Note: Below is the full speech made by made by Vladimir Putin, to which I have added red colors to add emphasis and a few comments of my own written in the blue color. And while I do not have the energy or time to repeat this exercise for the Q&A section which followed his speech, I highly encourage you all to also read it!
Andrei
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President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Ladies and gentlemen,
To begin with, I would like to thank you for coming to Russia and taking part in the Valdai Club events.
As always, during these meetings you raise pressing issues and hold comprehensive discussions of these issues that, without exaggeration, matter for people around the world. Once again, the key theme of the forum was put in a straightforward, I would even say, point-blank manner: Global Shake-up in the 21st Century: The Individual, Values and the State.
Here Putin clearly indicated that he is not talking about local or even regional political issues, but that what we are witnessing is a planetary crisis and a planetary shakeup of the international world order.
Indeed, we are living in an era of great change. If I may, by tradition, I will offer my views with regard to the agenda that you have come up with.
In general, this phrase, “to live in an era of great change,” may seem trite since we use it so often. Also, this era of change began quite a long time ago, and changes have become part of everyday life. Hence, the question: are they worth focusing on? I agree with those who made the agenda for these meetings; of course they are.
In recent decades, many people have cited a Chinese proverb. The Chinese people are wise, and they have many thinkers and valuable thoughts that we can still use today. One of them, as you may know, says, “God forbid living in a time of change.” But we are already living in it, whether we like it or not, and these changes are becoming deeper and more fundamental. But let us consider another Chinese wisdom: the word “crisis” consists of two hieroglyphs – there are probably representatives of the People’s Republic of China in the audience, and they will correct me if I have it wrong – but, two hieroglyphs, “danger” and “opportunity.” And as we say here in Russia, “fight difficulties with your mind, and fight dangers with your experience.”
This sentence contains two very important components: first, Putin contrasts difficulties with dangers, hinting at the fact that what Russia considered as primarily as “difficulties” in the past is transitioning into a real danger. Second, he also indicates how Russia fought dangers in the past. The single most important collective experience in Russia’s recent history are, of course, the two revolutions in 1917 (February and October) and WWII. The first two were internal, the other one external. So this could be summed up as “no revolution inside Russia and no outside aggression against Russia“.
Of course, we must be aware of the danger and be ready to counter it, and not just one threat but many diverse threats that can arise in this era of change. However, it is no less important to recall a second component of the crisis – opportunities that must not be missed, all the more so since the crisis we are facing is conceptual and even civilisation-related. This is basically a crisis of approaches and principles that determine the very existence of humans on Earth, but we will have to seriously revise them in any event. The question is where to move, what to give up, what to revise or adjust. In saying this, I am convinced that it is necessary to fight for real values, upholding them in every way.
As I have been repeating it on this blog for more than a decade, the current crisis is not (just) about resources, it is a civilizational crisis and, here is the crucial factor, while in 2010 Putin still talked about Russia being European, the tone has now changed, he is clearly opposing two civilizational models: the Western one and the Russian one. That, by the way, clearly implies that Russia is not part of the West, at least not civilizationally.
Humanity entered into a new era about three decades ago when the main conditions were created for ending military-political and ideological confrontation. I am sure you have talked a lot about this in this discussion club. Our Foreign Minister also talked about it, but nevertheless I would like to repeat several things.
A search for a new balance, sustainable relations in the social, political, economic, cultural and military areas and support for the world system was launched at that time. We were looking for this support but must say that we did not find it, at least so far. Meanwhile, those who felt like the winners after the end of the Cold War (we have also spoken about this many times) and thought they climbed Mount Olympus soon discovered that the ground was falling away underneath even there, and this time it was their turn, and nobody could “stop this fleeting moment” no matter how fair it seemed.
This is a direct dig at those narcissistic people in the West who thought that they had “defeated Communism” while, in reality, the CPSU defeated itself, and who thought that from now on, the West would rule the world forever and unchallenged. Some even got medals for “winning the Cold War” while, in reality, the USSR and the CPSU just committed suicide.
In general, it must have seemed that we adjusted to this continuous inconstancy, unpredictability and permanent state of transition, but this did not happen either.
I would like to add that the transformation that we are seeing and are part of is of a different calibre than the changes that repeatedly occurred in human history, at least those we know about. This is not simply a shift in the balance of forces or scientific and technological breakthroughs, though both are also taking place. Today, we are facing systemic changes in all directions – from the increasingly complicated geophysical condition of our planet to a more paradoxical interpretation of what a human is and what the reasons for his existence are.
Here, again, Putin is trying to wake up his audience, especially the delusional folks in the West, about the nature and magnitude of the changes taking place before our eyes: a series systemic changes in all directions.
Let us look around. And I will say this again: I will allow myself to express a few thoughts that I sign on to.
Firstly, climate change and environmental degradation are so obvious that even the most careless people can no longer dismiss them. One can continue to engage in scientific debates about the mechanisms behind the ongoing processes, but it is impossible to deny that these processes are getting worse, and something needs to be done. Natural disasters such as droughts, floods, hurricanes, and tsunamis have almost become the new normal, and we are getting used to them. Suffice it to recall the devastating, tragic floods in Europe last summer, the fires in Siberia – there are a lot of examples. Not only in Siberia – our neighbours in Turkey have also had wildfires, and the United States, and other places on the American continent. It sometimes seems that any geopolitical, scientific and technical, or ideological rivalry becomes pointless in this context, if the winners will have not enough air to breathe or nothing to drink.
The coronavirus pandemic has become another reminder of how fragile our community is, how vulnerable it is, and our most important task is to ensure humanity a safe existence and resilience. To increase our chance of survival in the face of cataclysms, we absolutely need to rethink how we go about our lives, how we run our households, how cities develop or how they should develop; we need to reconsider economic development priorities of entire states. I repeat, safety is one of our main imperatives, in any case it has become obvious now, and anyone who tries to deny this will have to later explain why they were wrong and why they were unprepared for the crises and shocks whole nations are facing.
This is very important. Whatever one thinks of the virus and the pandemic, the total chaos in which each country did its own thing has shown that even a major crisis does NOT unite humanity, due to many objective reasons. Furthermore, the capitalist societies, far from being solid, are all barely surviving, by a very thin thread, mostly by printing money, lying to the people and by creating bubbles. The western unsinkable Titanic is sinking, but the orchestra is still playing, very loudly.
Second. The socioeconomic problems facing humankind have worsened to the point where, in the past, they would trigger worldwide shocks, such as world wars or bloody social cataclysms. Everyone is saying that the current model of capitalism which underlies the social structure in the overwhelming majority of countries, has run its course and no longer offers a solution to a host of increasingly tangled differences.
Marx saw the internal contradictions of capitalism, as did many many others, but nobody reads him anymore and the others are forgotten. Personally, I will never forget the speech of a Pakistani delegate to the UN in Geneva saying “the internal contradictions of Communism have caught up with the Soviet Union before the internal contradictions of capitalism will catch up with the West“. How right he was, and now this is hard to deny! Capitalism, being parasitical in nature, could only live off the plundering of the planet (hence Lenin’s remark about “imperialism being the latest stage of capitalism”). The West “survived” the USSR by 3 decades only because these decades were decades of plunder of defenseless countries: now that there is nobody else to plunder and rob (what is left is either too poor or too strong), the crisis of capitalism explodes for all to see.
Everywhere, even in the richest countries and regions, the uneven distribution of material wealth has exacerbated inequality, primarily, inequality of opportunities both within individual societies and at the international level. I mentioned this formidable challenge in my remarks at the Davos Forum earlier this year. No doubt, these problems threaten us with major and deep social divisions.
This especially for those who hate Putin for going to Davos: not only does his presence there not prove at all that he is “in cahoots with the western capitalists”, it proves that when Putin meets them (as he should, they are the real powers ruling the Empire), he warns them about their own future and indicates to them how Russia will act when the crisis comes. This is something that the people in the West seem to have a mental block over: the Russians always talk to everybody, even their worst enemies. One thousand years of existential warfare as taught them the wisdom of this approach: there is a time for everything, including a time to talk and a time to kill, and Russians are very expert at both! This is why Russia talks to Israel, Iran and the KSA, and this is why Russia talks to the Taliban (which under Russian law are still terrorists, though Putin hinted that this might change in the future, depending on what the Taliban do). Russians will never refuse to talk to any entity, no matter how evil or dangerous it is, as long as it/he has real agency! Do the folks in Davos have real agency? Hell yes! So OF COURSE the Russians will talk to them. Finally, talking to a dangerous enemy is simply not seen as bad thing, Russian princes did that with the Tatars for several centuries. Then the Russians won, militarily.
Furthermore, a number of countries and even entire regions are regularly hit by food crises. We will probably discuss this later, but there is every reason to believe that this crisis will become worse in the near future and may reach extreme forms. There are also shortages of water and electricity (we will probably cover this today as well), not to mention poverty, high unemployment rates or lack of adequate healthcare.
Here Putin is being very specific: he warns about a future food crisis which will reach an extreme form. You can be pretty sure that this warning is based on SVR analyses about the very real risk of violent riots, including food riots, happening in the West. As for Russia, she has the largest freshwater reserves on the planet, is amongst the top agricultural powers on the planet, and has enough energy to keep her going for centuries. Last but not least, Russia now has the most powerful military on the planet and she will not allow the West, even a hungry West, to come a simply rob her of her own riches.
Lagging countries are fully aware of that and are losing faith in the prospects of ever catching up with the leaders. Disappointment spurs aggression and pushes people to join the ranks of extremists. People in these countries have a growing sense of unfulfilled and failed expectations and the lack of any opportunities not only for themselves, but for their children, as well. This is what makes them look for better lives and results in uncontrolled migration, which, in turn, creates fertile ground for social discontent in more prosperous countries. I do not need to explain anything to you, since you can see everything with your own eyes and are, probably, versed on these matters even better than I.
As I noted earlier, prosperous leading powers have other pressing social problems, challenges and risks in ample supply, and many among them are no longer interested in fighting for influence since, as they say, they already have enough on their plates. The fact that society and young people in many countries have overreacted in a harsh and even aggressive manner to measures to combat the coronavirus showed – and I want to emphasise this, I hope someone has already mentioned this before me at other venues – so, I think that this reaction showed that the pandemic was just a pretext: the causes for social irritation and frustration run much deeper.
The issue of the need to never conflate or confuse cause and pretext is something Putin often mentions. In this case, what he is saying is that the lockdowns were not the cause of the protests, but rather the spark that set off the social explosion whose true causes are in the unsustainable and, frankly, inhuman nature of the hypocritical, immoral, and unsustainable western capitalist order and worldview (capitalism is both).
I have another important point to make. The pandemic, which, in theory, was supposed to rally the people in the fight against this massive common threat, has instead become a divisive rather than a unifying factor. There are many reasons for that, but one of the main ones is that they started looking for solutions to problems among the usual approaches – a variety of them, but still the old ones, but they just do not work. Or, to be more precise, they do work, but often and oddly enough, they worsen the existing state of affairs.
Western capitalism is all about individualism. It is based on the notion that the sum of our greeds will result in the best human society possible. Of course, this is a lie, and while it does force people to work hard motivated either by greed (the rich) or survival (the poor), it cannot generate a society, a civilization, which can act together against a common threat: everybody pulls the blanket to himself, that is all there is to the so-called “western civilizational values”: the rest is just ideological prolefeed for the deceived masses.
By the way, Russia has repeatedly called for, and I will repeat this, stopping these inappropriate ambitions and for working together. We will probably talk about this later but it is clear what I have in mind. We are talking about the need to counter the coronavirus infection together. But nothing changes; everything remains the same despite the humanitarian considerations. I am not referring to Russia now, let’s leave the sanctions against Russia for now; I mean the sanctions that remain in place against those states that badly need international assistance. Where are the humanitarian fundamentals of Western political thought? It appears there is nothing there, just idle talk. Do you understand? This is what seems to be on the surface.
Here Putin even spells out the self-evident truth which is not impossible to conceal: Where are the humanitarian fundamentals of Western political thought? It appears there is nothing there, just idle talk. The fact that he said it twice, so publicly, is one of the most important statements in his entire career and one of the key reasons why the western ruling classes are now going into deep hysterics: they feel like the proverbial naked king.
Furthermore, the technological revolution, impressive achievements in artificial intelligence, electronics, communications, genetics, bioengineering, and medicine open up enormous opportunities, but at the same time, in practical terms, they raise philosophical, moral and spiritual questions that were until recently the exclusive domain of science fiction writers. What will happen if machines surpass humans in the ability to think? Where is the limit of interference in the human body beyond which a person ceases being himself and turns into some other entity? What are the general ethical limits in the world where the potential of science and machines are becoming almost boundless? What will this mean for each of us, for our descendants, our nearest descendants – our children and grandchildren?
These changes are gaining momentum, and they certainly cannot be stopped because they are objective as a rule. All of us will have to deal with the consequences regardless of our political systems, economic condition or prevailing ideology.
Verbally, all states talk about their commitment to the ideals of cooperation and a willingness to work together for resolving common problems but, unfortunately, these are just words. In reality, the opposite is happening, and the pandemic has served to fuel the negative trends that emerged long ago and are now only getting worse. The approach based on the proverb, “your own shirt is closer to the body,” has finally become common and is now no longer even concealed. Moreover, this is often even a matter of boasting and brandishing. Egotistic interests prevail over the notion of the common good.
There are too many examples to list them here, so I will pick one: the “molecules of freedom” which Uncle Shmuel promised to its European vassals are now in Asia. QED.
Of course, the problem is not just the ill will of certain states and notorious elites. It is more complicated than that, in my opinion. In general, life is seldom divided into black and white. Every government, every leader is primarily responsible to his own compatriots, obviously. The main goal is to ensure their security, peace and prosperity. So, international, transnational issues will never be as important for a national leadership as domestic stability. In general, this is normal and correct.
We need to face the fact the global governance institutions are not always effective and their capabilities are not always up to the challenge posed by the dynamics of global processes. In this sense, the pandemic could help – it clearly showed which institutions have what it takes and which need fine-tuning.
The re-alignment of the balance of power presupposes a redistribution of shares in favour of rising and developing countries that until now felt left out. To put it bluntly, the Western domination of international affairs, which began several centuries ago and, for a short period, was almost absolute in the late 20th century, is giving way to a much more diverse system.
Okay, but here allow me to point out that I said the same thing, much more directly and in detail, before Putin did :-). See this article, where I even gave dates: “the Empire died on January 8th 2020, and the US died almost an exact year later, on January 6th 2021“. To see the non-moderated and, therefore, quite spontaneous reaction these words elicited, please check out the comments section under the Unz version of the same article. I fully expect the reaction to these words by Putin to mimic the hysterics in the Unz comments section: impotent rage, personal hatred, hysterical flagwaving, and a barrage of unoriginal insults. None of that noise will affect the outcome, not in the least. Uncle Shmuel and his Empire are dead, they only appear alive due to momentum (and superb brainwashing in Zone A) and another world order, one in which the West will play a secondary role, at best, is being formed before our eyes.
This transformation is not a mechanical process and, in its own way, one might even say, is unparalleled. Arguably, political history has no examples of a stable world order being established without a big war and its outcomes as the basis, as was the case after World War II. So, we have a chance to create an extremely favourable precedent. The attempt to create it after the end of the Cold War on the basis of Western domination failed, as we see. The current state of international affairs is a product of that very failure, and we must learn from this.
This is a topic which a lot of Russian historians and analysts talk about: in the past, all the vast reorganizations of the international order resulted in wars which then defined the final shape of that order, until the next crisis, that is. Plainly, this is the issue the Russians are raising: can the West collapse and merge into the new international order without triggering a major war, especially since such a major war will probably be nuclear and threaten the survival of the human race? Russia did all she can do to deter the West: she built a military capable of matching and even surpassing the united armies of the imperial West on all levels, from the tactical to the operational to the strategic, and if the West decided to go down in its own Götterdämmerung, Russia will make sure that nobody survives her (as Putin said “what need do we have of a world without Russia?” and “at least we will die like martyrs, they will just croak“). But at the end of the day, whether the leaders of the AngloZionist Empire will trigger the final holocaust of mankind or not is in their hands. There is nothing more Russia can do to avert that outcome.
Some may wonder, what have we arrived at? We have arrived somewhere paradoxical. Just an example: for two decades, the most powerful nation in the world has been conducting military campaigns in two countries that it cannot be compared to by any standard. But in the end, it had to wind down operations without achieving a single goal that it had set for itself going in 20 years ago, and to withdraw from these countries causing considerable damage to others and itself. In fact, the situation has worsened dramatically.
But that is not the point. Previously, a war lost by one side meant victory for the other side, which took responsibility for what was happening. For example, the defeat of the United States in the Vietnam War, for example, did not make Vietnam a “black hole.” On the contrary, a successfully developing state arose there, which, admittedly, relied on the support of a strong ally. Things are different now: no matter who takes the upper hand, the war does not stop, but just changes form. As a rule, the hypothetical winner is reluctant or unable to ensure peaceful post-war recovery, and only worsens the chaos and the vacuum posing a danger to the world.
Colleagues,
What do you think are the starting points of this complex realignment process? Let me try to summarise the talking points.
First, the coronavirus pandemic has clearly shown that the international order is structured around nation states. By the way, recent developments have shown that global digital platforms – with all their might, which we could see from the internal political processes in the United States – have failed to usurp political or state functions. These attempts proved ephemeral. The US authorities, as I said, have immediately put the owners of these platforms in their place, which is exactly what is being done in Europe, if you just look at the size of the fines imposed on them and the demonopolisation measures being taken. You are aware of that.
There was no coordinated international response to the pandemic, each country did what it thought it should do. The same will happen with future threats, such is the nature of our current planetary (dis)organization and international institutions made no difference.
In recent decades, many have tossed around fancy concepts claiming that the role of the state was outdated and outgoing. Globalisation supposedly made national borders an anachronism, and sovereignty an obstacle to prosperity. You know, I said it before and I will say it again. This is also what was said by those who attempted to open up other countries’ borders for the benefit of their own competitive advantages. This is what actually happened. And as soon as it transpired that someone somewhere is achieving great results, they immediately returned to closing borders in general and, first of all, their own customs borders and what have you, and started building walls. Well, were we supposed to not notice, or what? Everyone sees everything and everyone understands everything perfectly well. Of course, they do.
That is a dig at the western libertarians: Putin is most definitely a “statist”, and he believes, like most Russians, that the state is not only useful, it is vital.
There is no point in disputing it anymore. It is obvious. But events, when we spoke about the need to open up borders, events, as I said, went in the opposite direction. Only sovereign states can effectively respond to the challenges of the times and the demands of the citizens. Accordingly, any effective international order should take into account the interests and capabilities of the state and proceed on that basis, and not try to prove that they should not exist. Furthermore, it is impossible to impose anything on anyone, be it the principles underlying the sociopolitical structure or values that someone, for their own reasons, has called universal. After all, it is clear that when a real crisis strikes, there is only one universal value left and that is human life, which each state decides for itself how best to protect based on its abilities, culture and traditions.
Here, again, Putin is not being ideological at all, he brings it all down to a basic issue of survival. And the key to survival is the existence of a truly sovereign and strong state, with real, actual, agency.
In this regard, I will again note how severe and dangerous the coronavirus pandemic has become. As we know, more than 4.9 million have died of it. These terrifying figures are comparable and even exceed the military losses of the main participants in World War I.
That’s for those who still bought into the entire “there is no pandemic” nonsense and implies a question: what would it take for you to wake up to reality? 5 million? 10 million? 20?
The second point I would like to draw your attention to is the scale of change that forces us to act extremely cautiously, if only for reasons of self-preservation. The state and society must not respond radically to qualitative shifts in technology, dramatic environmental changes or the destruction of traditional systems. It is easier to destroy than to create, as we all know. We in Russia know this very well, regrettably, from our own experience, which we have had several times.
Putin here refers to all the terrible revolutions Russia went through during the 20th century: twice in 1917, then 1991 and 1993. Putin is strongly opposed to ideologically motivated and violent revolutions. That does not mean that he believes that whatever preceded these revolutions was good or should have been kept, only that changes must be made very gradually and carefully, and never under the hysterical screams and slogans of crazies drunk on ideological certainties.
Just over a century ago, Russia objectively faced serious problems, including because of the ongoing World War I, but its problems were not bigger and possibly even smaller or not as acute as the problems the other countries faced, and Russia could have dealt with its problems gradually and in a civilised manner. But revolutionary shocks led to the collapse and disintegration of a great power. The second time this happened 30 years ago, when a potentially very powerful nation failed to enter the path of urgently needed, flexible but thoroughly substantiated reforms at the right time, and as a result it fell victim to all kinds of dogmatists, both reactionary ones and the so-called progressives – all of them did their bit, all sides did.
These examples from our history allow us to say that revolutions are not a way to settle a crisis but a way to aggravate it. No revolution was worth the damage it did to the human potential.
Quick reminder: even revolutions which are announced as “bloodless” end up spilling more blood than anybody could imagine. Here I would like to quote Gandhi “I object to violence because when it appears to do good, the good is only temporary; the evil it does is permanent“. Okay, maybe not really permanent, but certainly it lasts much MUCH longer that whatever “good” violence was supposed to achieve.
Third. The importance of a solid support in the sphere of morals, ethics and values is increasing dramatically in the modern fragile world. In point of fact, values are a product, a unique product of cultural and historical development of any nation. The mutual interlacing of nations definitely enriches them, openness expands their horizons and allows them to take a fresh look at their own traditions. But the process must be organic, and it can never be rapid. Any alien elements will be rejected anyway, possibly bluntly. Any attempts to force one’s values on others with an uncertain and unpredictable outcome can only further complicate a dramatic situation and usually produce the opposite reaction and an opposite from the intended result.
That is a direct dig at the Woke-inspired pseudo-Wakanda the crazies in the West are now advocating for, there will be much more about this below.
We look in amazement at the processes underway in the countries which have been traditionally looked at as the standard-bearers of progress. Of course, the social and cultural shocks that are taking place in the United States and Western Europe are none of our business; we are keeping out of this. Some people in the West believe that an aggressive elimination of entire pages from their own history, “reverse discrimination” against the majority in the interests of a minority, and the demand to give up the traditional notions of mother, father, family and even gender, they believe that all of these are the mileposts on the path towards social renewal.
This is about the USA and how it committed suicide. What Putin is saying is this: you want to commit suicide, by all means, do it, but do not try to get us to follow you, because we never ever will.
Listen, I would like to point out once again that they have a right to do this, we are keeping out of this. But we would like to ask them to keep out of our business as well. We have a different viewpoint, at least the overwhelming majority of Russian society – it would be more correct to put it this way – has a different opinion on this matter. We believe that we must rely on our own spiritual values, our historical tradition and the culture of our multiethnic nation.
It’s all true. Most Russians, irrespective of their ethnicity, religion or political ideas like gender differentiated couples, with a father and a mother, each in his/her role. If the USA wants to transform itself into a “Trannystan” run by gender fluid creatures of an undetermined nature and function, no problem. But Russia openly and categorically rejects such a model no matter how loud the protest of “human rights” (or tranny rights) organization in the West will protest.
The advocates of so-called ‘social progress’ believe they are introducing humanity to some kind of a new and better consciousness. Godspeed, hoist the flags as we say, go right ahead. The only thing that I want to say now is that their prescriptions are not new at all. It may come as a surprise to some people, but Russia has been there already. After the 1917 revolution, the Bolsheviks, relying on the dogmas of Marx and Engels, also said that they would change existing ways and customs and not just political and economic ones, but the very notion of human morality and the foundations of a healthy society. The destruction of age-old values, religion and relations between people, up to and including the total rejection of family (we had that, too), encouragement to inform on loved ones – all this was proclaimed progress and, by the way, was widely supported around the world back then and was quite fashionable, same as today. By the way, the Bolsheviks were absolutely intolerant of opinions other than theirs.
That is also something I have said many times: many of the so-called “minorities” in the West are every bit as intolerant and even violent as the Trotskysts in Soviet Russia. While they wrap themselves in the mantles of “acceptance”, “positivity” or “diversity” the truth is you better agree with them, or else. I can personally attest that this blog has lost a few readers (not nearly as many as they wish to believe!) and even authors over my refusal to consider homosexuality as a “normal and natural variation of human sexuality”. Some of these folks even wrote me long letters of insults in the apparent belief this that would impress me. There are many minorities in the West and the world and the rulers of the Empire use them to great effectiveness to first, distract from the real issues and, second, to destroy the western civilization (I reposted one recently here). In my experience, the single most intolerant and ideologically-wired group are homosexuals, leaving militant feminists far behind. But the BLM or Antifa types are also display a typically Trotskyst mindset. As for the Alt-Right, Q-anon and the rest of the “don’t tread on me” folks (who have been trodded upon since birth and never had be brains or reality awareness realize this!), they dream about “Evropa”, drive around on Harleys, stock on ammo and guns and sometimes even seem to believe that Putin or Russia is on their side. And yes, while they are rather pathetic, they are much LESS ideological intolerant and, therefore, less potentially violent, than their “progressive” counterparts. The US ruling classes use them ALL for the sole purpose of staying in power.
This, I believe, should call to mind some of what we are witnessing now. Looking at what is happening in a number of Western countries, we are amazed to see the domestic practices, which we, fortunately, have left, I hope, in the distant past. The fight for equality and against discrimination has turned into aggressive dogmatism bordering on absurdity, when the works of the great authors of the past – such as Shakespeare – are no longer taught at schools or universities, because their ideas are believed to be backward. The classics are declared backward and ignorant of the importance of gender or race. In Hollywood memos are distributed about proper storytelling and how many characters of what colour or gender should be in a movie. This is even worse than the agitprop department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union.
He said is plainly here: “aggressive dogmatism bordering on absurdity”. And, believe me, after 70 years of Bolshevik rule, Russians know all they need to know about “aggressive dogmatism bordering on absurdity”. Then want NO part of it.
Countering acts of racism is a necessary and noble cause, but the new ‘cancel culture’ has turned it into ‘reverse discrimination’ that is, reverse racism. The obsessive emphasis on race is further dividing people, when the real fighters for civil rights dreamed precisely about erasing differences and refusing to divide people by skin colour. I specifically asked my colleagues to find the following quote from Martin Luther King: “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the colour of their skin but by their character.” This is the true value. However, things are turning out differently there. By the way, the absolute majority of Russian people do not think that the colour of a person’s skin or their gender is an important matter. Each of us is a human being. This is what matters.
That’s one for those ignorant idiots who believe that Russia cares about the “White race”, including, alas, a few folks who consider themselves Russian, or say so, but whose worldview is categorically opposed to the traditional Russian one: Russians don’t think or use categories such as skin color or ethnicity (the last Czar was more German than Russian for example, and his wife was German). Unlike the West, which was born in the 12th century and who has been imperialist ever since the First Crusade, Russia, like the East Roman Empire (aka Byzantium) or, before that, the Roman and Alexandrian empires, was always multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and multi-religious and western notions such as “the White race” have no meaning whatsoever in the traditional Russian worldview (even the Bolsheviks officially were internationalists, albeit mostly russophobic ones, but that is another topic).
In a number of Western countries, the debate over men’s and women’s rights has turned into a perfect phantasmagoria. Look, beware of going where the Bolsheviks once planned to go – not only communalising chickens, but also communalising women. One more step and you will be there.
Yup, he dared to say it: “the debate over men’s and women’s rights has turned into a perfect phantasmagoria”. I can just imagine the rage these words will trigger.
Also, about “communilizing” chicken or women. He is referring to the various ideologies, from Plato to Marx, who wanted to subvert the traditional family and make women “communal”. For those who have no idea what I am referring to, I can only recommend the following book by Igor Shafarevich “The Socialist Phenomenon“.
Zealots of these new approaches even go so far as to want to abolish these concepts altogether. Anyone who dares mention that men and women actually exist, which is a biological fact, risk being ostracised. “Parent number one” and “parent number two,” “’birthing parent” instead of “mother,” and “human milk” replacing “breastmilk” because it might upset the people who are unsure about their own gender. I repeat, this is nothing new; in the 1920s, the so-called Soviet Kulturtraegers also invented some newspeak believing they were creating a new consciousness and changing values that way. And, as I have already said, they made such a mess it still makes one shudder at times.
Here again, Putin OPENLY denounces the entire “Woke” ideology, which he compares to the Nazi ideology (hence his use of the term Kulturtraeger), its ideologues and its CRIMES, see next
Not to mention some truly monstrous things when children are taught from an early age that a boy can easily become a girl and vice versa. That is, the teachers actually impose on them a choice we all supposedly have. They do so while shutting the parents out of the process and forcing the child to make decisions that can upend their entire life. They do not even bother to consult with child psychologists – is a child at this age even capable of making a decision of this kind? Calling a spade a spade, this verges on a crime against humanity, and it is being done in the name and under the banner of progress.
What the US ideologues are doing to children is a crime against humanity. It is child abuse of the worst kind. Putin has the courage to say so openly. Well, at least the gender-crazies in the West cannot get him fired or otherwise “cancelled”. Good.
Well, if someone likes this, let them do it. I have already mentioned that, in shaping our approaches, we will be guided by a healthy conservatism. That was a few years ago, when passions on the international arena were not yet running as high as they are now, although, of course, we can say that clouds were gathering even then. Now, when the world is going through a structural disruption, the importance of reasonable conservatism as the foundation for a political course has skyrocketed – precisely because of the multiplying risks and dangers, and the fragility of the reality around us.
Same message: enjoy your wannabe Wakanda but stay away from us, our families, our traditions and our children above all!
This conservative approach is not about an ignorant traditionalism, a fear of change or a restraining game, much less about withdrawing into our own shell. It is primarily about reliance on a time-tested tradition, the preservation and growth of the population, a realistic assessment of oneself and others, a precise alignment of priorities, a correlation of necessity and possibility, a prudent formulation of goals, and a fundamental rejection of extremism as a method. And frankly, in the impending period of global reconstruction, which may take quite long, with its final design being uncertain, moderate conservatism is the most reasonable line of conduct, as far as I see it. It will inevitably change at some point, but so far, do no harm – the guiding principle in medicine – seems to be the most rational one. Noli nocere, as they say.
First, “do no harm” should not be a controversial notion. But the West and all its ideologies and incarnations has dealt with that basic rule in a very simple way: “when WE do it, it is not harm, axiomatically, by definition”. This sums of 1000 years of western imperialism, violence and intolerance: “when WE do it, it is good, because we are good” – and that is dogma.
Again, for us in Russia, these are not some speculative postulates, but lessons from our difficult and sometimes tragic history. The cost of ill-conceived social experiments is sometimes beyond estimation. Such actions can destroy not only the material, but also the spiritual foundations of human existence, leaving behind moral wreckage where nothing can be built to replace it for a long time.
That is a last warning: keep going on and you will leave nothing such a moral wreckage where nothing can be built to replace it for a long time. Who are these words addressed to? Not the leaders of the Empire. Not the Woke folks, and not the braindead “Don’t tread on me” either. Not the Greta Tunberg types for sure. I think that this is a warning to those who still have something to preserve: Mediterranean countries, the Middle-East, Latin America and much of the entire Asian continent.
Finally, there is one more point I want to make. We understand all too well that resolving many urgent problems the world has been facing would be impossible without close international cooperation. However, we need to be realistic: most of the pretty slogans about coming up with global solutions to global problems that we have been hearing since the late 20th century will never become reality. In order to achieve a global solution, states and people have to transfer their sovereign rights to supra-national structures to an extent that few, if any, would accept. This is primarily attributable to the fact that you have to answer for the outcomes of such policies not to some global public, but to your citizens and voters.
However, this does not mean that exercising some restraint for the sake of bringing about solutions to global challenges is impossible. After all, a global challenge is a challenge for all of us together, and to each of us in particular. If everyone saw a way to benefit from cooperation in overcoming these challenges, this would definitely leave us better equipped to work together.
One of the ways to promote these efforts could be, for example, to draw up, at the UN level, a list of challenges and threats that specific countries face, with details of how they could affect other countries. This effort could involve experts from various countries and academic fields, including you, my colleagues. We believe that developing a roadmap of this kind could inspire many countries to see global issues in a new light and understand how cooperation could be beneficial for them.
I have already mentioned the challenges international institutions are facing. Unfortunately, this is an obvious fact: it is now a question of reforming or closing some of them. However, the United Nations as the central international institution retains its enduring value, at least for now. I believe that in our turbulent world it is the UN that brings a touch of reasonable conservatism into international relations, something that is so important for normalising the situation.
The leaders of the West have tried to subvert and discredit the UN for many decades already. Why? Simple: they don’t have a superior status there, and the P5 can veto anything. Hence all the tall by various US Presidents about a new “rules-based international order” or a “alliance of democracies”. That is just nonsense whose sole purpose to subvert the UN because of Russia and China. The leaders of the West want a total monopoly on power, and when they can’t get it, they simply ignore the rules they themselves agreed to after WWII.
Many criticise the UN for failing to adapt to a rapidly changing world. In part, this is true, but it is not the UN, but primarily its members who are to blame for this. In addition, this international body promotes not only international norms, but also the rule-making spirit, which is based on the principles of equality and maximum consideration for everyone’s opinions. Our mission is to preserve this heritage while reforming the organisation. However, in doing so we need to make sure that we do not throw the baby out with the bathwater, as the saying goes.
There is much more to this: for example, the West has taken total control of organizations such as the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, the ICC or even the IOC. The list of such totally controlled international organizations is very very long. They also run Amnesty, WWF, the ICRC etc. As somebody who worked both at the UN and (very shortly) at the ICRC, I can personally confirm this. Putin is too diplomatic to say this but, believe me, the Russians are absolutely aware of this, and for good reason.
This is not the first time I am using a high rostrum to make this call for collective action in order to face up to the problems that continue to pile up and become more acute. It is thanks to you, friends and colleagues, that the Valdai Club is emerging or has already established itself as a high-profile forum. It is for this reason that I am turning to this platform to reaffirm our readiness to work together on addressing the most urgent problems that the world is facing today.
Friends,
The changes mentioned here prior to me, as well as by yours truly, are relevant to all countries and peoples. Russia, of course, is not an exception. Just like everyone else, we are searching for answers to the most urgent challenges of our time.
Of course, no one has any ready-made recipes. However, I would venture to say that our country has an advantage. Let me explain what this advantage is. It is to do with our historical experience. You may have noticed that I have referred to it several times in the course of my remarks. Unfortunately, we had to bring back many sad memories, but at least our society has developed what they now refer to as herd immunity to extremism that paves the way to upheavals and socioeconomic cataclysms. People really value stability and being able to live normal lives and to prosper while confident that the irresponsible aspirations of yet another group of revolutionaries will not upend their plans and aspirations. Many have vivid memories of what happened 30 years ago and all the pain it took to climb out of the ditch where our country and our society found themselves after the USSR fell apart.
“Our society has developed what they now refer to as herd immunity to extremism that paves the way to upheavals and socioeconomic cataclysms“. That is absolutely true, thanks to 3 terrible revolutions, several bloodbaths (including the one in 1993 and Chechnia), the total self-destruction of the post-Maidan Ukraine and now the collective suicide of the West, soemthing which is reported about every day in the Russian media, state, corporate and social. This is why the talk about a coup against Putin is so silly: not only does he have full and total control of all the “power ministries” and the support of a majority of Russians, but as soon as any wannabe “Maidan” (like what the West tried in Belarus recently) is attempted in Russia, an infinitely larger anti-Maidan will spontaneously happen.
The conservative views we hold are an optimistic conservatism, which is what matters the most. We believe stable, positive development to be possible. It all depends primarily on our own efforts. Of course, we are ready to work with our partners on common noble causes.
I would like to thank all participants once more, for your attention. As the tradition goes, I will gladly answer or at least try to answer your questions.
Thank you for your patience.
Conclusion: this was, by far, the most important speech ever made by Putin and it is a direct, open, challenge to the West. We all, humans, are now truly entering a most dangerous period. When Putin came to power, he perfectly understood how weak Russia was. So he engaged in what appeared to be 2 decades of constant Russian concessions, a retreat on all fronts, and that got a lot of people very frustrated and angry at him. But now, in 2021, we see that what he did was trade time (and space!) to fundamentally transform Russia from a plundered, humiliated and basically dying country into a power which can finally throw a direct challenge at the consolidated West: the dead AngloZionist Empire, the dying Anglosphere and a Europe gone completely insane. And there is really nothing much his enemies in the West can do, short of starting a suicidal war they cannot win. After 2 decades of very careful preparations Russia is now looking directly at the West, with no fear whatsoever and with a firm resolution to not allow the West to pull Russia into its own suicidal direction.
Andrei
Appreciated.
Good afternoon Mr Raevsky, I’d like first to cumpliment your outstanding “Kommentar” on Putin’s speech N regret that I can’t read (much less understand) russian as good as german or even romanian N so I agree totally with your opinion on the weird slowness of the RF in giving the world as fast as possible Putins speaches translations. It’s quite a simple matter fur such a complex country like Russia but nevertheless, N again I’ll totally agree with your previous comments that’s something quite important nowadays, they simply let it be and (seem) don’t bother.
O regret that because I believe that because I am brazilian and (now) live in Brazil and have traveled this country N-S W-E and I know that the majority of our (simple and warm-hearted) people DETEST these woke lisergic-style hallucinating crap. Most of them simply do not understand how come such a thing be possible. It’s simples as that. But our so-called (totally “comprador” as Andrei likes) “elites” are a really bunch of americans wannabes. That’s the (sad) truth. A very good proportion of brasilian “politicos” embrace lovely much of the western woke-hyper-individualist-entrepennerial propaganda and show this for our ridiculously imperialistic MSM. The big players here (Globo, Record, SBT) are so pro-american and pro free-market that many in the (zoosphere) “social media” think CNNBrasil is communist (!!!!!!!). This is quite telling of how our very long (388 years) lasting slave-oriented economy molded our elites minds.
But coming back to Putin’s speech, I think most simple brasilians would agree with most of what he’s preaching and proposing. And the people here suffer imperial propaganda 24/7/365, meaning that it’s very difficult for them to access it unless if the RF starts doing a real job of international PR on this matter to try to unify people like-minded.
I think that one very important thing that avoids Bolsonaro sinking blatantly after his complete economic failure and mess is precisely because he stands for the traditional western values that were the founding ones of our nation, one that used to have a juridical system named “padroado” meaning a intermingling between the catholic church and the crown (by then it was a Bragança family ruled empire) and that is nowadays being heavily propagandized by this crazy nihilist post-structuralist and divide et impera agenda. Naturally the billionaires will go on marrying and having children between themselves, self-destructive behavior fits well for the “simplex”, not for the 0,01%.
Finally, I’d very much say that as a lawyer N a scholar I’ve been used to the Kommentar style for almost 30 years now and appretiate yours very much and would like to endorse wishes that you may comment on others like Shoigu or Lavrov statements and speeches.
Cheers from cloud, rainy and weird “wintry” (for us 19C, wind and rain is Winter) for so late in sprint Rio de Janeiro.
Excellent article Andrei.
Putin is admired by many Argentines and it would be of vital importance to bring this same article to Spanish.
The Sputnik vaccine brought tranquility to much of our society in that also lies our admiration for the Gamaleya Institute and for Putin in particular.
Muchas gracias.
Un abrazo
De nada, querido Leandro
Abrazos a vos tambien!
Andrei
Director of the Institute of Political Studies Sergey Markov: Vladimir Putin believes we were deceived, it was a mistake not to send troops to southeastern Ukraine in 2014, and he understands that his historic mission is to prevent Ukraine from becoming anti-Russian..
“If he does not fulfill this historic mission, then all his great achievements in the history of Russia will be blocked. It is his mission to stop Ukraine from becoming anti-Russian”..
Russian could have easily slapped down the Ukronazi army in 2014, but not without an open intervention. The LDNR forces had won, but further advancing would have exposed to them envelopment, especially in the southern axis towards Mariupol. A lot of people missed that, because they don’t understand operational art or what it implies to move into the operational depth of the enemy.
Then consider this: if you compare the Ukie forces, the LDNR forces and the Russian forces in 2014 and 2021, they are all profoundly changed. And the balance has now dramatically shifted to the advantage of Russia. Now Russia CAN prevent the Ukraine, at least its eastern and southern parts, from becoming an anti-Russia.
As for the rest of the Banderastan, let the EU “enjoy” it :-)
Cheers
It is a powerful and compelling statment of position. How I wish my nation had a leader capable of such clarity of thought, purpose and values. Instead we get Scotty from marketing. Your commentary certainly aided this western mind in understanding the gravity of his position, and for that I am most grateful.
Saker, I take issue with one statment you make, this:
” And the key to survival is the existence of a truly sovereign and strong state, with real, actual, agency.”
While it is true at a national level, at a personal level there is a very real danger that surrendering indiviual responsiblilty to such a state will ultimately weaken the state. Indeed that is arguably what has weakend western states. Individuals have surrendered their personal morality, to that being imposed from outside and adopted by their state masters. Accepting the “woke” crap beinf foisted upon us is a graphic example of this.
That this is the case is demonstrated by your observation that it is the values of the Russian people that will make it impossible to institute a Maidan in Russia because “an infinitely larger anti-Maidan will spontaneously happen”. In this observation lies the knowledge that the strength of the Russian state is unerpinned by the values held by the individuals that the state represents, protects and nurtures. It is the symbiosis between the individual and the group that allows civilization to exist.
While it is true at a national level, at a personal level there is a very real danger that surrendering indiviual responsiblilty to such a state will ultimately weaken the state.
There is no individual responsibility when dealing with national issues like, say, wars, economic crises or pandemics. Individuals can THINK that “I can deal with that”, but the truth is that they cannot. Besides, having a state with agency does not require crushing individuals. Putin said that very clearly at the end of his Q&A: our core value is the individual (that is from memory, I am not even checking if the full Q&A has been finally translated).
I would also add that the state is the only option for one man one vote. Everything else, including corporations, always stand for one DOLLAR one vote. The the state becomes the ultimate defender of individual sovereignty.
Kind regards
Let me put it another way. A state comprised of strong individuals will be strong, but a state that neglects to ensure its individual citizens are strong, self reliant and motivated will not, and cannot remain strong. Which comes first is a matter worthy of some deeper discussion at another time, perhaps.
To Eagle Eye
” Scotty from marketing ”
Love the choice of words ! From across the ditch
Well I have often thought of kidnapping your PM. Not to harm her of course but to beg her to take over Australia. We could exchange her for Scotty from Marketing.
No thanks, That witch is the epitomy of “woke” stupidity.
Thank you Saker for the brilliant analysis.
Down under press has not mentioned a single word regarding this important speech. It’s as if it never happened.
Down under press is monopolised by the evil Rupert Murdoch and his minions. If they can’t find something to twist and distort, they will say nothing. 20 yrs of propaganda has ensured even alternate media are basically brainwashed to believing Putin is worse than Satan…..
Thank you for commenting on this great speech that brings hope to all mankind.
Directly after my studies, in 1986, I worked for Union Bank of Switzerland. It took me 3 or 4 years to understand that this was a Ponzi scheme and that the collapse of the West was inevitable. Now we are there. This is a time of great peril that may take me and my family. The unified western gang must fall so that those who have been deprived of their dignity and material necessities can build themselves up. Maybe things will get worse before they get better. I do not regret my comfortable life before, but the stupidity and selfishness of the Swiss and the West.
If the missiles have to fly, I would like to ask the Russian army not to forget the BIS in Basel.
Excellent article and comments, from a long time reader and seldom commenter. ‘Optimistic Reasonable Conservatism’. Where do I sign up?
Considering how the Orange Clown was funded by Sheldon Adelson, John Bolton SuperPAC, and he listened to Looney Larry ZERP/MMT for Wall $treet Kudlow, moved the Empire’s embassy to Jerusalem (should have just finished the job and moved the Capitol, the White House, and the Pentagram as well), it will not happen here without Alabama to Wyoming becoming Oblasts and/or Provinces (such as Inner Mongolia rather than Ontario) and American Samoa to the Virgin Islands becoming independent.
I think you’re both missing what has been the AngloZionist Empire’s original impulse. As John L. O’Sullivan wrote back in 1845, Americans claim by “right of our manifest destiny to overspread and to possess the whole of the continent which Providence has given us for the development of the great experiment of liberty and federated self-government entrusted to us.” If this sound a lot like what the European Ashkenazim are doing in Palestine, it’s supposed to.
Manifest Destiny is a subset of Zionism, which is based on the racist notion that certain Europeans were “chosen” by God to range around the planet, subduing and displacing the indigenous, and stealing their land. This is why US Christian Zionists get along so well with the Ashkenazim who now brutally occupy Palestine. Pastor John Hagee and Netanyahu are best buds. Wonder if he knows how the Ashkenazim will figure into their crazy end-times scenario where “believers” will be Raptured up to Heaven and the rest of humanity is turned into cinder cakes in a nuclear holocaust?
Manifest Destiny got expanded to trying to take over the multiverse apparently. Maybe we will get an invasion by an Americastan from another universe.
Maybe it is a good thing for the rest of the world it deindustrialized and the F.I.R.E. sector took over since it became a paper tiger that is finally imploding. For those within it with McJobs, cannon fodder, or unemployed, not so good.
A truly historic speech, matched possibly by the quality of intetpretation by The Saker. Excellent read and food for essential thought.
TEP.
The damage the West has done to itself “fighting covid” has only made them weaker and less a threat to Russia. Putin has to realize this. Why would he not stoke it? The Russian covid response is much more tempered than the West’s. There is nothing to gain for him in challenging the narrative.
Do not interrupt your enemy while he is making s mistake.
By far, the most important excerpt from all Putin’s speech is this one:
(I ask permission of the moderators to put a few of Putin’s words in capital letters in order to emphasize, once it is not possible to boldface text at this comments section)
“Arguably, political HISTORY has NO examples of a stable world order being established WITHOUT a big WAR and its outcomes as the basis, as was the case after World War II. So, we have a chance to create an extremely favourable precedent”
Putin just cannot say that there WILL be WWIII. Instead, he advocates for a “precedent” — something that had never occurred before in the whole human History (as he himself states!)
In my view, he is clearly saying that war is just a matter of time — without saying that (because he can’t)
“In my view, he is clearly saying that war is just a matter of time — without saying that (because he can’t)”
why cant he say it? whats stopping him?
Because it would trigger the war (instead of delaying it). And because it would terrify people all around the world
President Putin Said: “The Current transformation is unparalleled.
History has no examples of a stable world order being established without a big war.
The attempt to create a stable world order after the Cold War on the basis of Western domination has failed.
We must learn from this. So, we have a chance to create an extremely-favorable precedent”.
I understand President Putin’s words this way:
The current transformation is unparalleled in Global History.
Historically, Precedence has been that only a big War of destruction could create a NEW world order.
But today we have a chance to create an extremely favorable NEW Precedence:
To change the world order WITHOUT the destruction of a big war.
Not since President Kennedy, has any state leader risen to the level of President Putin.
Russia guard President Putin well.
The world needs him.
Why do you think that the bidet administration is withholding the release of facts and reports of JFK assassination 58 years later?
@ Boris Kazlov
That is exactly my thoughts too..
Best regards
A very important speech for the “Western” world. “We” really need to hear and understand the things Putin has talked about. Living in the West, I can’t remember a single leader ever speaking in more clear terms on such important issues with this kind of philosophical depth. Personally, I can’t find anything I disagree with. I wonder if the people in Russia understand that they are blessed with such an extraordinary leader at a critical time in world history.
Here in the U S. speeches by our president are like, come’on man, we need to do the thing with the fellow down under to build back better. Let’s go Brandon. The media here would make old school Pravda blush. Unfortunately, Putin’s speech will never reach the masses here and even if it did few would even understand it. We have sunk so low. As a patriotic American it makes me feel a bit downhearted but Putin is right. The truth hurts nonetheless.
”I wonder if the people in Russia understand that they are blessed with such an extraordinary leader at a critical time in world history.”
Nope. Hence their flocking behind Analny Navalny /sarc off/.
“I wonder if the people in Russia understand that they are blessed with such an extraordinary leader at a critical time in world history.”
Absolutely
“The media here would make old school Pravda blush.” The understatement of the century. And Putin is head and shoulders above any current Western leader, especially that embecile that passes for our President. As you say Let’s go Brandon!
BTW Rod Dreher from the American Conservative did put out an article with excerpts from Putin’s speech. Not exactly Main Stream Pravda Media, but American Conservative is a major conservative magazine in the US, and Dreher in particular is somewhat of a Russophile.
Thanks to the Saker for publishing this English translation!
”I wonder if the people in Russia understand that they are blessed with such an extraordinary leader at a critical time in world history.”
Probably not. Russians may be thinking like typical husbands, … “good wife is always your neighbour’s wife.”
Andrei,
Thank you for posting both the translation and then this analysis. As a US American who is Zone B in mind, I came to more or less the exact same conclusions you did, but I appreciate the opportunity to have arrived at them on my own first due to your site’s early translation. This is indeed the most important speech President Putin has made, and it is all truth. It is so far above and beyond what any Imperial political “leader” in the west could deliver that it staggers the mind. President Putin is the example of true statesmanship and leadership that the Russian people deserve. They have been through hell and back the last century, and they are unparalleled in their resolute determination to be a free Christian people.
24 April 1846 we lost the Republic thanks to the then President and a future president whose only punishment was a promotion, by the voting public no less.
12 December 2000 the future fate of the empire was sealed from five supporters of a grandson of quisling bank officer of the only nine votes that counted
8 January 2020 the empire became just another authoritarian regime
6 January 2020 the authoritarian regime slipped on a banana peel and is in an obvious free-fall collapse into the grave below, having been on heavily borrowed time with one foot in the grave and other on a banana peel for decades.
Saker/Andrei, thank you for the Putin speech and commentary. Appreciated!
I believe what we are witnessing is the final outworking by humanity of old pain (primarily WWII pain). Simplistically, the Cold War was just the paranoia of the cultures still experiencing WWII losses. In short, both the populations of the US and the USSR were still in “Enemy!” reactive-mode. (The elites made use of this for fun and profit.)
As the generations moved-on past WWII, the younger generations had no visceral knowledge of that war – on both sides of the Divide. No direct pain. And so, they wanted to proceed forward, rather than looking to the past.
This came to a head first in the USSR (first, thanks to pressure & enticements from the US). The backwards-looking populace was overwhelmed by the forward-looking populace, mostly along age lines. The Soviet system (which was ‘looking back’) fell apart. Chaos reigned for decades, while the populace figured-out what ‘looking forward’ really looked-like. It appears that this aspect has now been sorted-out, as per Putin’s speech.
Meanwhile, the US (the Empire) has moved gradually into the position of Wiley Coyote, who is in thin air past the cliff edge. The same age/generation pressure that existed within the USSR has intensified within the US (the Empire). Old generations which experienced WWII are effectively gone, and new generations wish to move-on. The Cold War mentality is aged-out, except within elite circles (where they do it for fun and profit).
The elites, to keep their viewpoint relevant, have conducted a series of ‘fake wars’ to keep the US population in Cold War mode. But, this is wearing thin; both the elites and the populace know this. So, the US is on the brink of a meltdown for the same basic reasons the USSR melted down: The ‘looking-forward’ population is outweighing the ‘looking-backward’ population. This is at the grass-roots level; there is little the elites can do about this fact, outside of inducing WWIII (where they lose, also).
So, I think we are in a time where the US will reconstitute itself around the ’emotional discovery’ that WWII is indeed over. The old pain has diminished to where a Cold War mindset is no longer relevant. (Putin has played the Long Game in this; giving the elites no ammunition for their games.) The details will be different than within the USSR; we have a different national-identity. However, the commonality with the USSR is the search for a different ‘vision’ for the future (who we want to be, absent old-pain baggage).
It may be messy for a time; true change often is. I truly hope that we do not see a social crash to the extent that the Russian people had to endure for a few decades. It all depends on how ‘wise’ our elites are, and whether they fight the change to the last. (Having minimal ‘violent revolutions’, as Putin endorsed.)
Once the US (the Empire) has dissolved-from-within, thought about it for a while, and re-constituted on forward-looking principles, I have hope for our worldwide prospects…
(The above is exceedingly simplistic, due to the internet. Please accept my apologies. It does, however, address the underlying issue.)
“I truly hope that we do not see a social crash to the extent that the Russian people had to endure for a few decades. It all depends on how ‘wise’ our elites are, and whether they fight the change to the last.”
The crash is going to be worse because a sizeable part of the US populace has been conditioned to have a free lunch. Expect an armed rebellion/armed defense within the populace.
The Deciders (financiers/war profiteers) will abandon the citizenry of the weakened and rotten “union” in no time.
The current US government stands for CCH: Cowardice, Corruption, Hypocrisy. Since the MIC/CIA/FedReserve have united in using the Knesset on Potomac strictly for Deciders’ advantage, the US citizenry has no hope.
Anna, I agree in principle. That said, Miles Mathis has written a series of articles (for example: http://mileswmathis.com/phoenper.pdf ) on the probability that there was a group of “Deciders” all the way back to Phoenician times – and maybe earlier. They have continued to today…
The difference between then and today is that technology has ‘shrunk the world’ enough that there is nowhere to run. The Deciders cannot easily decamp from one nation to another, as they have done for thousands of years. Yes, they can now move funding at the speed of light. However, their physical bodies are increasingly at risk. That same technology they have promoted means that someone can now ‘reach out and touch them’ anywhere on the planet.
So, I am mildly optimistic that the Deciders may choose to rejoin the human race. Not because they want to, but because they are becoming visible to angry (small ‘d’) decision makers…
Makes perfect sense, considering the current drive in the West to transhumanism (which should be called perhaps nihilumanism, no gender, no race, no age, no physical body).
It does not necessarily mean all that in literal terms, just consider the rumour on facebook developping Neal Stephenson’s Metaverse (Ready Player One in the current Western “cinema”)… Living in a closet, fed with state-sponsored liquid minimalistic food while you spend most of the day in a virtual world being an object or some kind or other “transhuman”)…
Phoenicians= “The Tribe”. Good Luck with that.
Great speech by a Great Statesman from the oasis of wisdom (Russia). This speech vividly shows the state of affairs of our times, it sets the agenda and is a call to save humanity. I can say, Putin has substantially summarized what Andrei (Saker) & his likes had been displaying fearlessly presciently to anyone out there who cares to live realty. Bye bye Sinking West!
Keep the good job. Thank you Saker.
Excellent commentary! While I am sympathetic to the alt-right due to the blatant discrimination that people of white ethnicity face in the west the alt-right leaders do not offer any workable solutions. They should try to identify potential non-white allies who they can work with to oppose the western elites who are the common enemy of all races. Nobody is going anywhere so the solution is to work together for the common good. We need to get away from the concept of race and instead focus on the individual instead as Andrei suggests.
We are very fortunate for there to be a great leader like Putin. My concern is that there may not be anyone who can fill his shoes when he retires (hopefully no time soon).
Thank you, Mr. Raevsky!
This speech is truly the pinnacle of Putin’s career and the ability to even say those things in this world is a summary of his achievements as a leader.
The humanity is clearly entering a new era and I think that Putin in a way marked our collective taking of the first step through the door to this new era. We’ve been waiting for him to say these things for quite some time.
No one knows for sure what to expect and the fear of a major war in this transition is very realistic and justified. Nevertheless, this transition is objective and true, no one can stop it and the crazy “fact checkers” and “disinfo callers” (who happen to dislike you personally as it seems) cannot change it, cannot (re)form it, or slow it down. They can slow down people’s realization of the truth but not the manifestations of the current times.
What I noticed among the gems of his speech was the Russian propensity to value stability. This is a binding feature of China’s society. It is the quintessential test of authority given to the CCP. The government must maintain a stable society or it loses its legitimacy.
So, we see how and why Russia and China find common policies in their Double Helix relationship. Their affinity begins with their people. Their civilizational longevity are histories that struggled to establish stable societies. Both suffered centuries of invasions.
The Chinese formula is a state economy run by an ideological party.
The Russian formula is a state protected by a powerful military, tied to conservative values.
Each have the most stable societies despite the hybrid and economic wars directed at them by the US and West.
You write :
“The Chinese formula is a state economy run by an ideological party”.
China is anything but ideological.
The communist party is first and foremost pragmatic. It inherited this from China’s Traditional Culture which is in reality nothing else than the tribal animist worldview + all the cultural addons that have added to it along the path of China’s power society and civilization.
I would also like to take this opportunity to ask you if President Putin convinced you that climate change is one of the most urgent problems of humanity ?
Here is President Putin’s gradation of the problems that constitute humanity’s present predicament :
— ” Firstly, climate change and environmental degradation are so obvious that even the most careless people can no longer dismiss them. …
The coronavirus pandemic has become another reminder of how fragile our community is…”
— “Second. The socioeconomic problems facing humankind have worsened to the point where, in the past, they would trigger worldwide shocks, such as world wars or bloody social cataclysms…
This enumeration, by the way, corresponds to my concept of “The Great Convergence of Late-Modernity” that I linked to in my comment on Pepe’s article of yesterday.
I vaguely recall an organization called Technocracy that advocated for North America to rely primarily on hydro and coal with the construction of numerous dams. This should work even better for Russia, I would think. That close to the Arctic Circle wind might work quite well. Solar? Well there is a real challenge for you to say the least. The U.S. is probably even a worse place (probably one of if not the-e-e worst) to be if you want to go carbon neutral without “going nuclear.” Move most of the population to the southern coast with high-density superinsulated mulitfamily construction, ban planned obsolescence and its variants such as contrived durability and prevention of repairs, and maybe it is just barely doable.
Hi William
I understand about planned obsolescence. What I have not come across before is the term “contrived durability”. Would you please elaborate on this for me? It would be good to know more about it.
Thanks in advance.
There are safe nuclear technologies, Thorium being the leading option. The “green” options are not realistic for anything but low economic activity warm climates. Places with cold winters and large populations need a stable base load capability. Only hydrocarbons or nuclear makes sense.
The “problem” with Thorium reactors is that they don’t yield weapons grade plutonium. That’s why they weren’t used. Instead, they actually reduce nuclear waste dangers.
@Sideshow Bob: “The [socalled] “problem” with Thorium reactors is that they don’t yield weapons grade plutonium.”
I once worked as a chemical engineer in UK Atomic Energy Research. Our major research was how to dispose of nuclear waste containing plutonium — the most poisonous atom on the planet. It took me years to realize that our so called “peaceful” civil nuclear reactors were deliberately being run to produce plutonium for military purpose.
That is also the reason for my mistrust of the Greens: instead of publicising the difference between Thorium reactors and Plutonium reactors, they persuaded the German govt to cripple its energy sector by stopping **all** nuclear reactors. The Greens also seem to be against Germany obtaining a new sources of cheap and abundant gas via Nord Stream 2. Deliberate industrial sabotage at the highest political level.
I suspect it may be possible to heat thermal batteries with solar furnaces. But then too one could go nuclear for this too and it would probably make much safer nuclear power possible.
Another option — run transmission lines from near the equator, say +/- 20 degrees from the equator to perhaps as much as 50. Outside of Europe and a few other places, few live further north (and probably south) unless they are gluttons for punishment. This probably depends largely on whether or not high enough voltages can finally be used and the stepping up and down can be done at low enough costs.
In any case, if the supply of fossil fuel is about to peak and nearly half is gone, we are left with only historically expensive and historically unreliable options (even nuclear systems have, from my understanding had plenty of downtime historically) meaning that after not negotiating our “American way of life” with other nations we get to eventually negotiate with Mother Earth. We will see how the negotiation with Mother Earth goes, like it should not be self-evident already.
@Larch: “the Russian propensity to value stability. This is a binding feature of China’s society.”
Confucius he say: “See young man in a hurry, expect trouble”.
I read that half a century ago and remembered it. Remembered it because I didn’t like it. Didn’t like it because I was a young man in a hurry.
@ Dr. NG Maroudas,
You will like Ishchenko’s latest:
https://ukraina.ru/opinion/20211025/1032531024.html
Entitled: “On the Reasons for Russian Slowness”
Thanks, Larch. Auto-translation of his first paragraph:
A popular proverb advises: “Hurry slowly.” The people, of course, are not as wise as their ambitious flatterers, who want to get power from the hands of the people, convince them, but the people have the experience of tens and even hundreds of generations behind them. What we call “folk wisdom” is this experience of generations, no more, but no less
It ties in beautifully with Putin’s emphasis on “ordinary” family values.
A much needed explanation of the nuances of Putin’s speech.
We are indeed at a most dangerous phase.
A dying Empire, driven by ideology, possessing nuclear weapons.
The only good news is that it will be over by Jan 20 2015.
I think you meant 20 January 2025. Probably much earlier, like sometime in March 2022, but then, I did not think they could keep inflating bubbles for 31 (or is that 39) years, world’s fiat reserve currency notwithstanding.
Sorry for my ignorance, but what is the significance of 20 January 2025 or March 2022? What is the expectation there?
Thanks for explaining.
20 January 2025.
The inauguration of the US president (maybe Joes second term, maybe not. Likely not)
March 22. US Congress midterms.
Ah. Got it.
Thank you for explaining.
Actually, I was thinking in terms of WWIII (or WWV after Cold War and War of Terror). As I’ve stated elsewhere I expect the next American Carnival to be its biggest celebration yet.
Thanks for this work, Saker, it’s very important. I just started reading it and noticed its length, which means 2 things: I’ll take time to carefully read, and couldn’t avoid to say thanks for the time and effort you’ve put into it.
This might be the link including the Q&A you referred to at the beginning:
/russian-president-vladimir-putin-is-participating-in-the-plenary-session-of-the-18th-annual-meeting-of-the-valdai-discussion-club-in-sochi/
Excellent speech and excellent considered analysis.
It will be unread/lost on the morons in the West who now cannot distinguish between a verb and adverb.
The impact(ion) of verbs becoming nouns or the drivers behind both?
Saker comment:
Makes it sound as if the USSR doesn’t evoke any fondness among today’s Russians. Stalin purged the CPSU of its then ’Atlantic integrationists’, to wit Trotskyists, and their totally mad fantasies — domestically and internationally. Trotskyism collapsed first into Nazi subversion, then US Cold War mindrot, and ultimately US neoconservatism. This is something an overwhelming majority in Russia sees as the great service of Communism to Russian statehood, alongside the defeats inflicted on the invaders in 1919 – 1921 and 1941 – 1945. Putin has a comparatively easier job now that the West is well on its way to self-destruction.
This is the single best article I have ever read! Now I need time to process it. Thank you Andrei for the red and especially the blue text. Just wow!
Contemporary Russian conservatism. Contra the hysterics of the pseudo journalists of the NYT, WP & Co., these conservatives will end up pulling the fat of liberalism out of the fire and preserve what was genuinely progressive about it. Putin is doing it. But more. I’m terribly impressed with his theoretical clarity about the most fundamental issues of our day. Decisively, he asserts that: ‘The importance of a solid support in the sphere of morals, ethics, and values is increasing dramatically in the modern fragile world’. This is distinctively different from the notion of systemic self interest which forms the operative core of capitalist ‘ethics’, along with the social, political, and international systems, certainly from a libertarian perspective. It’s hard to overestimate the importance of this notion of systemic self interest in modern life. It emerged as the alternative to the codes of morality imposed on Europe by the Roman Church in league with the Habsburg imperial monarchy. But now, centuries later, President Putin observes its reemergence along with the rehabilitation of the old civilisational empires of Asia. ‘In point of fact, values are a product, a unique product of cultural and historical development of any nation’. That’s relativism folks, like it or not, but the president of Russia does not view this as a problem. He views things differently; this is where things get interesting. ‘The mutual interlacing of nations definitely enriches them, openness expands their horizons, and allows them to take a fresh look at their own traditions’. The core spiritual and humanistic (China) values of the emerging Eurasian great powers is a neighbourhood of longstanding worldviews and deep commitments. There is a certain dialogue going on allowing each and all to reflect back on our own originations in distinctive ways. Where we came from, how we got here, where we’re going; these are questions that emerge now in this new milieu of the Eurasian revival. Here there is no hegemonic podium announcing mandatory truths and axioms from on high, but rather a prospect where the age old questions can be posed once again and answered in a non aggressive environment of peers. ‘But the process must be organic and it can never be rapid’. The fundamental concerns and insights given substance by Putin are not altogether novel. These matters have occupied the minds of the humaine and philosophically/religiously inclined for as long as the titanic forces unleashed by modern life have brought the world so close together. But given voice in this fresh way, and with such clarity and force, I am minded to consider how the intellectual lights of the West have relinquished all claim to leadership. Once again, Russia steps to the fore.
“I have another important point to make. The pandemic, which, in theory, was supposed to rally the people in the fight against this massive common threat, has instead become a divisive rather than a unifying factor. ”
Suggests volition. Theory; plan; implementation; then, as usual, God turns out to be the better planner.
The ruling and financial classes of the West are not the ones going insane.
They know what they are doing, they are resetting the financial system, imposing austerity measures and destructive reforms (resulting in artificially created food scarcity and restrictions in personal freedom) under the guise of a Green Revolution while they socialize their gambling debts and scam $150 trillion from future generations.
They are merely following Naomi Klein’s blueprint of “Shock Doctrine: Disaster Capitalism” so they can reform society and create a technofascist neofeudalist future.
“the world’s wealthiest plan on robbing what little is left of the middle class under the guise of a noble crusade to defeat global warming… a crusade which will require over $500 billion in annual debt monetization by central banks each and every year, leading to hyperinflation in either risk assets or the broader economy, or both.”
https://canadianpatriot.org/2021/10/19/climate-warming-here-comes-the-150-trillion-scamdemic-ii/
Andrei, Thanks for the careful analysis of this very important speech. I personally agree with everything he said and your comments as well. But, this will all fall on deaf ears in the places where it counts. The world is in chaos and getting worse. I tried to create a list of all the places the US is interfering either actively through military aggression, economically through sanctions, internally through internal subversion and/or US proxies and it is shocking how many different countries are under attack. The US is clearly betting the farm on trying to take over the entire planet yet the country itself is collapsing while we watch. It is maddening to watch this bizarre Kafkaesque game being played out.
I am encouraged to see that Putin gets it in most ways and is fully cognizant about where we are at and how Russia (and any other countries interested in self-preservation) need to proceed. We are at a crux in world history which could be the end game for humanity if the US isn’t stopped or at least slowed down until it collapses on its own. With Biden, this just might happen in the next 18 months.
In my own opinion, everyone misses the real problem and that is world over-population. This planet’s problems all stem from limited and finite resources and an inability to cope with the growing demands caused by too many people. However, I believe all catastrophes are natural including warfare as humans are also a part of the planetary ecostructure. The damage we do will have an effect and those effects which we fail miserably to be able to model will eliminate the largest problem, meaning humans. We see this in bacterial culture plates where colonies that arise from single cells use up food and die due to their own waste products. Bacteria that have flagella will migrate across the plate’s surface and create new colonies and eventually the entire petri dish is dead. It is a simple analogy but is in fact what we are seeing happen on a larger scale today. The added factor is that in our case we have the tools to completely destroy ourselves. Paradoxically, a nuclear war would also “fix” the global warming problem. The planet will continue as if we never existed. We can avoid this of course, but no one is even remotely suggesting the obvious solution which is to cut birth rates and reduce the planet’s population. W are all being told ad nauseum there aren’t enough people to do the work to support the system, which is simply ridiculous yet accepted as fact. Older human civilizations existed in harmony with nature and were in balance. When that began to get out of balance a catastrophe occurred and culled them back (Mayans are a good example).
So, what we are going to see as things get worse even without US interference is dwindling freshwater, crop failures, insufficient food, and increased populations which have a cascading effect that will increase exponentially as the planet warms. People will fight to survive even if it means killing you and taking your land and property. This is happening now. If you add in the US and other liberal western nations it is obvious where this is headed. Russia may in fact avoid much of this as will China. Others, especially here in Europe and North America won’t be able to and in fact, are eagerly advancing the pace of the transition thanks to liberal politicians who do not represent the citizenry that elected them.
There is still time to make effective changes but can humanity face up to this task and eliminate the major threats to our continued existence. In this, I believe the US is an existential threat to the survival of the human race and should be helped to collapse gently in a way that prevents a full-scale revolution and the carnage that follows. This would be unlike the case of the collapse of the Soviet Union where the US jackals picked the carcass clean.
Global warming can be stopped. One excellent solution is to add iron oxide to the ocean (in low doses and by releasing from navigating tankers) which dramatically increases plankton growth. Another is to convert CO2 into methane (requires a lot of energy but fusion power appears to be forthcoming so that problem is solved as would our dependence on coal/oil/gas). The human population can be easily reduced through controlled birth rates back to a sustainable level (requires a major change in thinking which is sadly blocked by religion). Everything necessary to make anything organic is in the air we breathe. More research should be applied to doing this kind of work rather than just burning fuels and hope for the best. But changing millennia of huamn thinking is virtually impossible. We are still being led by religious constructs that predate any concept of modern thinking.
I am optimistic but only if we can get things to change. Clearly, Putin understands the problems but is weak on solutions. Realistically he can’t even convince the Russians to get vaccinated and Sputnik V is actually the best vaccine out there. Sadly, the people simply don’t believe in their government as they are still traumatized from the Soviet days so are extremely cynical about anything coming out of Moscow. Putin himself is near the end of his career and I doubt any follow-on politicians will measure up to his capabilities, especially if the US influences the choice of replacement.
“everyone misses the real problem and that is world over-population. ”
For a stable population, and in the absence of immigration, each woman should give birth to 2.1 children. On average of course. With rates below 2.1, there won’t be an overpopulation problem.
Here are tables of fertility rates for various countries and country groupings:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_sovereign_states_and_dependencies_by_total_fertility_rate
Scanning down these tables by eye, it appears that below-replacement fertility rates are associated with wealth.
So the solution to the overpopulation problem is to ban immigration and to make everyone wealthy. Simple, eh?
The world has been over populated since the population reached 1 billion.
It will always be over populated!!!
“…We are at a crux in world history which could be the end game for humanity if the US isn’t stopped or at least slowed down until it collapses on its own. With Biden, this just might happen in the next 18 months…”
With the Orange Clown it would take 19 months, with Killary or Dubya or the Steroidal McCarthyist of the 23rd district of Cali “we” would go nuclear in 20 days.
It no longer matters if the sock puppet-in-chief is of sound mind or not, like we have even had one for decades, even if they were not this completely senile.
If you read carefully Putin’s words, he does not believe in man made global warming and certainly not in trying to engineer a climate which we do not understand. There is no global warming, the south pole experienced a record cold winter since measurements started, the northern hemisphere is also getting colder. Sure there might be changes in climate but there are also changes beneath the earth crust with volcanic eruptions and earthquakes. What is the big deal if there are climate changes?! The big deal is there is lots of money to be scammed from us the people by banksters in name of climate change.
Dave,
Climate change is real, more exactly abrupt climate warming made by human burn of millions of years worth of fossil fuel is real.
No real cool down of this planet is expected in million of years from now on. Think Venus more likely. Yes the Sun is at a minimum but it is not enough because of CO2 we released and there is not enough volcanic ash to help yet.
Unfortunately at this time there is nothing we can do about it anymore. Also the timeline is not certain, it can be slow as in hundreds of years or fast as in 50 years but surely not tomorrow.
To be honorable humans we should try and do “the right thing” and drop human population and consumption to as low as possible. We will not do this of course but we should try to save a few plants or fungi or bacteria. Big animals will most likely all die off including all humans.
This does NOT mean that the rulers will not use this real predicament as a pretext for extracting the last liberty and the last drop of money and energy from the brainwashed masses in the next years. It will be “fun”
Russia and Putin is not impressed because:
====================================
1) They will gain the most from climate warming for now, Siberia will become more inhabitable and more fertile.
2) Northern Arctic will melt and water routes will open up there and oil reserves there will become exploitable.
3) They still have “real STEM graduates” and advanced real techology and nuclear reactors, they could find a solution to extract CO2 from atmosphere when needed (they hope)
4) It is immoral to ask for the poor people in poor or developing countries to make sacrifices now when West World benefited for hundreds of years of fun and CO2 emissions.
5) The timeline is not clear, it can take a while until real doom. Meanwhile we still have to live today.
You should ask western world and it’s bilonaires and star trek generations to stop consuming and reduce footprint to almost zero to allow poor people from Rusia, Asia, Africa and South America and elsewhere to also have a decent life while it will last.
Bogdan, do not think we humans are gods who control nature and know all, no no my friend it is nature, cosmos (god) who is ultimately in control over us.
Man made CO2 is only 4 percent of total CO2 in atmosphere. According to historical data the changes in CO2 level follows (with a long delay) climate change and not the other way around, CO2 is due to climate change, the oceans absorb (when freezing) and release (when warming) the vast majority of CO2, the oceans hold 50x more CO2 than the atmosphere:
https://bit.ly/30TfVWN
The South Pole measured record cold this year since measurements started. The northern hemisphere will get a very cold winter this year.
To watch a 1 hour video that shows the logical flaws and extremely strong contrary evidence on the claims of Anthropogenic Global Warming [AGW] of which the above reference to the correct historical data is only one piece, go to:
https://suspicious0bservers.org/
and scroll down a little to the ‘Climate Forcing’ video on the right hand side. Since it was made in 2019 a lot more evidence has come in and there is a book for sale on how the Sun is overwhelmingly the main determinant of changes to weather and climate. This includes the impact of charged particles from the Sun affect weather, as well the role of cosmic rays in cloud formation.
A truly excellent speech by Putin, of monumental importance.
Hi Dave
Not 4%.
The CO2 concentration in the atmosphere is down at ~0.04%. That is, four one hundredths of one percent.
Quoting: “According to historical data the changes in CO2 level follows (with a long delay) climate change and not the other way around, CO2 is due to climate change…..etc.”
That is all correct.
The point is that the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere is not causal of global warming. It lags behind changes to the climate. That is what the evidence consistently demonstrates. It is what the anthropogenic global warming shills evade, one way or another.
—
Recently I heard a presentation along the lines that once the West abandoned its Christianity, the people of the West needed something spiritual to replace it. They don’t merely become “rational non-believers” all of a sudden just because they abandoned a system of spirituality, morality and thought- the one which was the foundation to their culture, their value formation, their society, etiquette, aesthetics, literature, art, science, technology etc. etc. A different religion replaces Christianity in them.
This alternative religion has, among other things, global warming (a.k.a. the bad-weather-cult) as an eschatology. It is much more irrational that that which it replaces. Also its adherents are consistent in their hypocrisy. The ideas of this religion do not improve or enrich. Instead they are destructive, to the person, to the society, to the culture- all levels.
The behaviour of its adherents come down to demands on everyone else to change their lives, or else. All others must reduce their standard of living, or else. If all others don’t obey the hectoring shrieking demands of the believers, then the whole world will be destroyed. It is the end times! And it is all irrational stories. Still, none of this is new. This sort of end-of-the-world stuff has existed for a very long time in various forms. This version is really, really silly though. It is out there!
Repent ye! The sky is falling!
We are still in a financial crisis since 2008. They need to save banks, again, this time under the guise of climate fear mongering to fool the masses into an austerity.
Watch Michael Moore’s documentary “Planet of the Humans”, this explains the harm by banksters promoted green energy is causing to the environment:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zk11vI-7czE
The solution is for you to stop going online and start living in the wilderness, and leave the rest alone with your green nazi ideology which is not green at all.
Someone at the MOA compared empire to train wreck. The locomotive has long since struck an obstacle, but all those mighty wagons in the composition are still moving towards destruction and nothing and no one can stop them. And it goes on and on … What a man can do ‘Just take cover and watch. This comparison could also apply to a part of humanity. The same one that brought this world to the brink. I understand what Putin is saying but I do not understand how the conservatism that led to the two world wars can help in the spiritual restructuring of present-day humanity. Most people want to watch sports, drink beer and eat steaks, women their creams and shoes. Capitalism, socialism, and others * .sm create euphoria and the illusion of wealth on the one hand, and on the other a constant hunger in the eyes of man and fear that he might lose everything. A small part of humanity for whom creation is not conditioned by hoarding money could be called the light of the future. All these others will not create anything if they do not get paid. And these “others” will always remain the same, regardless of social or economic arrangement. As I understand it, Putin is not talking about anything new. The goals are always the same. And goals will always condition a person’s behavior. He is the president and he is guided only by the interests of the Russian Federation. I never had the feeling he was doing something from the heart. As successful and reasonable as he is and has given us probably a minimum of a decade of peace, I have to admit that my instinct doesn’t like him. According to me, he walks a very thin line between deep wisdom and cowardice. Of the people who hold the strings of peace, Hassan Nasrallah is much dearer to me.
Putin: “They do not even bother to consult with child psychologists – is a child at this age even capable of making a decision of this kind?”
…but Putin, they did consult their child psychologist, like they did with (Rachel) Levine who was a child psychologist before he himself decided to transform (literally!) into the first transwoman in US government as under secretary of health!
It is all very well to say that ‘revolutions never do any good’, but if you have a power structure completely impervious to expulsion via the common will, then it is revolutions or nothing.
Of course, the nature of revolution is what matters. The more blood that is split, the worse it might be. But Putin needs to address what he does about genocidal murderers after a blood-less coup. The West is full of them, as he well knows, since Russia has had to clear up quite a lot of the mess caused by them.
Europe and the USA, along with Canada, Australia and New Zealand, have lost all semblance of connection to the electors. Elections are rigged, oligarchs control ‘representatives’ and widespread criminal looting of the public commons is now endemic.
And Putin thinks that such people answer to logic?
They answer to strength and they answer to becoming totally impoverished.
They have no problems resorting to violence.
It may be very noble to sacrifice yourself to murderers through non-violent approaches, but I am telling you now that Gandhi would have lasted 5 minutes in Berlin in 1938.
Non-violent non-cooperation works when those in power still retain vestiges of conscience.
When that has gone, it is as useless as voting in elections.
Read what Mandela and his ANC colleagues concluded after a generation of non-violence in South Africa….
The people behind the collapse of the West must be ruthlessly exposed, ruthlessly hunted down and 100% of their illicitly obtained wealth expropriated from them. They are the reason that the financial systems are in meltdown.
Their wealth can restore the balance.
By taking it all away from them…..
Thanks to Saker for the running commentary… and do agree with your view (and augusto’s below) about the peculiarity of VVP’s comments on revolutions. First, it is easy to judge after the fact and/or theoretically; second, revolutions typically happen because people have been oppressed for too long and have no other way to get redress – so it is irrelevant if we think they are bad or good – they just are.
They happen because of a confluence of pressures and conditions that lead to a societal explosion. There is little doubt that Russian people had been oppressed for centuries by the gentry and there was no way out. But still, the Oct. revolution might not have happened without events around WWI. Yes, they are violent and lead to
destruction; unfortunately, those with power rarely give it up voluntarily.
I doubt that Cubans in late 1950s would have benefitted from more patience…
Thank you Saker, your comments helped to understand Putin’s speech more clearly.
The Saker: “I fully expect the reaction to these words by Putin to mimic the hysterics in the Unz comments section: impotent rage, personal hatred, hysterical flagwaving, and a barrage of unoriginal insults. None of that noise will affect the outcome, not in the least. Uncle Shmuel and his Empire are dead, they only appear alive due to momentum (and superb brainwashing in Zone A) and another world order, one in which the West will play a secondary role, at best, is being formed before our eyes.”
The Saker is absolutely correct: none of that noise will affect the outcome.
How can it? Emotion cannot affect objective reality.
How can 0.2 billion Americans decide for the other 7.0 billion people what life is going to look like? It is like saying 3% of the world decides for the other 97%. Is that how “democracy” looks like?
No. America is not qualified to speak for the world, no matter how noisily they scream.
Humanity will see a historic first: a new, more humane, more multi-polar world order, without bullying by the West.
Excellent commentary Andrei. Excellent!
Cheers from France.
Russia is an exporter of oil gas and agricultural products etc Could be tricky in future to balance what Russia may need for its own survival with strategic reserves eg no further grain exports if there is world crisis against the requests from outside Russia. Eg a possible indication ..Moldova demands cheap gas but has not payed hundreds million for gas debt. Gazprom has said pay up at least something with a new contract. And if it cannot? Gas off…..possibly in most extreme circumstances would Russia consider to go hunkering down into survivalist “prepper” mode…particularly as Pres Putin some years ago said he would protect Russian culture and will do everything to continue that as promised in this speech….?Hmmmmm.
@JJ
The EU-ros love to be slap bitches of the Anglo-Zionists – they simply cannot understand a tame Russia. European Elites are deranged (Dutroux anyone ?) by design – it’s an open secret. So probably Russia should start acting as the supreme bitch slapper, could result in much admiration (just watch some Ramstein to get a feel for it..).
In the case of Moldova they were bought/forced by the EU, thus Russia should hit extra hard (not Moldavia) but instead Brussels and Berlin.
In any case there should be noticeable difference in hardship for the Leadership compared to the one of the people they trample on – and the problem would evaporate in no time.
For any standards VVP is an extraordinary thinker, with a broad view of the whole forest and not only of a few trees, a gift of his keen spirit and of decades long position of power.
But of course not all of his statements can be easily accepted for their face value.
I cannot be easily convinced that ”no revolution is worth the damage” it will cause or the fallout it produces in a longer term. But mainly because the oppressed people of the world cannot wait for ages for a NelsonMandela or a Mahatma Ghandi.
And further, no one can convince the egyptians that Gamal Nasser was not a revolution for them
if you only put yourself within the skin of Egyptians under the eternally rotten Monarchy they had under the auspices of the London masters.
Vielen Dank, dass Sie sich die Zeit genommen haben, diese auch aus meiner Sicht wahrhaft epochale Rede zu interpretieren und zu kommentieren und damit einer großen Zahl von Menschen deren Bedeutung zugänglich gemacht zu haben!
Mögen Sie und Ihre Familie gut durch die nun von uns ALLEN zu bewältigenden schweren Zeiten kommen!
Ich hoffe inständig, dass Ihre Stimme weit darüber hinaus zu vernehmen sein wird.
Grüße aus Ostdeutschland.
Yandex Translation:
Thank you for taking the time to interpret and comment on this truly epoch-making speech, also from my point of view, and thus making its meaning accessible to a large number of people!
May you and your family get through the hard times that ALL of us are going through!
I sincerely hope that your voice will be heard far beyond that.
Greetings from East Germany.
President Putin better watch out, because Ukraine can terminate the Russian Federation… (HAHAHAHA!)
https://www.rt.com/russia/538367-zelensky-warns-kremlin-russia/
To Dick Lenning
Well, under this Saker’s post I think I will have to add something as well. Your comment has resonated with me, like you, I was laughing my head off when I came across this “statement” from some Ukranian w*nker! They do exist there in some strange, make believe “reality” that only they can perceive.. : )
“1000 years of western imperialism, violence and intolerance: “when WE do it, it is good, because we are good” – and that is dogma.”
1000 years of heresy and anti-Christ. The main danger of heresy is that it looks so much like the real thing and so it attracts and fools many.
But the Church teaches that we have never had nor will we ever have utopia on earth. We were a mess before the Western heresy and we will be so after. So we fight the passions and devil one day at a time to bring as much light into the world as possible. Exposing the Western heresy/empire is a good fight – it is a true enlightenment that will help save many – but the overall struggle will continue to the end of the world.
Andrei, or anyone else,
Can you share a time link to the following passage:
“Second. The socioeconomic problems facing humankind have worsened to the point where, in the past, they would trigger worldwide shocks, such as world wars or bloody social cataclysms. Everyone is saying that the current model of capitalism which underlies the social structure in the overwhelming majority of countries, has run its course and no longer offers a solution to a host of increasingly tangled differences.”
I’m watching the speech but cannot find this part in particular.
Thanks.
Plenary Session at the 18th Annual Meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuSlhA5INM0
9:21
This speech of President Putin deeply impressed me after first and hurried reading, having no patience to wait to the next paragraph. A first class thriller.
As for me, it is not just an analysis, or diagnose of the sickness, but also a final word, last message, a warning, a sign of readiness to face all that might come on, although it was said very politely, in regard to how the situation is urgent and serious.
I am sure that the other side, the addressee, will hear the message, will understand it, but it will be not capable to unchain itself from self-enchained chains, being overwhelmed by huge inertia, accumulated for decades (centuries?).
Thank the God the Russians have such a Statesman, better to say we have such a Statesman, accompanied by his Chinese counterpart.
The Saker’s comments, especially conclusion resonate with my thoughts.
I am going to read the speech again, carefully, word by word, (masochistically) enjoying in the portrait of Lovely New World I live in.
“Western capitalism is all about individualism. It is based on the notion that the sum of our greeds will result in the best human society possible. Of course, this is a lie, and while it does force people to work hard motivated either by greed (the rich) or survival (the poor), it cannot generate a society, a civilization, which can act together against a common threat: everybody pulls the blanket to himself, that is all there is to the so-called “western civilizational values”: the rest is just ideological prolefeed for the deceived masses.”
_____
I agree 100%.
There is only one way of behaving — one concept — that is going to save the human race from itself. I spelled it out in a comment on one of Saker’s great articles he published on Jan. 7, 2021 entitled “Nativity of our Lord and Open Thread”.
/nativity-of-our-lord-and-open-thread/#comment-893782
President Putin is at his best. And, The Saker has added extra commentary so appropriately!
Two specific issues are worth mentioning:
Firstly, Putin’s speech contains sweeping generalisation about 1917 to 1991 period. Agreed, this is not a speech that targets internal audience. But generalizations like “Bolsheviks wanted communalising women” ignore the basic contradictions of the then Russian society (while Bourgeois Women’s Lib movement was gaining ground, Bolsheviks couldn’t mobilise women for industrial work, the other contradiction was 1918 women’s lib policies broke down family relations that prompted Stalin to reverse it)…
Secondly, ruling party has been steadily building a political narrative of ‘patriotic nationalism’ for past two decades. While the party steered clear of fake political narratives till date, by no means it is guaranteed that there won’t be such attempts by the Zionist-capitalist world order in near future. Before end of this decade, there needs to be a robust ideological narrative added to the current one – otherwise the void will be used by the hungry hyenas!
I find it really disturbing that someone at the level of Putin puts so much emphasis to the matter of gender. It sounds nearly religious. I wouldn’t go as far as the gender extremists but I’m happy to live in a time where gender is regarded as a social construct, just an heritage, nothing to do with the nature of the beings it pretends to tag. Perhaps it’s just me for taking the experience of life as a constant exploration and discovery. It’s not math where 1+1 will always be 2 as far as we know, it’s change. Neither is for the right of changing genders (I wouldn’t do, not even for 100 billion dollars, I find it nonsensical, I’m what I’m, I don’t want to be anything different than what I’m), it’s just for the right to have the best assessment as possible of that matter (gender) or any other equally regarded as “a time-tested tradition”. My best tested traditions are: respect life, help those in need, keep an open mind.
That said, I now feel curious about that “Bolshevik dogmatism”. I didn’t imagine this had precedents in history.
And I find it disturbing to read that you find “nearly religious” sounds disturbing.
Are you sure you are on the right blog here?
I think you got here by mistake.
Cheers
Andrei
I’m here for the geopolitical analysis and views, been here for several years now for that reason. I learn here.
I happily accept other people taking religion, or any other belief, as a way of life, as long as that doesn’t become a dogmatic matter because when that happens you end up hitting a politician after your wife was vaccinated by a male nurse (at least that’s what they said for his reason). I have an advantage which is not having the urge nor the need of taking a clear stance (as Putin has to do), and not having a criminal (and dogmatic) empire (or a complete West) to confront, as Putin has to loudly do (which I’m happy he’s doing). Only because I’m not a public person. I accept it. It’s easier for me. Also Putin may be speaking to an East I don’t know, and his reference to gender and some cultural practices of the West are an appropriate political tool for a speech, even though the West have tons of matters far worse to criticize. But perhaps those topics help him to gather some more eastern support, which I’d understand in this context of aggressiveness toward the East. I’m not a conservative, I’m a helpless seeker.
Please read the moderation rule #5
As for Putin, he is not the one constantly talking about homosexuals, it’s the western media
Andrei
I think you should be aware that there are quite a few of us who come here for the political analysis without having any religious commitment. 95% of the time it makes no difference, but i admit that it does limit the scope for me to recommend the site to others.
Sadly (also stupidly) most of the younger generation in the west are firmly “woke” and railing against it will not change things. Your political analysis is fantastic but i know the anti woke stuff would scare them (eg my much loved kids) well away.
My own personal view is that it is a very minor issue which the elites of our society use to distract the decent caring and thoughtful younger generation from the world’s real problems – and it works. I make no secret about being on the left and it is tragic to see the energy our forefathers used to get decent wages and working conditions, free speech etc being twittered away on a very minor issue eg gay marriage.
Unlike you I do not regard homo-sexuality as unnatural since there are plenty of examples of the practice in the animal world. Moreover i can think of a very plausible biological rationale for such behaviour, and I would expect it to be more common in communities under threat, especially of war or inter-tribal violence or perhaps where hunting fishing is very dangerous eg sea going fishermen. To put simply in any society where survival depends upon a lot of men to keep the community safe, having a good portion of the males gay means they will not be squabbling over the women.
On the other hand i think we could be in full agreement regarding transgenderism, which i regard as deranged and dangerous. I exclude of course that small number of people who are born with in-determinant gender and i guess that weird island in the Pacific somewhere where many presumed girls actually turn into boys at puberty. Now i have no problem with clothing being gender neutral etc or people wearing what they choose, but I draw the line at surgical or chemical intervention. Moreover i think the real issue is that people who feel the need to change gender are deeply, deeply unhappy people who regardless of a sex change are volatile and vulnerable. I think the same about people who want to change their skin colour, increase their height, use steroids to look more masculine or be stronger as well and many who overdose on plastic surgery. I use the term overdose cautiously because i guess some interventions eg orthodontics, correcting a hare lip or adjusting a really ugly nose are acceptable but i admit it is a fine line.
It is not true that most young people in the west are woke, wokeness is not a thing among the working and macho class, it is a thing among the “sitting”, “sissy” and “boring” class who sit all day long living a useless live in an office, never done anything with their hands and all they are capable of is practicing office politics.
I think you should be aware that there are quite a few of us who come here for the political analysis without having any religious commitment. 95% of the time it makes no difference, but i admit that it does limit the scope for me to recommend the site to others.
This is why I am recommending to those who came here by mistake to go to other blogs, of which there are plenty.
I don’t care one bit about number, I care about reading the right kind of people.
Well I think that to scare people away detracts from the absolutely excellent and very much needed analysis this site provides is sad. I might add that there are NOT very many other sites, especially on all matters Russian. We are a little better served for sites on China but on Russia there is practically nothing in the west.
Moreover those sites there are are under threat – Information Clearing House is/was fabulous but with Tom’s illness it probably has limited time horizon.
The emphasis on gender has nothing to do with religion but everything to do with common sense and/or culture; nordic peoples were always predisposed to gender bending since ancient times. Also, gender bending is not a thing among the working class only among the “sitting” class and the mentally ill.
Dave
What do you mean Nordic people and gender bending – I guess you mean Norse gods etc who were a bit tranny, but ever been to the middle east – lots of young boys dressed as dancers there. As for tranny being middle class office, what nonsense – British popular low brow comedy is absolutely full of men dressed as women etc. Certainly not the sole province of the educated office workers.
The fact that people from more working class backgrounds are less open about being gay or gender bending is not because it is not reality there, but simply that they do not have the financial resources to indulge their fancies.
People who work with their brains but not hands are often insane, that is why you will find lots of transgenders working in IT.
You won’t find many crossdressers among farmers that is for sure.
Working with your hands is healthy for your brain, sitting all day long and thinking is not healthy for your brain.
Well, to Andrei I would simply say, cults historically are dismissive of fragility in complex systems. They are focused on the means to ends. Do you have any ends?
I would simply say
Indeed you did.
That is also why you conflated “religion” and “cults”
Next time, try to read and understand first.
In case you did not know I put here the last statement coming from ukraine and reported by RT.
Speaking to the Dom TV network, Alexey Arestovich warned the Kremlin that his country would soon have the ability to hit the Russian capital with its missiles. Arestovich serves as an adviser to the office of Ukraine’s leader Volodymyr Zelensky.
“Putin will get to the point, in the foreseeable future, where Ukrainian missiles will be aimed at Moscow, and for one simple reason: we are working on a missile program,” he explained. “And our operational-tactical missiles will be able to reach Moscow.” In Arestovich’s opinion, the Russian Army is already aware of Ukraine’s military capabilities, and the heads of the armed forces are telling the Kremlin that an attack on Ukraine “would be the end of the Russian army and the end of the Russian Federation.”
“This is an absolutely losing option. They cannot fail to understand that,” he added. “And when they scare us with an invasion, an expansion, a hint of threats – it’s a bluff.”
These crazy and reckless statements from ukraine are sulery coordinated from washington and come after the UK was reported in negociations with kiev for the supply of cruise missiles to ukraine.
In a related news reported by southfront I learnt the US sent the third batch of military support to kiev in October. Apparently we are talking about anti tank guided missiles (javelins or tows). In another article I also learnt that the UK is apparently in talks with kiev to supply cruise missiles to the ukrainian armed forces.
This looks like preparations for escalation possibly in the donbass and maybe in other places also. We may get in spring 2022 the war we miraculously avoided in spring 2021. At least it s a possibility. Nord stream 2 pipeline will be finished which means ukraine is losing its gas transit status which means the usefulness of this country for the west is close to 0. Ukraine has become a complete mess and a big problem. Nato doesn’t want to deal with that problem so throwing ukraine to Russia to force Russia to deal with the “ukrainian problem” could be an idea nato considers.
The Putin-biden summit in Geneva gave nothing. Nato s actions lead to a complete collapse of Russia-nato relations. To conduct negociations the US recently sent nuland to Moscow which means they don’t want to negociate anything. There is also the last statement from nato about its master plan to confront Russia in the baltic states and in the black sea. There is also the German defence minister who had the crazy idea to publicly say that nato must be ready to use nukes to deter Russia. Plus the US state department decided to label Russians as “homeless nationality” putting another blow in almost non existant US-Russia bilateral relations.
The main picture I get from all of this is that nato is stuck in a stalemate and western countries do not want to talk do not want to negociate and do not want to make any concessions. I may be overreacting but honestly I don’t see how this extremely tense situation created by western countryies can end well if they keep acting in the same way and it’s unlikely they decide to change anything.
Calm down, Laurent.
You’re merely listening to a bunch of loud, smelly drunkards on a park bench passing around the bottle, heartily cheering on each other. As for their witty Ukro ’intellectual’ (or whatever creature he is), Alexey Arestovich, he might well be awarded the Nobel peace prize alongside Jens Stoltenberg.
Verdict: Nothing to worry about here. Just a bunch of faeces-tossing animals.
I perfectly understand your point that’s why I said that I was possibly overreacting.
The main issue is not the fact that they say crazy things the main issue is that they also do crazy things.
Doing FONOPs close to Russia is ridiculous and reckless and they do not achieve anything but they are doing FONOPs anyway. Giving kiev atgms and some cruise missiles won’t save ukraine in case of war with Russia but they do that anyway. Expelling Russian diplomats and triggering the collapse of nato-Russia relations in not making them stronger or safer and they did that anyway.
Do you see the pattern? Because I do. There must be people inside nato who actually believe their BS and that’s what I worry about.
Alexey Arestovich
Yeah, I heard his interview too. But, let’s be honest, even by Ukronazi standards he is a total nutcase. Not that his words should be dismissed, but they are just a sign of how disconnected from reality the Nazis in Kiev are. In other words, that is a manifestation of their impotence.
That being said, I am becoming convinced that the US will throw these clueless Ukies against Russia sooner or later.
Also, there will be a need for a real de-nazification of the Ukraine, something which Russia can do in the far eastern provinces, but the rest of the pest-control will fall on the Ukrainian people who, right now, think that by voting for peace they will get it. They won’t.
I don’t see how this can be resolved without a violent explosion or an explosion of violence :-(
But Russia won’t sacrifice her sons to clean these stables…
Excellent speech by Putin and comments by you Andrei. Putin’s message and actions are resonating worldwide in the global south: Bolivia is one country emerging along with Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua to lead the new/ancient life support systems rooted with pride in core indigenous values and strong family ties. Evo Morales’s many interviews and speeches show how Putin’s words are alive and growing throughout Latin America: ““We have been in resistance for 500 years and we have to regain political power,” the MAS leader emphasized. “In Bolivia we have been able to keep out promise… we are not ethnic groups, we are nations; we do not have dialects, we have languages. It is something unique that the indigenous movement leads this initiative of vindication.”
https://orinocotribune.com/evo-morales-plurinational-america-not-compatible-with-imperialism/
What I personally find most important in Mr. Putin’s speech (and I believe so does he as he cites the point as being first);
“Firstly, climate change and environmental degradation are so obvious that even the most careless people can no longer dismiss them……………. It sometimes seems that any geopolitical, scientific and technical, or ideological rivalry becomes pointless in this context, if the winners will have not enough air to breathe or nothing to drink.”
Unfortunately, this core issue to the future of mankind seems to get swept over by other matters really quite trivial. There is a big climate change conference coming up which I understand neither Putin, nor China’s leader will attend; most probably because it will consist of more Western bla bla bla. But if any leader of a country with hydrocarbon fuel resources is truly serious on the issue, they would be cutting back production, letting prices rise, and allocating what fuel is produced only to those peoples with true needs (like heating homes and such rather than to those Europeans and others building and driving big fancy cars and such.) Right now worldwide plans are only to further increase oil production. May Putin be so bold of a leader to reverse the trend?
‘The western unsinkable Titanic is sinking, but the orchestra is still playing, very loudly’
These days I’m increasingly reminded of C.P. Cavafy’s poem ‘Waiting for the Barbarians’.
What are we waiting for, assembled in the forum?
The barbarians are due here today.
Why isn’t anything going on in the senate?
Why are the senators sitting there without legislating?
Because the barbarians are coming today.
What’s the point of senators making laws now?
Once the barbarians are here, they’ll do the legislating.
Why did our emperor get up so early,
and why is he sitting enthroned at the city’s main gate,
in state, wearing the crown?
Because the barbarians are coming today
and the emperor’s waiting to receive their leader.
He’s even got a scroll to give him,
loaded with titles, with imposing names.
Why have our two consuls and praetors come out today
wearing their embroidered, their scarlet togas?
Why have they put on bracelets with so many amethysts,
rings sparkling with magnificent emeralds?
Why are they carrying elegant canes
beautifully worked in silver and gold?
Because the barbarians are coming today
and things like that dazzle the barbarians.
Why don’t our distinguished orators turn up as usual
to make their speeches, say what they have to say?
Because the barbarians are coming today
and they’re bored by rhetoric and public speaking.
Why this sudden bewilderment, this confusion?
(How serious people’s faces have become.)
Why are the streets and squares emptying so rapidly,
everyone going home lost in thought?
Because night has fallen and the barbarians haven’t come.
And some of our men just in from the border say
there are no barbarians any longer.
Now what’s going to happen to us without barbarians?
Those people were a kind of solution.
Thanks a lot for this, Saker, already forwarded to all actual intelligent acquaintances.
I am increasingly in awe of the degree to which most people I know live in an orthogonal universe here in the zone A… Their incapacity to even conceive the world is really becoming multipolar *now* is astounding. For them, everything outside the EU and the AUKUS is just different degrees of “Africa”. The basic notion of an amazing amount of culture being created right now everywhere in the zone B is just uncomprehensible, not to mention the need for us to be exposed and learn from it.
That said, I find this passage very intriguing:
“By the way, recent developments have shown that global digital platforms – with all their might, which we could see from the internal political processes in the United States – have failed to usurp political or state functions. These attempts proved ephemeral. The US authorities, as I said, have immediately put the owners of these platforms in their place, which is exactly what is being done in Europe, if you just look at the size of the fines imposed on them and the demonopolisation measures being taken. You are aware of that.”
So, “have failed to usurp political or state functions” prompts me to the Voltaire Network recent articles of Zuckerberg plotting to be US president in the past, and to the amazing power these private companies permeated by the NSA do have on all western citizens. Fair enough.
But, I really don’t have a clue on the part “The US authorities, as I said, have immediately put the owners of these platforms in their place, which is exactly what is being done in Europe”.
My personal impression is the total opposite: Silicon Valley private tech companies posing as “graceful philantropic providers of free global social networks” are doubling down on the oligarch obliteration of the Western middle class and their complete takeover of our puppet politicians.
Can somebody please delve on VVP’s paragraph?
Where Putin disappoints is climate change and the pandemic. He is wrong there, but so is everyone else in power. Otherwise he has always been an amazing example of intelligence and reason.
Thank you for the thorough examination and for the comments. I enjoyed also to watch the actual speech, but this version was even better!
Great analysis as always.
I was surprised about the false statements about Marx honestly. Maybe Putin is starting to consider the communist party a real rival.
It looks that it is still a long way until we’ll bury ‘Marxism’. Russia took already the first steps. It remains for her to bury ‘Leninism’ as well. Actually to bury the mummy of Lenin. The ‘mausoleum’ should be cleansed and rededicated as a shrine for the ‘Royal Martyrs’.
“By the way, the Bolsheviks were absolutely intolerant of opinions other than theirs.”
I think Mr Putin is clearly indicating the source of the problem throughout his address.
The Bolsheviks are still with us of course.
No other minority needs nominating. They are the play things of the Bolshies.
It would be useful if one day we could agree on who and what causes all this division and why.
It is rare indeed for a world leader to be so close to saying it.
President Putin speech cover important actual global issues,,
It’s a direct and clear speech.
Will assist serious analysis in our chaotic world,
The comments and notes of Andrei Saker are of great assistance.
Yily 🌎Citizen
« Russia could have dealt with its problems gradually and in a civilised manner . But revolutionary shocks led to the collapse and disintegration of a great power »
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evolutionarily_stable_strategy
Could someone push this knowledge of natural laws ( universal, physics ) to Putin ?
Any stable system can only change in two non-mutually-exclusive ways : inside chaos or outside force.
If WW3 doesn’t go kinetic , “The Free World ™” will change by inside chaos , like USSR did.
… CIA instill chaos everywhere since ever to 1- prevent democracy (stability) and 2- render modeling easy (outside force) ( US fails at modeling for being failed itself )