By Alexander Dugin (advisor to Vladamir Putin)
[Dugin has also written a book about Heidegger’s philosophy]
From Amazon.com:
All the political systems of the modern age have been the
products of three distinct ideologies: the first, and oldest, is liberal
democracy; the second is Marxism; and the third is fascism. The latter two have
long since failed and passed out of the pages of history, and the first no
longer operates as an ideology, but rather as something taken for granted. The
world today finds itself on the brink of a post-political reality - one in
which the values of liberalism are so deeply embedded that the average person
is not aware that there is an ideology at work around him. As a result,
liberalism is threatening to monopolise political discourse and drown the world
in a universal sameness, destroying everything that makes the various cultures
and peoples unique. According to Alexander Dugin, what is needed to break
through this morass is a fourth ideology - one that will sift through the
debris of the first three to look for elements that might be useful, but that
remains innovative and unique in itself. Dugin does not offer a point-by-point
program for this new theory, but rather outlines the parameters within which it
might develop and the issues which it must address. Dugin foresees that the
Fourth Political Theory will use the tools and concepts of modernity against
itself, to bring about a return of cultural diversity against
commercialisation, as well as the traditional worldview of all the peoples of
the world - albeit within an entirely new context. Written by a scholar who is
actively influencing the direction of Russian geopolitical strategy today, The
Fourth Political Theory is an introduction to an idea that may well shape the
course of the world's political future. Alexander Dugin (b. 1962) is one of the
best-known writers and political commentators in post-Soviet Russia Moscow State
University
5 Stars
Saying as ShowingBy scrivener on January 3, 2014
Dugin
invites the reader to his project of forming the "Fourth Political
Theory," a new rival and successor to the preceeding three ideologies of
the twentieth century- liberalism, communism, and fascism/ns; of which the
second and third were defeated by the first, liberalism, which now is unopposed
a la Fukuyama's "end of history."
He calls for the imagining of future values drawn with inspiration from the Eternal; and from Tradition, the source of timeless pre-modern values as antidote to the soul crushing, identity destroying consumerism and individualism of liberalism. So this book is not a construction of a dogmatic theory; but rather an invitation to a conversation about what will the next anti-liberal theory of history will consist.
While his work principally concerns certain geopolitical considerations most important to Russia, it may also have relevance alike to the Far East, which still finds itself torn between modernity and tradition (as in Soseki's Kokoro) and to the EU and even America, which although the standard bearers of liberalism, remain increasingly atomized and torn between the increasing social divisions arising both in spite of and also out of the very individualism that has located them at a foremost position for the time being.
And while his geopolitical Eurasianism is taken as a counterpoint to American global hegemony, there may be much that is said here showing what may be alternatives to the triumphal reign of individualism.
If nothing else it is an interesting expression of contemporary syncretic anti-liberalism. Whether or not the evident call to reconstruct a Golden age from this kali yuga is anything more than another howl from a man among the ruins remains to be seen.
He calls for the imagining of future values drawn with inspiration from the Eternal; and from Tradition, the source of timeless pre-modern values as antidote to the soul crushing, identity destroying consumerism and individualism of liberalism. So this book is not a construction of a dogmatic theory; but rather an invitation to a conversation about what will the next anti-liberal theory of history will consist.
While his work principally concerns certain geopolitical considerations most important to Russia, it may also have relevance alike to the Far East, which still finds itself torn between modernity and tradition (as in Soseki's Kokoro) and to the EU and even America, which although the standard bearers of liberalism, remain increasingly atomized and torn between the increasing social divisions arising both in spite of and also out of the very individualism that has located them at a foremost position for the time being.
And while his geopolitical Eurasianism is taken as a counterpoint to American global hegemony, there may be much that is said here showing what may be alternatives to the triumphal reign of individualism.
If nothing else it is an interesting expression of contemporary syncretic anti-liberalism. Whether or not the evident call to reconstruct a Golden age from this kali yuga is anything more than another howl from a man among the ruins remains to be seen.
5 Stars
One of the Truly Essential Books of our young
CenturyBy Shelia B. Cassidy on November 8, 2013
Most
of the political theories that we now embrace are failing us. And even though
this book was primarily directed at the Russian polity, it is significant for
the rest of the world for many reasons.
First of all, this author is Putin's adviser, so we need to know where the thinking is coming from in the rest of the world.
Second, Dugin's political analysis applies just as well to the rest of the world.
Dugin says that we need a new political theory, that the 18th century liberalism that we have been operating from is no longer valid. He says that we should borrow from the past - religion and real values - and construct a new political theory that will engage these values and also update our societies to cope with the processes we now face. I agree with him. Liberalism grew out of the typographical era, when reading the printed word was king. We have long sense moved into the modern era of social media and computers and the Internet. We need to get to know one another better and quit regarding everyone as "the enemy of the month." This will entail electing political leaders that are more conscious of the global village and also the need for national
First of all, this author is Putin's adviser, so we need to know where the thinking is coming from in the rest of the world.
Second, Dugin's political analysis applies just as well to the rest of the world.
Dugin says that we need a new political theory, that the 18th century liberalism that we have been operating from is no longer valid. He says that we should borrow from the past - religion and real values - and construct a new political theory that will engage these values and also update our societies to cope with the processes we now face. I agree with him. Liberalism grew out of the typographical era, when reading the printed word was king. We have long sense moved into the modern era of social media and computers and the Internet. We need to get to know one another better and quit regarding everyone as "the enemy of the month." This will entail electing political leaders that are more conscious of the global village and also the need for national
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