James at Robert Amsterdam blog has emailed me with details of an interesting lecture given earlier this month by Professor Stephen Kotkin, who is Director of the Russian and Eurasian Studies program at Princeton.
The lecture is called ‘Russia under Putin: Toward Democracy or Dictatorship?‘
I haven’t had time to read it yet (I’m packing for a weekend away) but I’m told it’s controversial, so I thought I’d post the link and let you all make up your own minds.
(By the way - I’ve set up a few time-delayed posts to appear across the weekend, so keep checking back for updates).
- What next?
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{ 4 comments }
Sean 03.17.07 at 8:06 pm
Wow Kotkin’s smart. I just finished reading his talk. But I doubt many will be convinced. As he says, “American reportage on Russia generally obsesses about the Kremlin and the leader, Vladimir Putin. Putin dominates U.S. coverage of Russia far more than he dominates Russia. In the bargain, American media rarely quote Russians other than so-called talking heads distant from the high politics being obsessively covered.”
Very true and it explains the one dimensional reductive coverage. It’s no wonder so many English language reporting repeatedly exhumes Soviet corpses. The Cold War tunnel vision is really all most reporters understand, let alone most readers. Mich thanks to Robert Amsterdam and Andy for bringing attention to it.
Heribert Schindler 03.17.07 at 9:48 pm
Kotkin writes in his concluding thoughts:
Everywhere that anti-Americanism is increasing, Russia sees an opportunity for itself to push into the conversation and be involved in adjudicating global issues. So a policy of diminishing anti-Americanism is actually a policy of diminishing Russian influence in the world.
Often anti-Americanism seems to be tied to Russia bashing. On many occasions I think to have noticed that Russia-bashing, which mostly seemd to originate in the USA, resulted in anti-Americanism. I gained the impression that the more Russia is accused of having done something bad or evil by Americans, the more Americans are accused of being even worse, and this not uniquely by Russians.
In reverse this would signify that the more balanced, fair and temperately in dealing with Russia Americans are, the less the negative reaction to America is. So being nice to Russia(ns) reduces anti-Americanism and deminishes Russia’s influence in the world ?
But everybody being nice to Russia would put 450.000 + NGOs in Russia out of business. What will all these unemployed NGOists and Think-Tankers do ? Will they blame America for being unemployed, become anti-American and will boost Russia’s influence by doing so ?
What a vicious circle !
La Russophobe 03.18.07 at 3:28 pm
Wow, Kotkin’s stupid. All three of his premises are ignorant and bogus:
- False assumption #1: that the Kremlin is controlled by one united group. Whereas “Kremlin Inc.” implies a team, united in a collective enterprise, most high Russian officials despise each other. They’re rivals, in charge of competing fiefdoms with overlapping jurisdictions, and they’re trying to destroy each other.
That’s not what “Kremlin Inc.” means. First of all, it’s a play on “Murder Inc.” — fact Kotkin seems to have overlooked. Then, he’s obviously spent not one day inside a corporation, since “rivals, in charge of competing fiefdoms with overlapping jurisdictions, and they’re trying to destroy each other” describes it perfectly. He’s mischaracterized the argument to create a straw man he can destroy.
- False assumption #2: that Russian society is wasting away. Not true - Russia is second in the world (behind the USA) in accepting immigrants, 20-25% of the population is solidly middle class and mostly apolitical, and the dynamicism of these groups contributes to Russia’s under-appreciated stability.
Unbelievable dishonesty. Despite those immigrants, Russia is STILL losing up to 1 million from its population every year, clear proof of the epic nature of its demographic crisis (especially AIDS and below 60 male adult lifespan). What’s more, those immigrants are merely Slavic Russians fleeing parts of the former USSR where they are no longer welcome. When that source dries up, Russia’s demographic crisis will become epidemic.
- False assumption #3: Russia’s assertive and resentful foreign policy is threat. Not exactly - Russia is notoriously clumsy and ineffectual in achieving its foreign policy objectives, Russia is friendless, and Russia is really only threatening to itself.
Russia might very well be incapable of invading Europe because of its own incompetence, but it’s show itself quite capable of providing weapons to Venezuela, nukes to Iran and money to terrorist organizations like Hamas and Hezbollah. And if Russia is weak now, any foold would see now is the time to oppose it, not after waiting to see it become stronger.
Even if that weren’t so, Kotkin apparently has no problem allowing Russia to brutalize its own population whilst he sips tea in Princeton. Not exactly a Russophile, now is he?
Rebecca 03.19.07 at 12:20 pm
First of all, it’s a play on “Murder Inc.” Rather than just meaning Kremlin Incorporated? Jeesh! I missed the subtext in that one.
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