tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312853715123370916.post6916737322312119021..comments2024-03-17T00:10:44.022+00:00Comments on From Arse To Elbow: The Revival of RussiaDavid Timoneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03568348438980023320noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312853715123370916.post-52486967735478802592016-11-01T09:35:02.049+00:002016-11-01T09:35:02.049+00:00What did Russia do wrong in Ukraine?
Invaded and ...<i>What did Russia do wrong in Ukraine?</i><br /><br />Invaded and supported armed actions inside another sovereign country, annexed part of that country against international law, papered over that annexation with an instant plebiscite which broke accepted electoral norms in all aorts of ways.ejhhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01582272075999298935noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312853715123370916.post-13437843340632316312016-10-26T17:34:17.591+01:002016-10-26T17:34:17.591+01:00“This tends to reduce interpretations to the lowes...“This tends to reduce interpretations to the lowest common denominator, i.e. the struggle for resources.”<br /><br />Then you should have come up with a better example than of all things, ‘it’s all about the oil’, where many conflicts have been fought over this crucial resource. To say this is reducing things to their lowest common denominator is misleading. Rather it is raising the main issue above all the side ones. But I know of no group that claims it is all about the oil. I know of many that try to amplify oil as the crucial factor. In a world where imperialists claim they are carrying out humanitarian intervention the base motives of imperialism and it supporters can easily get lost.<br /><br />The people who are prattling on endlessly about Russia are not the ‘it’s all about oil’ crowd but is in fact the ‘it is about everything but oil crowd’.<br /><br />I think a genuinely materialist approach to the black propaganda being currently leveled against Putin and Russia by all sections of the Western establishment would look more to the base interests of the imperialists rather than a profile of Russia! Once that is firmly and loudly established maybe you can then move onto the specifics about Russia.<br />Herbie Destroys the Environmentnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312853715123370916.post-45502197958552710172016-10-26T00:28:09.285+01:002016-10-26T00:28:09.285+01:00Herbie,
"It's all about the oil" is...Herbie,<br /><br />"It's all about the oil" is not a materialist explanation but a mercantilist one.<br /><br />My point is that the realist school of international relations assumes that all states have similar, comprehensible motives. This tends to reduce interpretations to the lowest common denominator, i.e. the struggle for resources.<br /><br />A classic example of this is the belief that Japan's history in the first half of the 20th century was driven by a lack of raw materials, ignoring any social or cultural factors. While the base is ultimately determinative, politics and other manifestations in the superstructure are not simply mechanical, otherwise we could have expected the Swiss to be similarly bellicose in the 1930s.<br /><br />In the context of recent Western commentary on Russia (which is what the post is about), the realist turn has led to an excess of psychological profiling of the Russian "bear" and of Putin. This has been amplified by the projection of domestic US anxieties (hence the yoking of Putin and Trump) and by Putin's own opportunism (given a conspiratorial spin by the foregrounding of Surkov).<br /><br />I'm arguing for a genuinely materialist approach, recognising that Russia remains second division in geopolitical terms because of its economic stagnation, social divisions and diplomatic awkwardness (so not unlike the UK).David Timoneyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03568348438980023320noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312853715123370916.post-12738834863670440832016-10-25T19:31:26.686+01:002016-10-25T19:31:26.686+01:00“It is in fact one of the most abstract concepts i...“It is in fact one of the most abstract concepts imaginable. Its 'success' in mobilising mass feeling is due to determined ideological construction.”<br /><br />Please don’t make me have to quote Stalin’s Marxism and the National Question.<br /><br />Population is an abstract term because it doesn’t tell you anything other than numbers of people. Nationalism isn’t abstract precisely because it tells you something about the construct of the population, among other things. And it does have a material basis. To say nationalism is a purely ideological construct is stretching things a bit, is ahistorical.<br /><br />I am not disputing that nationalism like religion can hide a multitude of sins but if a powerful interest groups survival depends on keeping the lower orders onside then powerful interest groups may go to war with each other.<br /><br />In fact, while we are on the subject, ideological constructs are a material reality, have material affects and can make history!<br /><br />The struggle against nationalism is every bit as real as the struggle against the ruling class, and obviously is linked. The struggle against the population, now that is abstract!<br />Herbie Destroys the Environmentnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312853715123370916.post-23467558014210674742016-10-25T19:17:57.284+01:002016-10-25T19:17:57.284+01:00"Nationalism is itself a material reality, ev..."Nationalism is itself a material reality, even if class divisions within nations are also a material reality. Class rhetoric can just as easily obscure nationalist actions."<br /><br />States rarely act for 'nationalist' reasons. They might put that kind of spin on their actions to make their actions seem more 'popular' (in the sense of relating to the masses), but the motivation is usually raison d'état or the demands of powerful interest groups.<br /><br />Nationalism is far from a material reality. It is in fact one of the most abstract concepts imaginable. Its 'success' in mobilising mass feeling is due to determined ideological construction.<br />Igor Belanovnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312853715123370916.post-89567700931737909292016-10-25T17:18:14.710+01:002016-10-25T17:18:14.710+01:00“it's all about the oil”
What is this other t...“it's all about the oil”<br /><br />What is this other than a materialist explanation! There are academic studies which show that where resources are in most abundance and easily extractable the more likely will imperialist conflict take place. To say it is NOT all about the oil is to really replace a materialist explanation with a bullshit one.<br /><br />Ultimately all these conflicts can be traced back to the vital resource up for grabs or the strategic route these vital resources rely upon.<br /><br />Conflict over resources precedes class conflict. Nationalism is itself a material reality, even if class divisions within nations are also a material reality. Class rhetoric can just as easily obscure nationalist actions.<br /><br />What did Russia do wrong in Ukraine? More to the point what did those in East Ukraine do wrong? They twice elected a president and twice within a generation was the President they elected thrown out in a violent coup!! How many coup’s does it take before the people of East Ukraine can say enough is enough. If you can’t accept the result of the election when it goes against you then how can we go on together is basically what those in east Ukraine are asking?<br /><br />Please, someone in the West answer this burning question and stop the bullshit distraction over Russia!!<br />Herbie Destroys the Environmentnoreply@blogger.com