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What If Vladimir Putin Does Know a 'Third Way' for Society?New Eastern Outlook |14.06.2016 Author: Phil Butler

Vladimir Putin saved Russia from the scavengers of

the eltsin era! What's more" he's fundamentally re#

forming the world's $iggest country in ways few

understand! %nfortunately" Russia has enemies $itterly o&&osed to the idea of Russians

taing a leadershi& role in the world once again! While thin tans and 'new world'

evangelists in the west &romise change and &rogress" Putin and his colleagues are at

wor" resolutely forging a new Russia!

(any &eo&le $elieve that Russia under Putin is a totalitarian regime! (eanwhile" fanatical

followers of the Russian &resident defend his moves as an effort to hammer out some

&seudo#)merican form of democracy! *ut neither of these characteri+ations of Putin are

accurate! (any have sought to study Putin" while sim&ly a&&lying their own ideologies

either 'for or against' what they $elieve Putin is! The reality is" there is a 'third way' of

resha&ing Russia's future! It is a$undantly clear that Putin" $y far the $est read leader in

the world" is forging a new Russia &olitic" derived largely from the teachings of the

Russian religious and &olitical &hiloso&her" Ivan Ilin!!

, What If Vladimir Putin Does Know a 'Third Way' for Society?

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The S&irit of -aw

Most reading this will not e !a"iliar# ut $l%in&s ideas on the &'ons'ien'e o! law& were see"ing

logi'# ut utter genius. (is elie! that the need !or )eo)le to understand laws in order to

*alidate a legal so'iet%# the% now re*ererate in the 'i*il uneasiness that )re*ails toda%# and

es)e'iall% in the so+'alled &west&. ,ltra+lieralis"# and the !uel o! ultra+'a)italisti' trends as we

see gri))ing the ,nited -tates# would !or $l%in signal an a)o'al%)se. here is no arguing that the

law o! and !or an% )eo)le# has to e understood in order to stand. /ithout del*ing dee)l% into

$l%in&s theories# the )hiloso)her elie*ed that &the )eo)le& 'an ne*er identi!% with e )art o! &the

s%ste"& under rigid de"o'rati' !or"s o! go*ern"ent. $n 'ontrast# $l%in elie*ed the right

"onar'h% tends to unite )eo)le to identi!% the state as &!a"il%&. $nterestingl%# $l%in&s eing a

"onar'hist "i"i's so"e o! the !ounding !athers o! the ,nited -tates# in that the *alues he

es)oused were ased on religious )iet% and the !a"il%.

$! we look down into the 're*asse in etween the !orward ideals o! ladi"ir Putin# and A"eri'a&s

President Bara'k Oa"a# we 'an readil% see $l%in&s notions at work. Oa"a&s A"eri'a# as lieral

as an% go*ern"ent in histor%# is on a 'ollision 'ourse with de'onstru't. A"eri'a *alues toda% are

na*e# irres)onsile# and destru'ti*e o! e*er%thing A"eri'ans ha*e stood !or !or generations.

a"il% is onl% a word# religion is worn like a adge o! sha"e# and a !ree lun'h ti'ket has een

issued !or 'ons'ien'e. 3aws in A"eri'a are 'hanged at the whi" o! a s)e'ial interest.

onser*ati*e )eo)le there hold a'k their !ear the ,nited -tates is e'o"ing a "odern da%

-odo" and 5o"orrah# and onl% the neo'ons trul% elie*e go*ern"ent is !or the".

Misunderstanding their law# )re'eden'e# and its own go*erning )rin'i)les# A"eri'ans do not

e*en understand this disintegration. -i"ilarl%# ussians do not %et gras) what Putin and his

!ellows are u) to. -o"ehow# the% trust to e led though# and not e'ause the% are 'o")la'ent

like A"eri'ans.

'I have spent all my life under a Communist regime, and I will tell you that a society without any

objective legal scale is a terrible one indeed. But a society with no other scale but the legal one is not

quite worthy of man either.' - le!sandr "ol#henitsyn -

(achiavelli Knew )ll )long

$ don&t want to dig too dee)l% into Mr. Putin&s )assion !or the stud% o! $l%in# or ladi"ir -olo*%o*#

or Nikolai Berd%ae*# or e*en Aleksandr -ol7henits%n# ut these idealists& rillian'e are integrated

into who the ussian )resident is. More i")ortantl%# a &third wa%& o! go*ern"ent is the goal

Putin# Med*ede*# and e*en the )ower!ul oligar'hs o! ussia see" ent on. $n order to see this#

one has to reali7e the ussia that ladi"ir Putin res'ued !ro" dissolution. $n his

'hara'teri7ation o! Putin# the arti'le &ladi"ir Putin + he Prin'e hristo)her aldwell !ra"es

. What If Vladimir Putin Does Know a 'Third Way' for Society?

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)er!e'tl% Mr. Putin&s ussia toda%:

'$ad %ussia been led by someone steelier than &i!hail orbachev when falling oil prices

drove it into crisis in the ()*+s, the collapse of Communism 'might have happened only

two or three decades later in a world situation quite different from the one in ())(.' utin's

%ussia is a system of 'sovereign democracy' moored between rthodo Christianity and

&achiavellian realism.'

aldwell &nails Putin& in his re*iew o! &he New sar: he ise and eign o! ladi"ir Putin %

-te*en 3ee M%ers# and &Putinis": ussia and $ts uture with the /est# % /alter 3a8ueur.

Or $ should sa%# Me%ers and 3a8ueur 'olle'ti*el% understand ussia&s leader. /hat we see going

on in ussia# in the world# is a "eta"or)hosis. hose who e9a"ine Putin or ussia# with a

"indset !i9ed on &what is ha*e no understanding o! Putin at all. $n order to !ull% understand

Putin&s &end ga"e& here# resear'hes need to see the trans!or"ation as i! !ro" a train window#not !ro" the 1st !loor o!!i'e window o! stud%.

$ !ound a re!eren'e to the &third wa%& in the ook &Meta)hor and 5ender in Business Media

;is'ourse: A riti'al ogniti*e -tud% % . ournalists like "e are o!ten 'a>oled into stud%ing the so+'alled &New /orld Order

the 5eorge -oros# ;a*id o'ke!eller# and ?a'o oths'hild "a'hinations. /hen in truth the role

o! these "en is si")l% )art o! a "e'hanis" o! de'a%ing i")erialis". he elie!s o! these )eo)le

are as ar'hai' and >u*enile# as those o! the -o*iet s%ste" o! things# or o! o"e itsel!. he !a'tthat westerners &elie*e& in de"o'ra'% at all# is )roo! enough that !ailed s%ste"s die hard.

,nderstanding Putin is i")ossile# !or )eo)le in the other worldl% *iew. his is e*iden'e in a

New @ork i"es )ie'e % ;a*id Brooks !ro" 2014. &Putin an&t -to)&shows us the !a'es ehind

western "edia and hege"on%. Brooks "i"i's the &think tank& *iew with:

'/o enter into the world of utin's favorite philosophers is to enter a world full of

melodrama, mysticism and grandiose eschatological visions.'

Brooks is not unlike other sel! )ro'lai"ed 'onser*ati*es in the ,nited -tates# !or he a))ears to

/ What If Vladimir Putin Does Know a 'Third Way' for Society?

http://amzn.to/20Y3wrchttp://amzn.to/20Y3wrchttp://amzn.to/20Y3BLKhttps://www.amazon.com/Metaphor-Gender-Business-Media-Discourse/dp/1403932913/184-7272978-3449506?ie=UTF8&*Version*=1&*entries*=0https://www.amazon.com/Metaphor-Gender-Business-Media-Discourse/dp/1403932913/184-7272978-3449506?ie=UTF8&*Version*=1&*entries*=0https://www.amazon.com/Metaphor-Gender-Business-Media-Discourse/dp/1403932913/184-7272978-3449506?ie=UTF8&*Version*=1&*entries*=0http://suntzusaid.com/http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/04/opinion/brooks-putin-cant-stop.html?hp&rref=opinion&_r=0http://journal-neo.org/2016/06/14/what-if-vladimir-putin-does-know-a-third-way-for-society/http://amzn.to/20Y3wrchttp://amzn.to/20Y3BLKhttp://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/04/opinion/brooks-putin-cant-stop.html?hp&rref=opinion&_r=0http://journal-neo.org/2016/06/14/what-if-vladimir-putin-does-know-a-third-way-for-society/http://suntzusaid.com/https://www.amazon.com/Metaphor-Gender-Business-Media-Discourse/dp/1403932913/184-7272978-3449506?ie=UTF8&*Version*=1&*entries*=0https://www.amazon.com/Metaphor-Gender-Business-Media-Discourse/dp/1403932913/184-7272978-3449506?ie=UTF8&*Version*=1&*entries*=0

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li*e under the 'loud o! his own delusions# o! a kind o! ideologi'al kinshi) with !ounding !ather#

Ale9ander (a"ilton. $ 'all his ideas delusions !or the si")le reason# that Ale9ander (a"ilton

was 'loser ideologi'all% to ladi"ir Putin than an%one in the ,nited -tates s%ste" o! go*erning.

Brooks has to know this# so "aking the "%sterious *illain o! Putin "ust ha*e other

'onse8uen'es. here is no "%sti'is" in ussian ideals at the "o"ent# whi'h is unless %ou arean atheist or -atan worshi))er.

3ike Ale9ander (a"ilton and others &"onar'hists& o! that ti"e# Putin has to wrestle with the

dile""a 'on!ronting his ussian )eo)le. ;e"o'ra'% 'learl% will not work# !or the world is lu'k%

to still e )artiall% in ta't# e*en des)ite /all -treet and Ara -)ring "elting )oints. ;et 'reation

and well oiled )rinting )resses at the ,- treasur% 'annot e &the wa%&. ?ust as 'ertainl% as

elie*ers in 5od will e*entuall% reel against agnosti'is" or de*il worshi)# the )eo)le will one

da% soon aandon !ailed e'ono"i's "odels. Putin and his ad*isers know this. /e all do. Paul

raig oerts& )ro'la"ation that we ha*e entered the &3ooting -tage o! a)italis" is the "ost

)oignant e*angeli'al )oint !or 2016. o s%nthesi7e his 'o""ents:

'0verywhere in the 1estern world a variety of measures, both corporate, and governmental,

have resulted in the stagnation of income growth. In order to continue to report profits, mega-

ban!s and global corporations have turned to looting.'

-o# Putin&s ussia# e*en hina and the other B$-# are gra*itating awa% !ro" the ra)idl%

disintegrating 'a)italistde"o'rati' e9)eri"ent. And this is the root o! toda%&s 'rises# ut thereis so"ething "ore# and the &third wa%& is oth e"le"ati' in hu"anit%&s lega'%# and !ro" within

an ethereal 'onte9t. &-)irit& and enlighten"ent are a 'o")onent o! Putin&s &New ussia&. And to

grow su'h a 'onstru't will re8uire a Ma'hia*ellian heart# onl% dire'ted !or a ra*e 'ause. ,nlike

his western 'ounter)arts# Putin is a religious "an# ent on de!ending Orthodo9%# as well as

&third wa%& ideas.

)gainst an Illegitimate 0nlightenment

?ust as the Euro)ean Enlighten"ent under"ined ideas o! "oralit%# and the notion o! &3u'i!erthe new age ultra+lierali7ed western world has een on a "ission to re*a") s)iritualit% and

"orals. he idea &e*er%thing is alright i! it !eels good has een !ed the intra*enous drug o!

)uli' a'8uies'en'e# es)e'iall% in A"eri'a. But the realit% o! hu"an s)iritualit% 'annot e

legislated out# "edia 'annot )ro)agandi7e an an'ient tenant out o! our s%ste"s. ?ust as 1th

entur% artists re'olle'ted the "%steries o! 5od and the ;e*il as a 'ounterinsurgen'% against

the theoreti'al >usti!i'ation o! e*il&s )assing# so too Putin and "odern )la%ers rekindle our

i"aginations. E9'use "% "eta)hors again# ut our s)iritualit% has een under assault !or

de'ades now. o 8uote Mark (a'kard&stranslationo! an essa% entitled &$AN $3@$N: ON (E

1 What If Vladimir Putin Does Know a 'Third Way' for Society?

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;E$3 % $*an $l%in:

'/here appears the demonism of doubt2 negation2 pride2 rebellion2 disappointment2

bitterness2 melancholy2 contempt2 egoism, and even boredom.'

And isn&t this the &de"onis"& that now gri)s the western world One does not ha*e to e a

)hiloso)her to see# the New /orld Order is a *er% old order. onte")tuousl%# New @ork i"es

authors "i"i' the "inions o! anished ruthless ussian oligar'hs like Mikhail

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to the )role" o! go*ernan'e. he &third wa%& re'on'iled good and e*il# and the rational *ersus

the irrational. /hat New @ork i"es s'holars write o!! as ho'us )o'us "%sti'is" is in realit%

re'on'iliation. $n short# Putin and his e9)eri"ents "a% )ro*ide the answer. or e9a")le# author

Ale9ander . Cenko*sk% atte")ts to re'on'ile "%sti'al realis" as:

'c!nowledging all the reality of empirical world, but also another reality behind2 the two

domains of being are real but not equal; empirical being can only eist for the account of

mystic reality.'

The '3h So' Peculiar Russian Way 4It may $e 'the' way5

As to Mr. Putin&s ena'ting this &third wa%& lierali7ation o! ussia# his nation&s )e'uliarities and

histor%# the whole Dussian idea# de"ands a "ore !le9ile s%ste" !or reali7ing the a))li'ation o!

lieral )rin'i)les. his is so"ething Putin has tried to e9)lain to westerners "an% ti"es# ut

whi'h is also )ur)ose!ull% o*erlooked. his oreign A!!airs)ie'e lets us know western think

tanks !ull% understand Putin&s strategies# ut 'hoose to 'on*olute the" !or o*ious ideologi'al

reasons. Author Anton Baraashin is the Managing Editor o! he $nterse'tion Pro>e't# whi'h

)artners with the entre !or Polish+ussian ;ialogue and ,nderstanding# whi'h is a!!iliated with

5eorge -oros& O)en -o'iet% oundations et'. And his 'o+author (annah hourn is an Ad>un't

ellow at the (udson $nstitute in /ashington# ;..# whi'h is 'losel% tied to the o'ke!eller !a"il%

Dsee &Agen'% o! ear: O)iates and Politi'al Power in A"eri'a % Edward ?a% E)stein. Make no

"istake aout it# e*er%thing is eing thrown against the notion o! 'hange# % westerninstitutions *ested in their own logi'. /e 'annot e9)e't western 'a)italisti' de"o'ra'% to

willingl% de'onstru't its ideals# now 'an we

-o# the )oliti'al i""aturit% o! ussia# is re!le'ted in the "eta"or)his" we see ussia

undergoing now. $t is this &i""aturit% and the ne'essar% e9)eri"entation % Putin# whi'h

)resent the iggest hurdles# and greatest )otential !or ussia and the world. @es# Putin&s

go*ern"ent takes on the 'loak o! totalitarianis" at ti"es# ut this is a transient ne'essit%.

e"e"er# ussia is as "u'h a &)ro'ess& as a thing. $n "% *iew# we shall soon see &Putin&s

)hilos)her&s& ideas trans!or" not onl% ussia# ut the world s%ste" we 'urrentl% li*e under now.

$n !a't this is alread% a))arent# looking at how )iti!ull% ine!!e'ti*e leaders in the west ha*e een

in 'urtailing ussia&s )rogress. -an'tions don&t work# *ili!%ing Putin onl% "akes hi" "ore lo*ed#

NAO 'annot ad*an'e# -oros and the others are eing ki'ked !ro" ussia# at e*er% turn the

ine*itale gets "ore real.

inall%# $$%in wrestled with the idea lieral *alues 'ould e re'on'iled with the )uli' will *ia

another a))roa'h. he 'i*il 'ore o! so'iet% needs the law!ul understanding o! an authoritarian

'onstru't# while at the sa"e ti"e s)iritual and other !reedo"s !inali7e the ,to)ia. Put si")l%#

6 What If Vladimir Putin Does Know a 'Third Way' for Society?

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ussia is in the )er!e't )osition to e9)eri"ent with a sustainale "odel !or hu"anit%. And Putin

is the )er!e't la'ks"ith !or !orging so"ething new and i")ro*ed. he )eo)le "ust reall%

understand an% s%ste"# in order to trust the s%ste". And the s%ste" 'annot sur*i*e in the 'haos

o! ra")ed sel! interest. o""unis" and so'ialis" won&t do# and neither will di'tatorshi)s# or

the 'a)italist de*il. $ sa% we gi*e Putin a 'han'e. $! there is no &third wa% we 'an alwa%s restartBa%lon.

$t&s een done 100 ti"es e!ore.

Phil Butler, is a policy investigator and analyst, a political scientist and expert on Eastern

Europe, exclusively for the online magazine'New Eastern Outlook'

http!""#ournal$neoorg"%&("&(")"what$if$vladimir$putin$does$know$a$third$way$for$society"

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recogni#e it2 it is essential to protect it, affirming it through collective, organi#ed recognition,

proclamation and reali#ation'+ $*an $lFin Aleksandro*i'h: 'ons'ien'e o! law

'=as