and accelerationist groups, influencers and meme pages with the collective goal of promoting stochastic terrorism and inspiring individuals to conduct either group-oriented or “lone wolf” terror attacks. The... Read more

Groups / Movements Right-wing
Read More
The American Futurist

The American Futuris…

The American Futurist is an online accelerationist media platform run primarily by several former members of Atomwaffen Division, a now-defunct neo-Nazi accelerationist group. Founded in 2020, The American Futurist seeks to promote and spread white supremacist... Read more

Publications Right-wing
Read More
“Parents’ Rights Movement”

“Parents’ Rights Mov…

The “parents’ rights movement” (also known as “parental rights”) is a loose coalition of right-wing and far-right-wing organizations and interest groups that advocate for right-wing causes in schools. “Parental rights groups” often promote policies, ideas and language... Read more

Groups / Movements Right-wing
Read More