Posted on 03/29/2014 9:48:21 AM PDT by annalex
In some respect Europe is ahead of us because they have genuine longstanding political parties on the right. We don't, and our political efforts go mostly into fighting the GOP rather that making real change. But I agree that in America one finds clearer conservative ideology. On the other hand there are no monarchists to speak of in America, and that is quintessential right wing.
ascendency of the individual over the state (rightism)
That is not "rightism", that is libertarianism. Indeed, that is less in evidence in Europe, but let us not switch definitions. The Right wing implies, for example, nationalism, and the libertarians are barely waking up to the issues such as national borders, and are uncomfortable with nations becoming a part of the political language.
That does not contradict the desire for Ukraine to draw closer to Europe. Prior to the communist revolution the Russians felt that they were a part of Europe in terms of culture if not geography. Many still consider themselves European and are appalled at Putin's Eurasianism. Many ethnic Russians in Ukraine would rather be in Ukraine if Ukraine cleans up its institutions and joins Europe.
Right, -- that is conservatism. But the right wing has a different albeit overlapping spectrum, on one end of which you will find sympathy to authoritarian solutions, such as the Pinochet dictatorship in Chile 40 years ago. More on the topic, the use of force by the rebels in Kiev is certainly right wing, but it is not conservatism.
Putin has done nothing to “fight back at muslims”, quite the opposite. He, for example, opposes the legislation to introduce visa regime on the border of RF with the Muslim neighbors, preferring some idiotic notion of Russia as a multi-ethnic state so that the Muslims become also-Russians.
The Muslim citizens of RF are Putin’s strongest political base. Crimean Tartars are a special case and have their own reasons to want to stay in Ukraine.
Ha. That is, by the way, the slogan or even "the punk prayer" for which some members of Pussy Riots served serious prison time. Always liked the prayer, I pray it myself these days quite often. I should give it some beads on my Rosary.
First, to Putin the phoniness of EU liberalism is no different than the phoniness of the USA ideology. He opposes all of us simply because NATO stands in his way of expansion.
Buchanan, however, wrote about Putin being "one of us" based on some cultural-conservative trends in Russia. That, it is now clear, was a huge mistake.
the Monarchists & supporters of the continuity of established and vested positions are right wing, and almost always Conservative. But Conservatives in countries like the United States & Switzerland, with a long Republican tradition, tend to be Republicans, as well as more sympathetic to a greater degree of social mobility, than those in some of the other European nations.
Thank you, excellent encyclopedic post.
Of course not. The Tartars just asked for their own autonomy. And besides, it is a wrong assumption that the Russian people want to be governed by Putin. Many would prefer Ukraine if it lives up to its promise of becoming a "normal European country", like most usually put it. Others emigrate, -- to the very same Europe.
So does Putin in his speeches. He also not recently called Nicholas II "bloody", a usual Communist slur. So Messrs Le Pen, Geert and Vona, where does Putin stand, Left, far Left or ultra-Left?
Whenever Pinochet is brought up, it should be remembered that this period of authoritarianism was the equivalent of martial law in Chile, and very much a reactionary response to the fact that Cuban-funded guerrillas were trying to turn Chile into a communist state. Pinochet gave up power voluntarily once the threat had been neutralized.
Yes. That is their code word, and it produces saliva.
Putin actually ASKED for his Parliament’s permission before moving on Crimea
Right, but on the other hand, he does not have a truly functioning parliament: the only sizable opposition Putin's United Russia party has is from the Communist Party. All pro-Western forces and all nationalist forces have been marginalized.
this is not about Putin
Of course not -- it is a country that is in large part united with him in the effort to gain back at least some losses of the Cold War. We are, therefore, likely to fight another Cold War.
A population I might add, that under it’s current social policies, will see positive growth over the next generations
The Russian proper population is declining. Maybe thanks to the Asian immigration the overall numbers are not so bad, but for the historical Russia the situation is routinely described as a demographic catastrophe.
I think we should be worrying more about...
Ukraine is not and should not be our next agenda, you are right. However, wisely or not we have taken the role of arbiter and guarantor at the end of the Cold War, and we also are the backbone of NATO, so we cannot just ignore a war in the region.
That was the case before the invasion and annexation of Crimea.
Then reconstructing the USSR would not be a step on that path, yet this is what actually is happening.
they know that communism is a bitter path to follow
A generation of neo-stalinists has emerged in Russia. Don't be so sure.
That is fine; obviously Britain has no vital interests at stake there, -- but I would be concerned if Putin becomes not "the Russian bear" but instead some kind of a hero. That would be very bad for conservatism in Europe, especially now that they are poised for electoral gains.
Yes, you right: it is visibly Eurasianism. The ruling gang in Moscow is very careful not to sound any Soviet-time slogans, especially since COMINTERN was dismantled by the USSR. But I think that, as slogans change, the fundamentals remain: international in scope, anti-national in practice communist movement that recognizes that new times call for new rhetoric.
Indeed, that is what makes Pinochet a true right-wing hero.
“Buchanan, however, wrote about Putin being “one of us” based on some cultural-conservative trends in Russia. That, it is now clear, was a huge mistake.”
That much is clear. AND it is as much a belief in myth to think Putin’s “conservatism” has a principle base similar to American Conservatism - which it does not - as it is to think the EU is not about empire building.
There was no “invasion” of Crimea. The Russians had an Status of Forces agreement with the former Ukraine which was never violated.
With no controlling legal authority in Kiev, the Crimean peninsula held a referendum on their future and chose to become part of Russia.
The entire NATO / EU / IMF construct needs to be revisited. The days of subsidizing European security & prosperity with American blood and treasure are over.
Your claim that the American understanding of “rightism” isn’t the true understanding just points out your fundamental lack of realization that we’re talking about two different political axes here. The term “right” isn’t used in the US in the way that you seem to believe it is. Trying to conflate the European “right” with the American “right” is nonsensical.
I made no such claim. American understanding is tilted toward republicanism and is often confused with libertarianism, but the "right" means pretty much the same thing everywhere: individual autonomy under law, strong national institutions, government limited to points of national interest, pursuing them vigorously.
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