What is apparently happening is that the elites are able to play with any ideology (libertarian, communist, "liberal", whatever) to secure their privileges and cash flows.

Yes, of course. This is the point of the article.

Both right and left are too easily manipulated with tokenism and dog whistles.

The only useful measure of progress is to look carefully at the relationships between all parties. If the relationships are authoritarian or oppressive and the social structure is rigid and layered, there is no progress.

The label on the tin is irrelevant.

As is the fact that 'communism' has often been associated with authoritarianism in practice. There have been too many psychotic despots in too many communist states to pretend otherwise. (This is irrespective of the West's own love of despotism in its vassal states.)

Socialism - especially Scandinavian Socialism - has a much better empirical record.