How to Fix Russia for Europe
- The Problem with Democracy -
Russia is a democratic nation, at least was and would be. Let's remember that. The problem with Russia is not Russia but the Russian leader Putin instead and how he come to be what he is today. To understand Russian leader is to understand susceptibility of weak democracy to dictatorship and how this mindset can come out of democracy. Some call this mindset dictatorial. And what Europe can do and should do about this?
Weak Democracy can turn into a Dictatorship
Going as far as Weimar Republic, Adolf Hitler was an elected leader, he turned democratic leader into a Dictatorship that threatened Europe and North Africa. Coming to present days
Chavez in Venezuela, Saddam Hussein in Iraq all was elected leader, coming from democratic countries. Even Donald Trump could have been a dictator if USA did not have a strong democracy.
Once a dictatorship comes into a weak democracy it never goes away, like in North Korea, passes on from father to son. The only way dictators go away is by external or internal force. So, Russia will probably will have another KGB agent coming to power after Putin and Europe will have to deal with this autocratic leaders decays to come. Europe need to show political force here and utilise this force against elimination of a dictator.
Building strong democracy.
Weak Democratic nations needs to protect themselves from risk of dictatorship by building strong institutions. Politicians coming to power needs to be in check. They will need to be answerable to their actions, as often as they should. Presidents first 100 days put to question. Every 6 months there is a committee, president questioned, every 2 years parliament take a vote whether same leader should stay in power for another 2 years. Election dates same time day every 4 years. Things like that to keep the President in check. But we want to give the President power, power to change things, power to take actions. President responsible every bit of his actions. Presidents can not break the law. If does that's where media and whistleblowers comes in.
Building a strong democracy means, given rights to their citizens, rights of property, voice, access to banking, having judiciary, media having ability to question leaders. As a result Leaders giving up power without too much fuss.
Mindset of a Dictator
Dictators are like cancers, destroying the country, threatening neighbours. They do that under the pretext of nationality or religion. They don't even know they are dictators. Looked at Maduro in Venezuela, citizen's electricity cut off every so often, he doesn't see it and does not do anything about. Because he thinks he is the best thing for the country. Dictators stop at nothing. They blame foreigners, USA, NATO expansion or some kind of evil power for what is happening in their country. Dictators can possible think they are doing anything wrong, they are the cause of it. It's the foreigners to blame. They do not have a ceiling of their action. They stop at nothing. They are scared of nothing.
Russia was a democracy, even back in 2003 all European leaders was shaking hand with Putin. What changed? Some democratic elected leader just turn into autocratic leader. It can happen even to the same leader.
What Europe needs to do against Russia?
Europe needs to have collective voice, this will deter at least suppress a dictator. Europe should never give in to a dictators, as it will be like feeding a cancer.
Europe should have an agreement with Russia. Like any other agreement there is give in there is give out. Give in is, We want Russia to build strong democracy, we outline to them how to build in that agreement, we want them limit military spending to %10 GDP maximum, get rid off all bases in the Mediterranean or maybe keep one, give Crimea back to Ukraine, leave the disputed Georgian territory, we just put the ceiling a bit higher on some instances. There will be talk, this agreements should keep the dictator interested to sign it. Give out in this would be a base in the Crimea or keep Crimea for 50 years only, then handed to UN, keep one base in the Mediterranean, shared military, building high speed railway between St. Petersburg to Hamburg, join SEPA banking. There will be talks many talks, even Putin does not sign it, next leader would sign it. If no agreement not reached we at least put the seeds out there so next leader would think of signing it. This is how we should think by thinking 50- 100 years in to the future and how Europe relationship will be with Russia.
So as long as they have strong democratic institutions and building them, they will not be a threat. If not Russian aggression and threat will burden Europe for centuries to come, just like it did in the past.
Comments