The Cold War between America and Russia almost resembles a conflict between two wives who belong to one husband, in the sense that when the husband gets close to one, the other gets upset and intervenes to try and bring him closer to herself. But as mentioned before, historically, the balance of power has long been in favor of Russia, except for the brief period of time soon after Russia made the mistake of going into Afghanistan. After America made the same mistake of going into Afghanistan, we are now back to the historical and traditional situation, whereby the balance of power is in favor of Russia.
To borrow from one expert on Russia: “War has always been a way of life for the Russian state, its very raison d’être.” State-society relations in Russia have also revolved entirely on the achievement of the state’s strategic goals vis-à-vis the West. To borrow from the expert yet again: “Relations between the state and the population in Russia were never based on civil or republican models, but on colonial and exploitative ones. People were regarded as natural resources for achieving the state’s strategic goals.” He added: “External wars and internal colonization determined a special role for violence in the relationship between the authorities and society, and between the state and the individual.”
It follows that in Russia, the state pervades and penetrates all aspects of human and social life, given the constancy and regularity of the external wars which Russia faces from the West. The expert wrote: “The whole territory of Russia became one of surveillance and police control, with virtually no place for civil organization or local autonomy.” What Russia is going through now is a sort of revival or resurgence after its “identity crisis” following the collapse of the former Soviet Union. And the manner in which Russia is reviving itself and resurging is through war. The war in Ukraine is not Putin’s war, but rather, Russia’s war. Putin is merely and simply at the helm. It follows that “war has become the language of everyday life, just as militaristic rituals have become a part of state propaganda and daily routine.”
But Russia’s stance is almost counterintuitive and contrary to global trends, given that in a world where globalization and technology is spreading modernity and the prohibition of war, Russia is becoming more traditional and militaristic. To borrow from one scholar:
“The Russian state confronted modernity by drilling for oil and gas, occupying foreign countries, accumulating gold, subsidizing far-right movements around the world, and destroying Ukraine. Its politics was not inertial but the opposite – active, even proactive, determination. Russia’s demodernization was an intentional activity, a mode of structuration that was freely chosen by the Russian elite and imposed upon the broader population, and subsequently upon the global arena. Russia had some allies in this venture, but the project of reversing modernity was its own ‘special operation’: stopmodernism.”
The Russian ruling class and Putin have chosen “a taste rather than a plan” when waging this “special operation” against the West. Traditionalism and militarism in a world that is spreading modernity and the prohibition of war is ultimately a choice, preference, and taste. Hence, the proactive character and nature of the war or “special operation” which Russia is waging against the West can often be considered “sexy” depending on one’s taste and preference. In fact, the whole purpose and intent behind Russia’s war or special operation against the West is to make the war and special operation appear sexy, and in large part, Russia has been successful in doing so, and in turn has mobilized its entire hegemonic superstructure – including very attractive and beautiful Russian women – to do so.
Adam A. Azim 