Through Putin’s Eyes
“The liberal idea… has come into conflict with the interests of the overwhelming majority of the population” – Russian President Vladimir Putin
Liberal and Undemocratic
“The liberal idea is obsolete:” that’s what Russia’s President Vladimir Putin said in the Financial Times of London. In the interview, he was commenting specifically about immigration, a worldwide issue of contention. Putin claims that the “liberal” view of helping immigrants, from the war-torn Middle East in Europe, and from Central America in the United States; is “undemocratic.”
His use of the word “liberal” shouldn’t be confused with the American usage contrasted to “conservative.” Liberal to Putin are the governments that freely elect representatives and recognize the value in all citizens, regardless of race or nation of origin. Liberal in his sense would be better contrasted with authoritarian. But he cloaks his view in the language of democracy, claiming a majority is being ignored.
His argument: the “liberal governments” are undemocratic because “vast majorities” of Europe and the United States are against immigration, and “liberal” governments are forcing them to accept migrants. According to the Russian, those migrants “…can kill, plunder and rape with impunity because their rights as migrants have to be protected.”
It sounds a lot like President Trump’s 2015 speech announcing his candidacy for President: “When Mexico sends it’s people…They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good people.”
It’s supposed to.
It’s the Economy
The Russian Government has a vested interest in the failure of “liberal” ideas in Europe and the United States. Putin needs to convince his own Russian people that the nationalistic autocracy he represents is “better for the people” than the “liberal” democracies they see in Europe. His ideas are catching on: Hungary, Poland, and Austria have elected governments with similar beliefs.
Nationalism, the political ideology that brought disaster in World War II, is burning again throughout the “western world.” Putin is providing the fuel for that fire. He is financing political parties in many nations, and Russian intelligence continues their successful internet attack efforts. The US election of 2016, with the ascendancy of Donald Trump, is the most successful example of their influence.
It’s not that Putin necessarily controls Trump, though that possibility remains. It’s that the actions of Trump in weakening traditional American alliances, supporting nationalism, and encouraging racism in the United States; have played into the Russian strategy. It doesn’t hurt Putin that today was the day that Trump crossed over into North Korea to embrace another dictator, Kim, without gaining any concessions from him.
Putin wants a weak Russian economy to be able to compete in Europe. But the European Union dominates the region, and since Russia doesn’t have the ability to compete, his goal is to bring the EU down, by supporting nationalist parties throughout. The vote in the United Kingdom to break out of the EU, Brexit, was a great victory for him.
To What End
“Liberal” philosophy: that more developed nations have a responsibility to help those less developed, is under attack. “Liberal” ideals: freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and a responsibility to help everyone in a society; are being questioned. The foundations of the United States written in the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights are now being challenged, both from outside and from within.
Putin offers the same choice that former Trump advisor Steve Bannon advocated: a white, Northern European world alliance. Bannon is working inside Europe promoting the idea, Trump is pushing the United States in that direction, and Putin is poised to be “the winner.” In their view, the losers would be the rest of the non-white world.
But the real losers would be the peoples of the “liberal” nations who would lose their right to free speech and the rest, in order to stifle dissent to the autocrats. We see it happening: Putin has murdered reporters, he and Trump joke about the press and “fake news,” and Trump shakes hands with the Mohammad bin Salman, the murderer of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi.
The statement by Putin should be no surprise. What should be a surprise, but isn’t: the President of the United States has nothing but smiles and handshakes for the Russian, joking about Russian meddling in American elections. It should provide Americans with another good reason to see Mr. Trump out of office in 2020.
