Putin’s ‘Russian Spring’ Idea was Invented by Russian Fascists in 1920s

Putin’s ‘Russian Spring’ Idea was Invented by Russian Fascists in 1920s

Staunton, July 30 – Commentators in Moscow and the West ever more frequently draw parallels between Vladimir Putin’s ideas and actions and those of fascist regimes in the first part of the 20th century, but few have focused on the fact that one of the Kremlin leader’s most-cherished ideas, that of the ‘Russian Spring,’ was invented by a Russian fascist in the 1920s.

In a blog post, Pavel Pryannikov corrects that gap, pointing out that “the ‘Russian Spring’ in fact is not an invention of the present time” but rather that this “synthesis of fascism, Stalinism, Russian Nationalism and Orthodoxy” was invented by Aleksandr Kazem-Bek, a leading theoretician of Russian fascism in the 1920s.

While the more familiar Eurasian movement represented the first attempt to “combine corporatist (proto-fascist) and Bolshevik ideas,” he writes, “far more popular” among White Russians were the ideas of the Young Russians (Mladorossy) whose intellectual leader was Aleksandr Kazem-Bek.

Many people may not be aware that a lot of these "Christian Orthodox" nationalists in Russia are also Bolsheviks. Some of them even call themselves "National Bolsheviks," which basically means National Socialist but somehow avoiding the Nazi stigma. Current Russian ideology that is being created in Russia is a convergence of Red and Brown ideas, a combination of extreme nationalism, internationalist communism, Orthodoxy (at least, on the surface) and a revived Stalinism.

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From the article:

“... this “synthesis of fascism, Stalinism, Russian Nationalism and Orthodoxy” was invented by Aleksandr Kazem-Bek, a leading theoretician of Russian fascism in the 1920s.”

Hmmmm. And the early supporters of such ideas met in Berlin in 1933 per the caption of the picture in the article. Hmmmm. It sounds more like a sequel to “Springtime for Hitler and Germany.” Mel Brooks, call your office. Vladimir can play the part Dick Shawn played in the movie.

In fact a leader of a Russian national-bolshevic party is an American national, he is a member of so-called ‘oppressed’ opposition in Russia. He served some time for a possession of a stock of fully-auto weapons and explosives hoarded to overthrow Putin’s government.
He is not any part of Russian mainstream elites but certainly has a degree of popular support and are actively using Putin’s indecisiveness on Ukraine to portrait his government as a bunch of weaklings for their lack of direct intervention.
Weaklings aren’t valued high in that part of the world and Putin is certainly between a rock and a hard place with sanctions and natsbols actively agitating against him on both sides.

As for Kazem Bek I have never heard about him but I find an idea of Russian Nazi with Turkish name ridiculous.

Weaklings aren’t valued high in that part of the world and Putin is certainly between a rock and a hard place with sanctions and natsbols actively agitating against him on both sides.

It is quite clear these National Bolsheviks, both the ones described as "ultraleftists" and the ones described as "ultrarightists" (though I'm not sure of the difference), have the support of the regime in Russia. They are put on state run Russian TV, they operate in cooperation with the GRU, and they even act as spokesman for Putin with the separatists. As for Kazem Bek I have never heard about him but I find an idea of Russian Nazi with Turkish name ridiculous.

And yet, there he is. But these are Russkie fascists/Bolshevists. That doesn't mean they're exactly like German National Socialists.

~It is quite clear these National Bolsheviks, both the ones described as “ultraleftists” and the ones described as “ultrarightists” (though I’m not sure of the difference), have the support of the regime in Russia. They are put on state run Russian TV, they operate in cooperation with the GRU, and they even act as spokesman for Putin see with the separatists. As for Kazem Bek I have never heardw about him but I find an idea of Russian Nazi with Turkish name ridiculous.~

American definition of left and right wing are too straightforward, maybe even primitive.

European (including Russian) far-right might be right wing on immigration, homosex and abortion but at the same time be in love with nanny welfare state.

Also in domestic policies foreign governments are usually more flexible and not as much straightforward. Their idea is to please every group within population and for that reason it is usually addressing the most influential groups at the time. How do you think Putin is able to gain over 80% rating?Natsbols are certainly a dangerous adversary for a current government, they were close to mainstream some 10 to 15 years ago on a wave of popular sentiments over indecisiveness of Russian government over Kosovo, but Putin has effectively ruined them by about late 2000s. There was a series of racist killings, a few skinhead gangs were indicted with show trials and all the anti-racist hysteria in media, natsbol leaders were smeared as at least spiritual leaders of anti-immigrant murderers, some were jailed themselves etc.
Right now, with all the crap flying about Ukraine, natsbols has their points back. With all the patriotic fever boiling around with these sanctions Putin is not in a position to attack ‘patriots’ because people would start to question him. It is certainly a time for his government to be flexible and at least covertly to play in support of these forces.

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