Liberalism is indeed the dominant ideology, most leftists, especially in the North, have become liberals, whether or not they have consciously re-made themselves as such.
However, there can be differences between social democrats and socialists from the Marxist tradition, especially those who actually have a mass base big enough to escape the status of a marginal sect.
Take the Japanese Communist Party, for instance.
Today is the "ITF/ITUC International Action Day on Thursday 9 August in solidarity with union leaders Mansour Osanloo and Mahmoud Salehi," the day of action in part organized by the State Department-funded Solidarity Center. Rengo <http://www.jtuc-rengo.or.jp/> joined them*, but Zenroren <http://www.zenroren.gr.jp/jp/index.html> did not. Communists of Japan, no longer Marxists, still know better than getting involved in the doings of the labor wing of the empire.
Moreover, JCP leaders attend the celebrations of the Iranian Revolution held at the Iranian Embassy in Japan and do other things to engage in what they call Yato Gaikou, "opposition party diplomacy": <http://www.t-ichida.gr.jp/new_mado/cyousa/2007/cyousa_070210.html> <http://www.shii.gr.jp/pol/2005/2005_02/O2005_0211_1.html> <http://www.jcp.or.jp/akahata/aik4/2005-12-21/2005122102_03_1.html> <http://www.jcp.or.jp/akahata/aik3/2004-02-11/02_02.html> <http://www.shii.gr.jp/pol/2003/2003_02/2003_0211_01.html>.
Not that they agree on everything. The JCP, like most political parties in the world, is committed to a two-state idea on Israel/Palestine, whereas Iran is just about the only country in the world whose government is officially committed to a one-state solution based on the referendum of all people who live in historic Palestine and Palestinian refugees (though Iran's government adds that, whatever the Palestinians accept, it will also accept it, too), and the party candidly discusses its concerns with Iran's ambassadors (see <http://www.jcp.or.jp/akahata/aik4/2005-12-21/2005122102_03_1.html>). But the fact of the matter is that Japan's Communists behave like adults.
Now, if only the JCP could actually develop "opposition party diplomacy" into a coherent foreign policy, especially Middle East policy, and challenge the LDP on the grounds that the LDP doesn't have any foreign policy of its own, let alone one that serves the people of Japan. Former Defense Minister Kyuma Fumio's remark* that the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were "shouganai" [unavoidable] to prevent the Soviet occupation of Japan (cf. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLTuGc2JFps> and <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqUQ5JGzdP4>), the remark that led to his resignation, exposed an open secret usually covered up by seemingly nationalist rhetoric in Japan: Japan's power elite see the world only through the perspective of the anticommunist American power elite and defend whatever Washington does, including damage to the Japanese, all the way up to atomic bombings. Japan's leftists should take this opportunity and begin to create public opinion for a post-US-hegemonic world.
* <http://www.itfglobal.org/solidarity/BreakingNews1.cfm> Japan The Japanese trade union delegation visited the Iranian Embassy in Tokyo on 9 August. Representatives from Rengo, ITF, ITF-JC and IUF-JCC met with the Minister Counsellor, Mohammad Ali Sarmadi Rad. They submitted their protest letters, ITF petition and campaign posters and demanded an immediate release of Mansour Osanloo and Mohamoud Salehi, as well as proper medical treatment and access to their lawyers and families. The delegation stressed that the Iranian government must guarantee fundamental trade union rights to their workers as a member of the ILO. (Email report by Mac Urata)
** <http://www.nikkei.co.jp/news/seiji/20070630STXKG015830062007.html> 久間防衛相、米国の「原爆投下しょうがない」
久間章生防衛相は30日、千葉県柏市の麗沢大で講演し、先の大戦での米国の原爆投下について「長崎に落とされ悲惨な目に遭ったが、あれで戦争が終わったんだという頭の整理で、しょうがないなと思っている。それに対して米国を恨むつもりはない」と述べた。野党や被爆地からの批判は避けられない見通しで、参院選に影響する可能性も出てきた。安倍政権は新たな火種を抱えることになった。
久間氏は講演で、旧ソ連が当時、対日参戦の準備を進めていたと指摘。その上で米国が旧ソ連の参戦を食い止めるため原爆を投下した側面があるとの見方を示し「日本が負けると分かっているのにあえて原爆を広島と長崎に落とし、終戦になった。幸い北海道が占領されずに済んだが、間違うと北海道がソ連に取られてしまった」と強調した。
また「勝ち戦と分かっている時に原爆まで使う必要があったのかどうかという思いは今でもしているが、国際情勢、戦後の占領状態などからすると、そういうことも選択としてはあり得るということも頭に入れながら考えなければいけない」と述べた。〔共同〕(14:02) -- Yoshie