Vadimir Putin Sits Atop a Crumbling Pyramid of Power

[chocolatpi]

An excellent article that begins with a history going back to the 1600’s. I’ve included only a snip at the end of a very long and worthwhile read, imo.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/vladimir-putin-sits-atop-a-crumbling-pyramid-of-power/ar-AAUmGHH

GuardianUK
Vadimir Putin Sits Atop a Crumbling Pyramid of Power
2/27/22
Vladimir Sorkin
...snip
Putin’s inner monster wasn’t just brought up by our Pyramid of Power and the corrupt Russian elite, to whom Putin, like the tsar to the satraps, throws fat, juicy bits of corruption from his table.

It was also cultivated by the approval of irresponsible western politicians, cynical businessmen, and corrupt journalists and political scientists.
“A strong and consistent ruler!” This bewitched them. “A new Russian tsar” was, for them, something like Russian vodka and caviar: invigorating!
During this period of time, I met many admirers of Putin in Germany, from taxi drivers to businessmen and professors. One aged participant in the student revolution of ’68 confessed:
“I really like your Putin!”
“And why exactly is that?”
“He’s strong. Tells the truth. And he’s against America. Not like the slugs we’ve got here.”
“And it doesn’t bother you that, in Russia, there’s monstrous corruption, there are practically no elections or independent courts, the opposition is being destroyed, the provinces are impoverished, Nemtsov was murdered, and TV’s become propaganda?”
“No. Those are your internal affairs. If Russians accept all of that and don’t protest, that must mean they like Putin.”
Ironclad logic. The experience of Germany in the ’30s didn’t seem to have taught such Europeans anything.
...snip

[orwell]

1. Thanks! n/m