I sense the unspoken reply here is “does not compute”.
The West has settled on a particular orthodoxy about the nature of politics and of the state, what might be called the “boomer truth regime”.
This has left us vulnerable to assumptions that are unwarranted about others outside this orthodoxy, such as Putin. I’m afraid that this vulnerability has contributed to the creation of the current war, and of the collapse of the European economy that it brings in its wake.
There’s a whole new world outside this box to be discovered, and it’s good to make a start.
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1 year ago
“…one country, one president, one victory.’” Sounds like the Russian version of “Ein Volk! Ein Führer! Ein Reich!”
Christopher Chantrill
1 year ago
I don’t think that Schmitt’s definition of politics as the friend enemy distinction says much about borders. Certainly I don’t interpret it that way. Obviously when modern political actors use words like “semi-fascism” or “Tory toff” — not to mention the all-purpose “racist-sexist-homophobe” — in domestic politics they are defining who is the enemy.
All politics is about the enemy. Period, full stop.
Tim Lever
1 year ago
Further wishful thinking about Putin’s demise, supposedly one hideous assassination will prove to millions of Russians that he can’t protect them. Meanwhile he should just shrug his shoulders whilst 14,000 Russian speaking civilians have been killed by Ukraine in Donbas? Why not simply acknowledge Russia’s security concerns, refuse to let Ukraine join NATO, put some serious pressure on the Kyiv authorities to come to terms with the Donbas citizens and negotiate a peace? Then we could have some gas, oil and other commodities and maybe not freeze this winter. Or is that too sensible?
I sense the unspoken reply here is “does not compute”.
The West has settled on a particular orthodoxy about the nature of politics and of the state, what might be called the “boomer truth regime”.
This has left us vulnerable to assumptions that are unwarranted about others outside this orthodoxy, such as Putin. I’m afraid that this vulnerability has contributed to the creation of the current war, and of the collapse of the European economy that it brings in its wake.
There’s a whole new world outside this box to be discovered, and it’s good to make a start.
“…one country, one president, one victory.’”
Sounds like the Russian version of “Ein Volk! Ein Führer! Ein Reich!”
I don’t think that Schmitt’s definition of politics as the friend enemy distinction says much about borders. Certainly I don’t interpret it that way. Obviously when modern political actors use words like “semi-fascism” or “Tory toff” — not to mention the all-purpose “racist-sexist-homophobe” — in domestic politics they are defining who is the enemy.
All politics is about the enemy. Period, full stop.
Further wishful thinking about Putin’s demise, supposedly one hideous assassination will prove to millions of Russians that he can’t protect them. Meanwhile he should just shrug his shoulders whilst 14,000 Russian speaking civilians have been killed by Ukraine in Donbas? Why not simply acknowledge Russia’s security concerns, refuse to let Ukraine join NATO, put some serious pressure on the Kyiv authorities to come to terms with the Donbas citizens and negotiate a peace? Then we could have some gas, oil and other commodities and maybe not freeze this winter. Or is that too sensible?