His ability to rapidly ramp up repression during the current crisis in response to antiwar protests - using tactics ranging from mass arrests at protests to shutting down opposition media to cutting off social media platforms - is a demonstration of the regime’s strengths. Putin has arrested or killed leading dissidents, instilled fear in the general public, and made the country’s leadership class dependent on his goodwill for their continued prosperity. Over the past two decades, the Russian leader and his allies have structured nearly every core element of the Russian state with an eye toward limiting threats to the regime. This is in no small part because Putin has done about as good a job preparing for them as any dictator could. Coups have been on the decline while popular revolts, like the Arab Spring uprisings and “color revolutions” in the former Soviet Union, have been on the rise.įor all the speculation about Putin losing power, neither of these eventualities seems particularly likely in Russia - even after the disastrous initial invasion of Ukraine. But since the 1990s, there has been a shift in the way that authoritarians are removed. During the Cold War, coups were the more common way for dictators to be forced out of office - think the toppling of Argentina’s Juan Perón in 1955. The best research on how authoritarians fall points to two possible scenarios: a military coup or a popular uprising. Where to donate if you want to assist refugees and people in Ukraine. The US and its European allies have responded to Putin’s aggression with unprecedented sanctions, but have no plans to send troops to Ukraine, for good reason. It could also impact inflation, gas prices, and the global economy. It’s destabilizing the region and terrorizing Ukrainian citizens. Russia’s invasion has the potential to set up a clash of nuclear world powers. Learn the history behind the conflict and what Russian President Vladimir Putin has said about his war aims. Get in-depth coverage about Russia’s war on Ukraine.
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