No, I have never believed that Russia and China tried leftism. It sounds like you’re using a different definition of “liberal”. Liberals comprise the majority of voters in the Democratic party and are not in favor of imposing their viewpoints on others. They are referred to with contempt and derision by the the right.

The “anti-hierarchy” faction is defined with the term “progressive” and is probably the group you are calling left wing. Progressives tend to be illiberal and favor the imposition of their social philosophies on others. They are anti-free-speech and support a more powerful, more intrusive government. Many also support alternate economic models, such as communism or socialism.

Keep trying to read my mind, maybe if you guess enough times you’ll get it right.

In this case, I’m using the contemporary definition of liberalism. I call the type of liberalism you’re referring to “classical liberalism”. It is the political philosophy that created the United States.