Russian propaganda is state-of-the-art again

[Adolecent]

The motherlands calls:
Russian propaganda is state-of-the-art again
http://www.economist.com/news/europe...eoftheartagain

FOR much of post-Soviet history Russia was seen as an outlier whose politics would inevitably move towards those of the West. After the Brexit vote and the election of Donald Trump in America, it appears the opposite is taking place: the style of politics practised by Vladimir Putin’s regime is working its way westward.

From the Mediterranean to the Pacific, Mr Putin is hailed as an example by nationalists, populists and dictators. “My favourite hero is Putin,” said Rodrigo Duterte, the brutal president of the Philippines. Mr Trump called Mr Putin “a leader far more than our president.” In Italy Beppe Grillo’s Five Star Movement took Mr Putin’s side against the West, and the anti-immigrant Northern League, led by Matteo Salvini, has enthused about his Russia. “No clandestine immigrants, no squeegee merchants and no Roma encampments [in Moscow],” tweeted Mr Salvini during a visit in 2014.

In France Marine Le Pen, whose National Front received a loan from a Russian bank, attacks the European Union and America for being too aggressive towards Russia. In the words of Dimitar Bechev, the author of a forthcoming book on Russia in the Balkans, “Putin enjoys a cult status with all holding a grudge against the West.” Nowhere is that status greater than with the nationalists of America’s “alt-right”. Matthew Heimbach, the founder of the Traditionalist Worker Party and a crusader against “anti-Christian degeneracy”, told the New York Times he sees Mr Putin as “the leader of the free world.” He called for the creation of a “Traditionalist International”—a reference to the Communist International founded in 1919.
The last time Russia had such a role in crystallising anti-establishment ideas was in the 1920s and 1930s, after the Bolshevik revolution. When Stalin wrote that the Soviet Union had become an “open centre of the world revolutionary movement”, it was not just propaganda. In her book, “Moscow, the Fourth Rome”, Katerina Clark, a historian, writes that Moscow aspired to form the centre of a new civilisation, attracting Western intellectuals and claiming to be the only legitimate heir to the world’s greatest artists. “Moscow as a concept is the concentration of the socialist future of the entire world,” wrote the Soviet film-maker Sergei Eisenstein in 1933.

Today, 25 years after the Soviet collapse, Russia is again seen as an emblem—this time of a nationalist imperial order. And just as in the 1930s, its isolationism does not prevent it from being involved in the global populist, anti-establishment trend. The Kremlin’s bet on marginal right-wing parties has paid off as they have moved into the mainstream. It has pumped out disinformation and propaganda both through its official media channels, such as the RT and Sputnik news networks, and through thousands of paid internet trolls. Its cyber-attacks against Western countries produced troves of emails and documents which it dumped into the hands of foreign media, disrupting America’s presidential elections to the benefit of Mr Trump.

According to Bruno Kahl, the boss of Germany’s internal intelligence agency, the BND, “Europe is the focus” of Russia’s cyberattacks and disinformation—especially Germany, which will hold a federal election next autumn. France’s spooks say Russian backers may interfere in its presidential elections, too. Such activity recalls the Soviet Union’s so-called “active measures”, which aimed to disrupt and discredit Western democracies. In West Germany, says Anton Shekhovtsov, an expert on European far-right movements, the KGB propped up not only Communist parties and militants such as the Red Brigades, but also extreme right-wing groups.

Unlike the Socialists of the 1930s, the Kremlin and its friends today are driven not so much by ideology as by opportunism (and, in Russia’s case, corruption). Mr Putin’s primary goal is not to present an alternative political model but to undermine Western democracies whose models present an existential threat to his rule at home. Having lived through the Soviet collapse, he is well aware that the attraction of the prosperous, value-based West helped defeat communism. The retreat of that liberal democratic idea allows Russian propagandists to claim a victory.

Mr Putin has been careful not to endorse his admirers, whether Ms Le Pen, Mr Trump or radical nationalist activists. The president proclaims himself “the biggest nationalist in Russia,” but the nationalism he propounds is imperial rather than ethnically-based. Russia has nearly 20m ethnic Muslims, which makes official expressions of religious or racial chauvinism dangerous. Alexander Verkhovsky, an expert on Russian nationalism, observes that while the Kremlin fans and manipulates anti-Western nationalism, it has put grass-roots ultra-nationalist groups within Russia under unprecedented pressure. In August a Russian court sentenced Alexander Belov, a leader of the banned Movement Against Illegal Immigrants (DPNI), to seven and a half years in jail. The DPNI’s slogan is “Russia for [ethnic] Russians”. Last month, a nationalist demonstration was confined to the far outskirts of Moscow. A dozen marchers were arrested.

The Kremlin “counters ethnic nationalism with its own version of state nationalism,” Mr Verkhovsky writes—one based on wars and other state achievements, not on ethnic identity. In Mr Putin’s view the nation must consolidate around events, figures and ideas provided by the Kremlin. The regime was spooked by the violent, spontaneous rally staged by radicals and football hooligans in Moscow in 2010, and by long-running anti-Putin protests in 2011-2012 that brought liberals and nationalists together. In response, it came up with an imperial state nationalism that manifested itself in the annexation of Crimea and the war in Ukraine.

By doing so it successfully split the nationalists. Many nationalist protesters rallied to the imperialist cause. Liberal protesters were demoralised. Some of the radicals went to fight in Donbass, and later resurfaced in Syria. Russia’s actions abroad allowed Mr Putin to channel nationalist protest of any kind away from his own corrupt elite. And yet, while Mr Putin recognises the potential of nationalist populism in America and Europe to discredit democracies, he knows that it is a dangerous substance. After all, Mr Trump’s victory could serve as an inspiration to Mr Putin’s opponents, who see him as the epitome of the corrupt establishment.

[Super Friendly Kitty Cat]

Why the red scare tactics?

This feels like McCarthyism all over again.

[Incredibale]

Russia is one of the last big "western" holdouts against blankety-blank propaganda and encroachment, and this is why the anti-Russian sentiment has been dialed up many notches in recent years.

[Crispin]

Why the red scare tactics?

This feels like McCarthyism all over again.

Not exactly a "The Russians are coming!!1" article.

[LaserSharkDFB]

Russia is one of the last big "western" holdouts against blankety-blank propaganda and encroachment, and this is why the anti-Russian sentiment has been dialed up many notches in recent years.

Yeah, I can't tell what that word salad in the first half of your statement actually means, but I'm pretty sure there's been anti-Russian sentiment lately because Putin is legitimately terrible, what with being a dictator and murdering journalists and invading countries and so forth.

[Felya]

Why the red scare tactics?

This feels like McCarthyism all over again.

When the government starts accusing Americans with being Russian spies, for no reason what so ever, then you might have a point. What you are actually seeing is agreement that the west is up to no good from Russia, who has had Putin cling to McCarthyism stile rhetoric for his success. When taking Chechnya? He blamed the west insurgents and spies. When taking part of Ukraine? Same thing, the west and their spies made them do it. The dead journalists and curtailing of media outside of State ran? Yep, to prevent US spies and propaganda.

This article is describing how the same tact has worked. Remember, Trump is Putin's pawn... He isn't Bernie Sanders being called a communist, because he is socialist. This isn't Obama being called a communist for ACA. This isn't anyone left of Reagan being a communist for the last 30 years. This isn't even spirit dinners or pizzagate...

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Yeah, I can't tell what that word salad in the first half of your statement actually means, but I'm pretty sure there's been anti-Russian sentiment lately because Putin is legitimately terrible, what with being a dictator and murdering journalists and invading countries and so forth.

You can find me talking about this on this very forum years ago. Russia's state ran media ran a miniseries on how Stalin was actually a saint, but it was the west that made him look like shit. Not holomodor, not Siberia, it was the wests fault. This wasn't mentioned in US media and unless you had both the access to Russian networks and speak Russian, like I can, you wouldn't know about it. If you do find my posts, you will notice our Russian posters didn't deny it happened, but defended Stalin, claiming it was indeed the west and not his death toll that was the culprit.

This isn't new... it's why I continue to post this, in hopes our brave Trump supporters read it, then continue to believe Trump that Putin is just a nice guy that wants to get along.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anna_Politkovskaya

Read some stories on KGB training and intent, then pretend Putin is different.

[Theodarzna]

In such wondrous times the Liberals would embrace McCarthyism and jingoism. How magical a time to be alive.

[LaserSharkDFB]

In such wondrous times the Liberals would embrace McCarthyism and jingoism. How magical a time to be alive.

I think you don't know what either of those words mean.

[Theodarzna]

Russia is one of the last big "western" holdouts against blankety-blank propaganda and encroachment, and this is why the anti-Russian sentiment has been dialed up many notches in recent years.

Russia is one of the very few, if not only, Country in the west dedicated to Westphalian foreign policy and the Nation-State. Most of the Western Leaders no longer believe in that kind of thing.

Once again Russia is offering a secondary vision for the world. EU, US and Canada preferred that Russia not give voice to people who don't want to go along with Globalized, Cosmopolitan and Neo-Liberal economic vision they hold.

For Russia this was a good idea, because Russia has lacked an identity since the end of the Cold War, and Generally the populace of the Western countries are not committed to say Justin Trudeau's vision for the world as an example. Russia was dying for lack of an identity and Putin I think knows this. That his country needs a zealous cause, a crusade the rally the hearts of the miserably depressed Russian people.

To some extent the West is also rejoicing because realistically without an enemy to fight there is really no holding these countries together, but it remains to be seen if Cold War 2: Electric Boogaloo will take off. Right now it just looks like a naked power grab, scapegoating and distraction from the legitimate grievances the populace has right now with their governments.

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I think you don't know what either of those words mean.

I forgot, its only those things when evil cishet white men christian republicans do it.

[NED funded]

I don't really see why people who proclaim western culture is decaying look up to a country with widespread problems of alcoholism and HIV.

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In such wondrous times the Liberals would embrace McCarthyism and jingoism. How magical a time to be alive.

TIL the economist is liberal.

[Theodarzna]

I don't really see why people who proclaim western culture is decaying look up to a country with widespread problems of alcoholism and HIV.

TIL the economist is liberal.

Modernity breeds sickness, as in Russia as is everywhere that embraces it completely.

Just look at our barren and empty cradles.

[NED funded]

Modernity breeds sickness, as in Russia as is everywhere that embraces it completely.

Just look at our barren and empty cradles.

Alcoholism and HIV are effects of a "decaying" culture though.

Mind explaining what you mean with that phrase?

[LaserSharkDFB]

Modernity breeds sickness, as in Russia as is everywhere that embraces it completely.

Just look at our barren and empty cradles.

Oh no, the cradles are not only empty but barren too? How will we get more cradles if they can't reproduce?

Nothing you're saying here makes any sense, though. Might wanna lay off the drugs.

[Theodarzna]

Alcoholism and HIV are effects of a "decaying" culture though. Also there really isn't an equivalent of Russia in the "West" (us, UK, get, fr and the Scandinavian countries).

..... I mentioned Barren and Empty Cradles for a general instance. Russia has its own internal problems that emerged after the end of the Soviet Era, and probably during it.

The problems I spoke of and named specifically are problems EVERY country integrated into this modern world system is experiencing.

[zmp]

US BEST, RUSSIA NOT SO BEST. To read more, skip to page 4-5.

[NED funded]

..... I mentioned Barren and Empty Cradles for a general instance. Russia has its own internal problems that emerged after the end of the Soviet Era, and probably during it.

The problems I spoke of and named specifically are problems EVERY country integrated into this modern world system is experiencing.

Barren and empty cradles as in people not reproducing? I don't really see that as a problem and not as serious as widespread HIV and alcoholism.

[Cthulhu 2020]

Russia has been tampering with US politics for a long time. McCarthyism is this weird fear of COMMUNISM. Very different from the very real concern of our politics being tampered with from outside sources. Yet if you oppose the involvement of Russia in US politics, you're a DIRTY MCCARTHYIST. But it's obvious that the window lickers have no clue what McCarthyism even entails, or how it's basically just this irrational fear of communism. It's what happens when people masturbate to how evil communism is, with no evidence that it has any firm hold in the US.

Back in the real world, away from all of people who are bitter and salty about SJWs, feminists and the like, any American should be opposed to a foreign country interfering in our politics. It's happening, we know it's happening. Being opposed to it happening is a far cry different from people shitting their pants over communism gaining a foothold in the US.

What is hilarious though, is all of the Trumpkins who believe that Russia just wants to help them with no ulterior motive. It's like "Oh hey, Russia is our buddies and is releasing all of this info on Clinton with no strings attached. What could possibly go wrong?" Russia does things to help Russia. While on the one hand, it will be amusing to watch their reactions when they have egg on their face over this, I'm also not really looking forward to it. I'm not some bitter anti-SJW who would sacrifice values and morals to "stick it to those durn SJWs who hate cishet white people". I'm a better person than that. But not everyone is. They're willing to compromise on their values and morals just to get a little bit of petty revenge.

[Theodarzna]

Barren and empty cradles as in people not reproducing? I don't really see that as a problem and not as serious as widespread HIV and alcoholism.

It is a long term problem and a systemic problem because it effects all future consumer demand and what labor force and tax base you have. Its the slow and silent killer.

More over it reveals an inherent instability in the logic of this "system." Namely that we need to grow, expand, integrate more and more of the world, but depend on those parts of the world not embracing our vision of modernity for young meat to throw into the grinder so to speak. The West especially is wholly dependent on endless waves of immigrants to "have growth," but those immigrants must come from places that still have surplus birth rates, which is becoming itself scarcer and scarcer as for whatever reason modernity breeds infertility.

HIV and alcoholism are not in it of themselves fatal problems. HIV kinda is, but there are immediate and known measures to solve that problem. Declining fertility rate has no historical precedent for how it is solved whilst also allowing the previous society to survive.

[Teri]

Western anti-russia propaganda been 100 times worse and more biased the last 5 years once you discover it.

[NED funded]

It is a long term problem and a systemic problem because it effects all future consumer demand and what labor force and tax base you have. Its the slow and silent killer.

More over it reveals an inherent instability in the logic of this "system." Namely that we need to grow, expand, integrate more and more of the world, but depend on those parts of the world not embracing our vision of modernity for young meat to throw into the grinder so to speak. The West especially is wholly dependent on endless waves of immigrants to "have growth," but those immigrants must come from places that still have surplus birth rates, which is becoming itself scarcer and scarcer as for whatever reason modernity breeds infertility.

HIV and alcoholism are not in it of themselves fatal problems. HIV kinda is, but there are immediate and known measures to solve that problem. Declining fertility rate has no historical precedent for how it is solved whilst also allowing the previous society to survive.

I think you missed the point. When people look up to Russia, they do so because they think western culture is on decay (values),without knowing that Russia is itself on a further decay in values with widespread problems of HIV and alcoholism. But to your point Russia is also dealing with the same issue, it's fertility rate is 1.59 that's below the US, so not only russia has to deal with the same problems of modernity, but it's not as equipped as we are. (Robotics and Ai will do away with the need of a growing population for labor and ever increasing standards of living does away with demand)