I wish I were paid to talk about this shit. I do it because seeing people reduce international conflicts to simplified narratives like “country bad” or “leader evil” is infuriating. Nations are complex political organs governed by their current base material conditions that have developed over the course of their history, the state of their internal class conflict, and the resulting overarching ideology created by these factors. They are not controlled by the whims of an individual but rather the economic interests of their ruling class.
Russia is not controlled by Vladimir Putin
China is not controlled by Xi Jinping
The US is not controlled by Donald Trump
Israel is not controlled by Benjamin Netanyahu
Geopolitics is not a story played out by great actors. It is a web of evolving dialectical relationships expressed through the actions of individuals and rooted in the contradictory material interests of economic classes.
You’re exactly right! Blaming this all on putin is silly. Everyone with a bit of history knowledge knows that Russia’s always been an imperialist country. Before the invasion of Ukraine there was the annexation of Crimea. Before that it was Georgia, Moldova, Chechnya, all the neocolonialism in Africa. Before that…well…you don’t become the largest country in the world by sitting on your ass… they’ve been doing this constantly since the 16th century or so.
I wish I were paid to talk about this shit. I do it because seeing people reduce international conflicts to simplified narratives like “country bad” or “leader evil” is infuriating. Nations are complex political organs governed by their current base material conditions that have developed over the course of their history, the state of their internal class conflict, and the resulting overarching ideology created by these factors. They are not controlled by the whims of an individual but rather the economic interests of their ruling class.
Russia is not controlled by Vladimir Putin
China is not controlled by Xi Jinping
The US is not controlled by Donald Trump
Israel is not controlled by Benjamin Netanyahu
Geopolitics is not a story played out by great actors. It is a web of evolving dialectical relationships expressed through the actions of individuals and rooted in the contradictory material interests of economic classes.
You’re exactly right! Blaming this all on putin is silly. Everyone with a bit of history knowledge knows that Russia’s always been an imperialist country. Before the invasion of Ukraine there was the annexation of Crimea. Before that it was Georgia, Moldova, Chechnya, all the neocolonialism in Africa. Before that…well…you don’t become the largest country in the world by sitting on your ass… they’ve been doing this constantly since the 16th century or so.
Russia’s been invading countries with Europe for centuries, but somehow now when they do it, it’s actually good.
Russia’s scramble for Africa was good because Marx said so, just don’t look into Marx’s actual writings.