Trump Barrels America Along The Path To Fascism
“Alexander Dugin, a leading Russian fascist ideologue and nexus for far right activists all over Europe and the U.S., welcomes Trump as the harbinger of a new world order.”https://t.co/qdQQK15gTq pic.twitter.com/OJkt9IyG2c

— Dennis S Brotman ?? #DemCast #DemCastGA (@DenbrotS) December 21, 2018

*Editor’s Note: Elephant Journal articles represent the personal views of the authors, and can not possibly reflect Elephant Journal as a whole. Disagree with an Op-Ed or opinion? We’re happy to share your experience here.

The world is shocked by Putin’s actions, but they are not as random as it seems.

Just to be clear, I am not about to justify Putin’s actions; I want to offer a deeper understanding of how the war in Ukraine relates to conspiracy theories and the far-right in the West.

There is a difference between understanding someone’s perspective and agreeing—please keep that in mind when reading this article.

It’s always easy to call someone crazy, but it’s usually not helpful. We know that from relationships, friendships, and work. The same logic also applies in international relations.

War is the consequence of failed diplomacy. The moment both sides call each other crazy is when a conflict escalates. When there is no common ground to negotiate, violence takes over.

Did you ever wonder why some Republicans are taking sides with Putin? What’s the connection?

First of all, we have to change our misperception that Russia or Putin represent the ideology of Communism—that’s bullsh*t. He is an authoritarian leader who hates the West, but he is definitely not a communist. It’s important to let go of narratives from decades ago, as this is not about Capitalism against Communism at all.

Putin is a nationalist Christian who could be labelled as a neofascist.

And Putin’s ideology is connected to the rise of conspiracy theories in the West. Wait, what?

Almost two years ago, I spent a lot of time debunking QAnon and other conspiracy theories. I was surprised to find out that these narratives were inspired by a Russian philosopher called Alexander Dugin. And I was shocked to find out that this guy is one of Putin’s closest advisors.

And now, we are witnessing the war in Ukraine and wonder why Putin keeps talking about “denazifying” Ukraine. Why would he accuse a government led by a Jewish person of supporting Nazis? That’s totally crazy unless you believe in Dugin’s ideology.

As you probably know, Russia was also fighting against Nazi Germany in World War II. But after that, Russia’s perception of the world started evolving into a direction that most of us are not familiar with. It’s the ideology of Alexander Dugin.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the United States became the only remaining superpower. The United States was leading the efforts to rebuild the United Nations and implement international law.

But the main problem with international law is (and had always been) the absence of a court that is accepted by every nation on this planet. As the most powerful nation at that time, the United States took that role. Nobody was able to take any action against the interest of the United States, and George Bush Jr. was able to attack Iraq without a mandate from the United Nations.

Many folks noticed back in 2003 that this decision could cause incredible harm down the road. It revived ideas of power politics and encouraged dictators around the world to focus on military skills instead of diplomacy.

And that’s where Dugin enters the stage. He never believed in international law or human rights, and he is all about power and empires fighting each other. The United Nations are a joke to Dugin. He believes that the world is divided between “Globalists” and “Eurasia.”

What Dugin calls “Globalists” is the West, and Putin is the leader of “Eurasia.”

You might already get a little nervous because you heard the term “Globalist” in a different context before, right? Do you remember the time when Republicans claimed that Black Lives Matter was extremely dangerous? Do you remember QAnon followers speaking about a global cabal drinking children’s blood?

Here is a quote from Alexander Dugin’s book Foundations of Geopolitics (translated by John Dunlop):

“Russia should use its special services within the borders of the United States to fuel instability and separatism, for instance, provoke ‘Afro-American racists.’ Russia should ‘introduce geopolitical disorder into internal American activity, encouraging all kinds of separatism and ethnic, social and racial conflicts, actively supporting all dissident movements—extremist, racist, and sectarian groups, thus destabilizing internal political processes in the U.S. It would also make sense simultaneously to support isolationist tendencies in American politics.'”

Sounds like Tucker Carlson, right?

Speaking of right-wing media and Russian influence, former Fox producer John Hanick is accused of working with a Russian Oligarch connected to Putin. Not to forget Donald Trump and other Republicans who accepted money from Russian donors.

So, we can clearly see Dugin’s influence on QAnon, Fox News, and Republicans—but what about Putin?

Just as the QAnon conspiracy theory, the worldview of Dugin is highly based on anti-Semitism. Dugin believes that Orthodox Christians were the actual victim of the Nazis. He thinks that Jews took sides with Nazis and only pretended to be the victim for political gains.

Holocaust deniers and anti-Semites around the world are using these sick narratives of global elites, Jewish conspiracies, and Christianity as a victim of woke culture.

Yes, you read that right, the so-called culture war between Conservatives and what they call “woke” people is partially an invention of Dugin.

Dugin and Putin see themselves as the leaders of Christianity fighting against LGBTQ+ rights, gender equality, and individualism. And as you might have noticed, there are a lot of Conservative Christians around the world who take sides with Putin and Dugin (without being aware of it).

So, anyone who still thinks that Putin attacked Ukraine because he was scared of NATO—think again. This invasion is part of a bigger plan that sees Russia as the legitimate superpower in Europe and Asia. Dugin’s doctrine doesn’t accept former Soviet Republics as sovereign nations.

If Putin is able to occupy Ukraine, he won’t stop there.

And he will be willing to do anything to achieve his goals. The main reason for that is that Dugin’s ideology is based on religion. The confrontation between “Globalists” and “Orthodox Christians” is what Dugin believes to be the final battle between good and evil.

But what if this escalates into a nuclear war that destroys the entire planet? It seems like Putin is willing to take this risk. A few years ago, Putin said, “Yes, it will be a catastrophe for humanity and for the world. But I’m a citizen of Russia and its head of state. Why do we need a world without Russia in it?”

Looking at the state of the world, it’s hard to deny Dugin’s influence. The neofascist ideology based on Christian beliefs is what connects Putin with Conservatives. It’s what connects QAnon and slander against Ukrainian President Zelensky. And it’s why Trump and his supporters are taking sides with Putin.

I wish Putin was just crazy, but knowing that there is an ideology behind his actions makes it even scarier. And the worst part is that Dugin’s philosophy fuels far-right movements in almost every Western nation.

The next time someone uses the term “Globalist” to badmouth someone, talks about George Soros and “The Great Reset,” or defends Russia’s actions in Ukraine—please keep in mind that this person was probably inspired by Alexander Dugin.