JJM vs. Alexander Dugin
On 4 December 2024, Alexander Dugin and I discussed international politics for over 3 hours. The event was sponsored by The China Academy.
Dugin is the most famous public intellectual in Russia and is often referred to as “Putin’s brain.” He has written extensively about international politics and has well-formed theories about how the world works. Unsurprisingly, he has firmly held views on the Ukraine war and all sorts of other subjects. There is no question that he is a controversial thinker, especially in the West. But whether one agrees with his views or not, he is a brilliant thinker and his writings will have influence inside and outside of Russia for a long time to come.
Hi Professor, I watched it when Dugin posted it yesterday, and with your permission, I'll repost my comment to him here too.
"What a fantastic dialogue!! Could have gone on much longer. Overall, I think Professor Dugin made better points; and ones that accord with a European long view, rather than the rather more simplistic American view. Wrote some thoughts during:
Disagree with both Mearsheimer and Dugin that the West is "Liberal" [Democratic] - it is not. It is neofeudal under a fake veneer of liberalism, aka neoliberal. As we have seen in the UK, Georgia and Romania, real democracy is dumped as soon as it becomes non-useful. The same will be true of gay rights, womens rights, individual rights, and all the other aspects of Liberalism, because the West IS NOT Liberal, but a fascist Empire.
Disagree with Dugin that Trump is anything like as good as he imagines, he is hoping for too much. Trump only portrays "Conservative values" because his main political base is Protestant Born-Againer Evangelists, he himself has no such ideology. Of course, neither do the Evangelical leadership, they are all corrupt in several ways.
Agree with Dugin that Mearsheimer's analysis is too restricted to the old Imperial system, multipolarity - if able to be born - will radically readjust the entire situation. The Eurasion Heartland the Asians now understand... it may not yet be "In their bones", but it's on the way. Blessed be.
Dugin is absolutely, fundamentally right about the dangers of "Israel", I hope Mearsheimer learned from what he said.
Also more agree with Dugin over the 'poles' - he has a considerably longer view than Mearsheimer.
I wish we could have had an opportunity to hear Dugin's views on "Empire", Mearsheimer was far too limited and rosy-eyed.
Dugin's overall error IMO was believing the West's lies about being "Liberal", and that is its Ideology, although right about the West's ideology being the real danger. But the REAL Ideology of the West is neo-Feudal Empire - they don't really care about whether their Empire has LGBT+ human rights, but in being able to "Suck the wealth from the sands" [And the people].
And Mearsheimer lacks the European long view, he is simply too American for his own good.
But pretty much everything else was excellent! WELL worth the time for all concerned, including the viewers. Already sharing it to several people.
Would love to see Professor Dugin on the Judge Nap circuit, or a dialogue with Alistair Crooke/Craig Murray.
Russia is not as isolated, nor without Western friends, and nor is the West as braindead, as Western corporate media would like to pretend."
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Obviously geared to be posted to Dugin, rather then yourself, but for the sake of intellectual honesty I won't re-edit it to favour your own ego rather than his - not that either of you have an ego. ;)
It was a fabulous conflab, wish I could have asked a question or two of you both. Whoever thought of it was a genius.
I’m eager to mine this discussion for any insights that I might pass on to readers of corporate news. Their stubborn ignorance is so difficult to dislodge. I do believe that the propaganda machine must be countered at every opportunity with actual wisdom, and I’m grateful for these conversations. Speaking of wisdom, Paul Krugman yesterday wrote his last column for the Times, which should in itself raise its level of wisdom by his absence.