Conservative Russian philosophers, a bit of tsarism and religious moral concepts from the day before yesterday characterize the behavior of the Russian president.
Vladimir Putin has cobbled together his own ideology over the years. In short: Russia’s moral, genetic and social superiority to be defended against the West.
Core elements are Russian history and patriotism. Putin admires Tsar Peter the Great (1672-1725), who “brought back Russian soil” during the war with Sweden. A well-known argument from the war in Ukraine. and Alexander III. (1845-1894), who gradually expanded the Russian Empire.
Putin and the idea of a democratic dictatorship
Reading Russian philosophers of the 1920s, especially Ivan Ilyin, had a profound influence on Putin. An anti-Bolshevik who greatly enjoyed fascism, but did not approve of his anti-religious orientation in Germany and Italy. Ilyin’s writings were banned in the Soviet Union and Putin came into contact with them in the 1990s.
The statements say that Russia needs an authoritarian form of government, legitimized by religion and history. After the end of the Soviet Union, the West would try to shred and restrain Russia under the pretext of “freedom” and “democracy”. Unless a leader manages to unite the people, defeat the West and restore Russia’s pride.
Ilyin was a Christian fascist, saw the West as decadent, advocated a “democratic dictatorship”, or democracy by acclamation: a ruler elected for a long time. Putin did. Ilyin’s books are considered required reading by the Russian elite.
Russian Orthodoxy: “Awakened” Authority
Another important element is orthodoxy. Putin’s turn on the powerful Russian church began with the Beslan hostage-taking in 2003. Islamic terrorists killed 331 people in a school. Putin saw in Russian orthodoxy the moral authority to ‘untangle’ multi-denominational Russia.
Putin saw the approximately simultaneous pro-Western revolutions in Georgia and Ukraine as confirmation of Ilyin’s theory. Putin believed he had found moral confirmation for his megalomania in 2012/13. Gay marriage is allowed in France and drag queen Conchita Wurst wins the song contest. In response, Putin arouses fears of the end of the traditional family in speeches.
The “Russian World” as Putin’s Big Dream
Megalomania solidified in his ideology, he sees himself as a defender of Russian identity and culture against the West: patriotism, Christian values and the preservation of the traditional family. And thanks to the Putin doctrine he believes he can intervene anywhere in the world, he sees these Russian values in danger. His goal? The creation of a “russki mir”, a “Russian world”.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
