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From The Times

June 5, 2007

Is Putin the bully leading Russia into fascism?

Michael Binyon

There is a nasty smell of Weimar in Russia nowadays. All the talk is of Russia’s need to reassert itself and show the world it is still a great power. On the streets, skinheads and racists beat up foreigners and attack dark-skinned Caucasians. Gays are attacked, liberals jeered and opposition protests forcibly disbanded. At home there is growing intolerance of anything except the government line, while abroad President Putin picks quarrels with his neighbours and threatens his erstwhile Western allies.

Is Putin leading Russia into fascism? That is now the accusation of Western critics. Is it not time, they say, to drop pretences of partnership, stand up to Russian bullying of its neighbourhood, denounce the clampdown on basic freedoms and chuck Russia out of the G8? Those who remember appeasement trumpet the dangers of Western drift.

The historical parallels are inviting, but misleading. This is not Germany in 1920 or even 1932. Yes, Russia has a national humiliation complex, just as Germany did after 1918. But this has been going on for 16 years. Nostalgia for the Soviet Union is not nostalgia for a failed economic system: it is a hankering for the time when Russia was strong, the leader of an empire, a supposed equal of America and a superpower feared abroad. Many still mourn the break-up of the Soviet Union. Many do not accept that Ukraine or Georgia should really be independent.

Until now, however, Russians have had little chance to express this anger. But today, as the money pours in, Western energy chiefs come courting and national incomes are rising again, the Kremlin can give vent to the mood. How dare impoverished Georgia tweak great Russia’s nose, call in US advisers and talk of joining Nato? Why is Estonia free to insult the memory of Russia’s war dead, safe behind the EU fence? Why should Poland indulge historical animosities without paying a price in trade and exports?

There is something now of what Stalin once called “the dizziness of success” – the arrogance of wealth after years of drabness and hardship. Certainly any visit to Moscow confirms this arrogance: wealth conspicuously flaunted, architecture and art as vulgarly flashy as the “new Russians” who commission it, callousness towards the weak and contempt for the honest.

But Russians know that this success is brittle. And national behaviour reflects this, lurching from one extreme to another, from eagerness to be accepted as a responsible Western partner to rage at perceived ingratitude and slights at Western, mainly American, hands.

How much is Putin a moderating force in this maelstrom of frustration and emotion? He certainly has a shrewd grasp of the national mood: from restoring the old Soviet national anthem to his barrack-room abuse of Chechen separatists, he is the articulate, forceful embodiment of mainstream Russian opinion. Little wonder that his popularity ratings are the envy of any Western leader, or that a “draft Putin” movement is attempting to overturn his decision not to defy the Constitution and stand for office again.

Russian nationalism is an old and potent force, however, and Putin has shown little sign of standing against it. He has openly courted the Right. In some areas, including his fervent embrace of the Russian Orthodox Church, this has usefully reconnected Russia to its shattered past traditions.

In others, such as the quasi-official sponsorship of Nashi, the gangs of nationalist youths who harass enemies of the State on command (including the British Ambassador), the connections are more sinister.

Putin is no racist, however. He has not egged on the present mood. The parallels with fascism must not be overdrawn. Russia has always had its skinheads, and Putin has repeatedly denounced the beating-up of foreign students or Azerbaijani market traders (though the attacks have not stopped). He enjoys good relations with Russia’s Jews. He has not allowed his form of nationalism to take on the nastier agenda of Balkan ethnic animosities.

Russia’s G8 partners will wonder how long this new belligerence will last. Some, they must know, is bluff: talk of retargeting Russia’s missiles is intended to frighten Western opinion and put pressure on Washington to scrap its deployment of missiles on former Warsaw Pact territory. Retargeting can quickly be reversed: Boris Yeltsin’s announcement that Russia no longer targeted the West was well received by Western voters, but cut little ice with arms control experts who knew that what mattered was the existence of the missiles rather than their co-ordinates.

Russian arms experts know the US shield is in no way directed at Russia. But public opinion, conditioned by centuries of fears of encirclement, sees it otherwise. It will not accept a symbol of American might on its doorstep (which extends hundreds of miles in the Russian view). Nor will Putin. Again, he reflects the mood.

Many politicians will jump on the nationalist bandwagon in the approach to the parliamentary and presidential elections in 2008. Dr Bobo Lo, the senior Russia analyst at Chatham House, argues that the optimistic scenario would have this wave dying down in a year as a new leader concentrates on the business of government. But the pessimistic alternative is that Russia becomes more prickly as friendly EU leaders change: Berlusconi has gone, Schröder been replaced by the more Russia-sceptic Merkel, Sarkozy (a personal friend of President Saakashvili of Georgia) may be less accommodating than Chirac, and Brown has never had the honeymoon Blair once enjoyed with Putin.

Were the oil price to slump and Russia suddenly become poor, the Weimar ghost might walk again. The hope must be that money will soothe the anger and Russia rein in its nationalists and their frustrations.

Dismissing a writer's arguments on the basis that they represent Anglo-Saxon propaganda isn't racism? That kind of essentialist rhetoric is never helpful Rahul. Discrimination remains a problem in all countries. Mr Binyon was simply pointing out the sporadic racist attacks which are indicative of the problems Russia faces in making the successful transition to a liberal democracy.

Ian, Hobart, Australia

Sadly, Russians have not settled the accounts with their Stalinist past, like Germans have with the Third Reich. Russians only remember their past glory and "greatness" of dominating smaller nations, but refuse to see the flip side of the coin: communist terror, despise of human value, tyranny, worship of the Party and the Generalissimo.

Who would not wish respect for his country as well as himself? Unfortunately, Russians seemingly have difficulty in distinguishing between fear and respect. A drunken, armed lunatic is feared for good reason; yet, respect means something else.

The recent threatening political stunts in Moscow must be seen in the context of the transition of power in 2008 in that "sovereign democracy" (= rule of a nationalist clique). It is only when we begin hearing delusions of "the historical mission of Russia" when genuine reasons of worry emerge for the West.

Hanski, Helsinki, Finland

Typical Anglo-Saxon propoganda...and having lived in the west for a long time I can attest to the fact that racism exists in US/Canada/UK(I lived in all 3). Only difference is that it is far more subtle. To me it makes no difference its about discrimination. Anglo-Saxons are good at demonizing ppl. Be it british in india (demonize hinduism etc) or US demonize islam...Although I am told by many ppl that racism is rampant in Russia..I dont think any anglo-saxon nation has the moral authority to "lecture" others.

Rahul, bombay,

As a student who studied in russia for seven years,i am certain that Russia must be the most racist country in the world.This is no exageration.If you are a person of non europian origin and if you walk along streets of Moscow or St petersburg for one or two weeks,you will be unlucky to understand what i am saying.If you are lucky you will be in hospital with gravious injuries or otherwise you maybe enjoying the after life.It is one of the most uncivilized countries in the world.Attitude wise majority of the people of russia are absolutely dumb.But when we critizise russia due to its nationalism,we must criticize islamits also.I think that growth of extreme nationalism in russia is mainly due to chechen islamists.Both of these phenominens are dangerous for the future of the world.

bobby, trivandrum, india

Nonsense.

In the anti-missile matter, Putin is absolutely correct.

Scientists and statesmen warned the American government that deploying its anti-missile missiles would start a new arms race.

And they were right.

China also is concerned and taking new measures.

A country's nuclear arsenal either means something or it doesn't. Why spend billions to have its deterrent effect eroded? Why is Tony committed to spending many billions on new missile submarines?

Putin's decision is literally unavoidable from the Russian perspective.

Bush's judgment here is as faulty as his judgment about invading Iraq.

Bush is leaving the world a far less safe and secure place than he found it.

John Chuckman, Toronto, Canada

It looks like this article was wrote by man who knows the subject of theoretically. Many places looks artificial. Some of them are funny - "dark-skinned Caucasians". I think that caucasians will be happy to know that author make them dark-skinned. In general article is the next mixture of stock phrases and banalities. I would suggest author before writing such articles to spend several weeks in Russia and learn more about subject.

Alexander, Moscow,

Those who so easily compare the USA and the UK with Russia are simply ignorant of the current level, scope and character of hate crimes in Russia. They just simply do not even understand that these crimes are committed with conniving of Russian officials, with it looks like taciturn support from them, light sentences for these attacks are given in my opinion to encourage them rather than stop these crimes and can be used in political purposes by Russian Government officials.

“Russia can not hold free elections; can not have real true democracy as the fascist might take the power”, thus this is the message that might be used by Russian officials in order to justify authoritarian type of Government in this country. Authoritarian regime in Russia is better than democracy as democracy may bring fascism.

Amuras, Odessa, Ukraine

So, why Korsica, Baskonia, Flandria, Quebek & Kalifornia can't be independent?

Alex, Saint-Petersburg, Russia

______________
I hope they can. Technically, however, it is because the right to their self-determination is not in the constitutions of France, Spain, Belgium, Canada and the USA, as it was the case with the USSR constitution which contained this right for Ukraine, for example. On the personal level I would suggest that you forget about Ukraine. Why dwell on something which is gone forever. Get real - you have very few friends left in Ukraine and Georgia. I think, maybe even less than in balalayka and samovar obsessed France and Germany.

Olek, Kyiv, Ukraine

I have had the pleasure of visiting Russia many times and have good friends there.
After President Regan's time there was a great sence of relief that the cold war was over. They honestly thaught they had one the cold war. All their efforts went into meeting the threat and they came out of it poorer, but unlike the USA without a mountanus national debt. All they wish now is to be a democratic and prosperous nation.

Russia is very disapointed in the US's and the UK's unwarented critisism and mounting hostility. What else is Russia to do to meet this insulting behaviour towards them ? Lie back and show servitude ?

This new shield is, in my opinion, only needed to fuel the greed of the US armaments industries and to create a national "fear" to try to unite the populous behind the "flag".

It is the US that wants the return of thecold war - nobody else.

EL, Arendal, Norway

"Were the oil price to slump and Russia suddenly become poor, the Weimar ghost might walk again. " I am bored to death with these all frights. Russia revives and this does not give the West any rest. The West got accustomed to the situation when Russia plays a role of beggar. See the comment of 50+. This is simply ridiculous. Now Putin in 8 years made of Russia one modern country and God bless him.
By the way much of oil dollars returns to the West by buying industrial and consumers’ goods and this stimulate also the Western economy. And the West has to thank Putin! Be objective.

Eskin, The Hague,

Well, "Many do not accept that Ukraine or Georgia should really be independent"... So, why Korsica, Baskonia, Flandria, Quebek & Kalifornia can't be independent?

Alex, Saint-Petersburg, Russia

Russia has post empire stress disorder. This is easily remedied by an army counsellors.

Merv, Scarborough, uk

As a 50 + year old I have known nothing else for my brief time on this planet, the assurance & the capacity of Russia and The west to deliver mutual assured destruction by atomic warfare. I have never been stupid enough to assume that because of the fall of the USSR that the capacity of Mutual Assured Destruction ever passed. It takes only a tweak of the command systems of the major powers to reinstate the prospect. I find it a fantastic and stupid comment from Putin to assert that somehow he will possibly have to retrain his missiles of mass destruction back onto Europe !. They were never trained off of us in the first place !!!. "Dont bother Putin it wont be worth it" If Russia thinks that we are in thrall of their oil and gas reserves, for our continued energy security they had better think again !.
Fume you might Putin,but you / RUSSIA have never offered out any form of freindship / Security to Europe.
God Bless the United States of America for their care for our security, !!!!

Denis Tighe, Glenrothes, UK

No kidding.... I applaud and comend your for your grasp of the completely obvious.

Thomas, Atlanta, GA, USA

It is incredible how the word fascism is still used to make comparisons with other situations as it is difficult to find a definition for it. What is fascism ? Mussolini at the beginning was a socialist then it turned into a cocktail of different political ideologies to go back to socialism with the Repubblica Sociale Italiana in 1943. If we consider that fascism lasted only slightly over 20 years and finished 62 years ago I believe that it doesn't deserve to be quoted so often.

Roberto Castellano, Salsomaggiore, Italy

Even when Hitler was in power, people did not attack German culture. Yet Estonia is attacking the Russian language, Russian culture and Russians who fought in WW II. And the EU is solidly behind that.

It is not reasonable to expect people to share in a view that their culture is despicable.

The same applies to the belief that people must not be extradited to Russia while Russians must be extradited to England. No people could be happy with that situation.

Dave, Walnut Creek, US

Hasn't the USA blocked Cuba for the past 30 odd years for the very same reason

Susan, Barry, S Wales

Putin tries to summon the great ghost of the USSR in all spheres of life of contempory Russia. A great many people feel nostalgic about lost "greatness", so there is no wonder that there are bold statements about missiles & stuff. It's very sad to see attempts to steer the country "backwards in time". What's gooing on is more dangerous for Russia itself than for Europe or the USA, though it'll all play well with voters. Common russian people feel so helpless and deprived, so they'll snatch an opportunity to feel "empowered" by thier leader's statements. In a country where one can not get an adequate health treatment for love or money, the speeches about missiles directed at Europe is a fantastic gimmick.

Pam, St.Petersburg, Russia

Putin is doing a great job for his country, he is calling a spade a spade,our so called democracies took us into war without public support and locked up people without trial. it all seems to be a classic case of a pot calling kettle black.

gabriel, Hague, Netherlands

Russia is taking a serious turn for the worse politically, but this article focuses too much on minority rights, rather than the need for effective opposition, independent institutions and press. True, pro-gay marches have faced opposition, but this reflects public opinion, and such marches were organised in part by foreigners who themselves behave aggressively. Moscow is not London, where Gay Pride is an impeccably establishment affair which no-one would dare criticise. True, there are aggressive nationalist Russian groups, but you fail to mention that Caucasians regularly attack Russians, and use violence to ensure dominance of certain businesses and markets. There is certainly anti-Russian racism in Russia. You make comparions with the Weimar Republic, and imply anti-semitism, but fail to explain that Jews in Russia today occupy a much more powerful position than in 1930s Germany, and are a highly successful group, owning a disproportionate amount of the country's assets.

Stu G, London,

A really outstanding piece! I was longing for such a balanced and overarching view, going to the gist of the matter, cautios, but not panicky.
Some of the posts are equally commendable. It would be just fine if the leaders of the West (read Europe) wouldn't kowtow to Putin. Obviously, he's a very shrewd operator, and in addition, he's bluffing

t, oradea,

Dobby Strikes Back!!!

Jon Kingsbury, Southampton, UK

Even if Putin was leading Russia into fascism, why should I care? I don't live in Russia and its a long way from me. Maybe the only reason I should care is because Russia has the largest natural gas reserves on the planet.

John, London,

The missiles are a minor issues. It's the radar. Putin doesn't want the US monitoring (spying) all the way to the Urals with radar.

My guess is he will jam communications and radar in all of eastern europe. It will be the "response". We'll see how it goes.

Sam H, Lincoln, NE/USA

Hey Justin from Estonia , the article poses the question from a Russian view point .So read things carefully before you make such foolish comments.

A.T. Martin, warsaw, Poland

I think the missle defense system is a waste of money. First of all, a rogue state like North korea or Iran does not have the technology for an intercontinental balistic missle. If they wanted to nuke the west, it would most likely be a "suitcase bomb." Basically a nuke smuggled into the country. So, there wouldn't be a missle to shoot down. And even if they did have adequate missle technology, the leaders of Iran or North korea would surely know that a nuclear attack on the west would be signing there own death warrant. The western nuclear powers (US, UK, France, etc) would launch enough nukes to make Iran or North korea uninhabitable for centuries.

So, again I say that the missle shield is a waste of money. Even if it worked (and I doubt it actually does work), the likelyhood that it could be of use is slim to none.

Ken, Boston, USA/ Massachusetts

The last comment "Russia become poor". Can anyone see this happening?However much people campaign for global emissions of C02 to be cut we know its not going to happen fast (The irony that Russia is part of the g8). Its main export is oil and unless the g8 countrie really do go serious about "Going Green" then can we really see Russia becoming poor. Oil wont last for ever but it will last much longer than the thoughts of the Stalin and the Soviet Union

Matthew, London, England

Estonia didn't insult war dead. It moved them from a busy intersection to a military cemetery where Estonian, German, Russian, and British troops are buried. The prime minister even laid flowers there on May 8. Get your facts straight.

Justin, Tartu, Estonia

A historical paralell: Russia has gone through a similar phase after losing the Crimea war in the 1850s, but became a great power again after victory in the Balkans in 1870s Russian-Turkish war. Those were the times of ustopable European imperialism. The trouble now is that Russia, although has a strong nationalist ideology, does not have the opportunities or manpower to achieve a similar come back. A powerful US, emerging coherent EU, but mor importantly China and India, or even Brazil, in the longer aterm, are the really serious contenders in the new world. Russia more and more is clearly punching way above its weight.

forge valley, london,

Skinheads and racists beat up foreigners and dark skinners? Are you sure you don't mean London.?I have been to Russia several times in the last few years and certainly feel safer than in London

david james, gosport, uk

Michael Binyon wrote...

"Is Putin the bully leading Russia into fascism?"

I think Michael that should have said...

Bush the bully is leading world into fascism.

George Dutton, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK

What is it with the West? What is this continuous debate about Russian democratic credentials? Russia has never been democratic. The Russians have no idea what democracy means. The rule of law does not exist. There is no concept of the rights or sanctity of the individual. Human life is cheap and it's still counted in kopecks.

Katyusha, London,

DO 'Russian arms experts know the US shield is in no way directed at Russia'? Are anti-Russian Poland and the Czech Republic really the only possible place in which to place a shield against missiles possibly coming from the Middle East? Can they trust the assurances of the hawks in Washington? (Not that there are not hawks in Russia also!)

Ralph Blumenau, London, UK

Media Makes Mountains of Molehills.

It's sensationalist media reports, and opinion pieces such as this, on both sides of the fence that have been driving the mounting hysteria over our relations with Russia, and theirs with us.

Stop it.

Mark, Woking, UK

We are moving into tense times.

Most countries looking ahead can see resource problems emerging, be it water, energy or minerals. Add into the mix tensions from the rise of Islamic fundmentalism and the global currency imbalances. China and Japan are re-arming on a significant scale. Iran is chasing 'the bomb'.

Where does all this point? Is the Russian renationalisation of its energy resources and its military posturing actually the same thing that is going on around the world as states look defensively to the future?

MarkS, Leeds,

Not only is there nostalgia for the era of Soviet power in the east - its also here in the West. It seems that gulags, bodies on the Berlin Wall and Soviet Armoured Divisions occupying Eastern Europe weren't all that bad to many of the Left in Europe. The days of Soviet T-62s rolling through Prague and Budapest were a positively golden period of peace. And Europe's moral 'relativism' now sees no difference between what is happening in Russia and what is happening in the UK and the USA.

By itself Russia's military threat to the West is marginal. Its the willingness of many in Europe to submit to a new Soviet hegemony that is the worry.

H, London,

No; Russia isn't perfect, but it has woken up to the possibility that the American missile installation in Eastern Europe may only be the thin end of a wedge. Ten interceptor missiles doesn't sound very much - but with the ground installations in place, that could rapidly be changed to a hundred cruise missiles before anyone realised they were there; with defeat inevitable in Iraq, America wants an encirclement. Witness extraordinary rendition.

H. Grattan, Johannesburg, South Africa

A timely and balanced view from the West.
Remember though that there is, or at least ought to be, a line which no government ever crosses. No government should itself or through its secret agencies allow its own citizens to be killed. If this now goes on in Russia, then we have something much more sinister than old Russian nationalism, however barbaric that old petrovian nationalism often was.
There is still a nasty smell of Weimar around.

John Day, Auchterarder, UK

What a scary story. I even ran out into the street to see skinheads beating up dark-skinned Caucasians, for a change. You know, it is usually vice versa. Chechen and Georgian gangs rule the streets, markets, shops and hotels in Russia, did you know that? Yesterday Chechens killed two medical students in Stavropol, just for kicks. And Heiligendamm is probably in Russia, because they disperse opposition protest there. And a part of what you call Ukraine is called Novorossia and has never been Ukrainian. I guess this is also news to you. And Stalin was a Georgian, remember?

Pavel, Rostov, Russia

Merkel has suffered life under Russian power and especially under Putin as KGB Resident.....she seems less impressed than Schroeder that Putin is <i> an unimpeachable democrat </I>. He is behaving like an arsonist - be nice to me or I shall burn down your house - and we in Europe behave just as M. Bourgeois does in the play by Max Frisch - we are numb with reasonableness.

Some behaviour is unacceptable - Putin's Russia is becoming beyond the pale.

Observer, Halifax, England

In my opinion, the question should have been - Are Bush and Cheney the bullies leading the US into fascism?

Maybe it would be more appropriatethe to use the past tense.

I think that it would also be reasonable to apply this question to Tony Blair and John Reid.

Elspeth, London, UK

LC, SLC, Utah/USA