Kremlintarianism

Kremlintarianism [1] is is the defense of Kremlin policy (Kremlinism) by alleged libertarians.

Kremlinism and Kremlinophilia

Kremlintarianism is a form of Kremlinophilia and Putinism.

As such it defends Kremlinism (the policy of the Kremlin kremlin.ru), in particular Russian Imperialism.

Characteristics

• Staunch desire for the US, NATO, the EU and any half-decent country to avoid/lose wars, especially when Russia, a Russian ally, a former Russian ally or Russia-supported regime is involved (Ukraine should surrender/be conquered, Taiwan should be conquered by Russia-ally China [2], the US should have stayed out of WWII [3], etc)

• Staunch support for Russia to be successful in its wars of aggression (Russian invasion of Ukraine is to be admired[4], and Russia should be successful in it [5])

• Denial of genocides by allies of Russia, or genocides stopped by NATO intervention [6]

• Favors decentralization of (already small) European states into even smaller [7], indefensible ones[8], dissolution of NATO [9][10], dissolution of the US (“Libertarian” Party), etc. Calls for small states to be neutral, non-interventionist, etc.

• Conversely (!), favors expansion of the largest state on earth (Russian Imperialism) [11]. Has no objection to Union State [12]. Does not call for Russia to be neutral, non-interventionist, etc.

• Always sides with the most anti-libertarian, most authoritarian regime in any conflict, in particular, if that regime is or was supported by Russia at some point (China over Taiwan [13], Russia over Ukraine, anyone over Israel and the US, etc)

• Of course, they will call their opponents “russophobic” [14]

• Of course, their staunchest opponents are Russians[15] (starting, of course, with the ones from Москва itself ru: Мне стыдно быть либертарианкой). Followed by Ukrainians, Poles, etc.

Indeed, Kremlintarianism is directly correlated to residence at a safe distance from the Kremlin, lack of Russian language skills, etc:

Have you noticed that [Kremlintarian] support for Russia increases in proportion to how far the [Kremlintarian] lives from [the Kremlin]? Libertarians from Finland to Ukraine are all appalled at the betrayal. Libertarians in Russia (those who dare speak) feel similarly. Here is an appeal by the Libertarian Party of Russia. [16]

Kremlintarians will try to trick useful idiots into moving closer to the Kremlin [17], while remainining at a safe distance themselves.

The worst kind of Kremlinophilia

Arguably, Kremlintarianism is the worst type of Kremlinophilia, as its purported ideas (libertarianism, antistate, antiwar, decentralization, etc) are the complete opposite of what it is actually supporting (Reverse straw man).

Kremlintarianism is profoundly anti-liberal and anti-libertarian

• https://www.lewrockwell.com/2019/07/no_author/how-russias-president-putin-explains-the-end-of-the-liberal-order/

Kremlintarianism is anti-American

• Kremlintarians will also ignore Russian threats to the US (such as Alaska) [18]. Kremlintarians are usually not very good in geography. [19]

• Kremlintarians go as far as to suggest Russian dictator Vladmir Putin should become President of the US: "So, if Donald Trump doesn’t run for president in 2024, since essential American citizenship is being abolished by Biden, I’m voting for Vladimir Putin. " [20]

More Kremlinist than the Kremlin?

As the Kremlin propaganda keeps shifting, sometimes they have trouble keeping up.

• For instance, some of them are still clinging to the lies about NATO expansion as reason for Kremlinism, even while more senior Kremlinists switched to openly embracing Imperialism. [21] [22]

• others will blabber about how US interference overthrew a democratically-elected government... while Russian propagandists have already moved on to Russian intervention "squeezing out the democratization of Ukraine" [23]

Kremlintarians

Kremlintarians, simply put, are vatniks. (ватник)

I am deeply saddened by the stance of some American libertarians [Kremlintarians] during this conflict. Now, we really do need NATO in Central-Eastern Europe. Why? Because some criminals are more criminal than others. And if you stop playing the game of war, it does not mean others will.

Agnieszka Płonka, “Do not say ‘Russia’, say ‘the gang’”

Prominent Kremlintarians

• Murray Rothbard (🎖 We award him Order of Lenin[24] for outstanding lifetime achievement [25])
• Walter Block (🎖 We award him International Stalin Prize for Strengthening Peace Among Peoples [26] for his outstanding conclusion, in 2022, as lifelong scholar on libertarian/kremlintarian theories of justice, that: “If there were any justice in the world, Russia ... would have declared war on all the member nations of NATO, all of them without exception.”[27])
• Justin Raimondo
• Scott Horton
• Daniel McAdams
• Hans-Hermann Hoppe (see: ru:Ханс-Герман Хоппе)
• Ron Paul [28] [29] [30] [31]
• Rand Paul (see: ru:Рэнд Пол)
• Lew Rockwell
• Ted Galen Carpenter ("In his book, "Gullible Superpower" (published in February 2019), Cato Institute's Ted Galen Carpenter presented some of the propagandist arguments generated by the Kremlin in its information warfare against the USA and the West." [32])
• Doug Bandow ("In 2014, Doug Bandow called Ukraine a "fake country" and defended Russian influence over it." [33])
• Jacob G. Hornberger [34]

Kremlintarian Dens

• “Mises” Caucus
• “Libertarian” Party
• ProWarDotCom (sometimes jokingly referred to as “Antiwar.com”, haha good one)
• Mao Tse Tung Institute [35] (allegedly “Ludwig von Mises Institute”. Ludwig von Mises, of course, was no Kremlintarian (he spoke Russian)[36])
• Ron Paul Infamy for War and Poverty
• Lew Rockwell Cesspool
• sCato Institute [37]

I thought… I guess I thought some people I have met would be wiser. And now I am left with downright suspicions (there is a difference between an idiot and and agent)… I thought a certain think tank was on the side of freedom. Now I have to see them publish articles that are clearly in Russian interest or are glorifying a murderous ideology, silencing the fact that Dugin openly called for genocide. Or articles falling for the false cultural narrative of „family values” in Russia – without even checking the statistics (yes, that same narrative that was fabricated in Moscow as a divide-and-conquer strategy). Or even claiming it would be good for a dictatorship to own nuclear weapons.

Agnieszka Płonka, “Four months into the war – personal stories and broken alliances”

Studies on Kremlintarianism

• Against Urki Libertarianism
• Putin’s Libertarians
• Libertarianism is against aggression
• An appeal to western libertarians about the war in Ukraine
• Roman Skaskiw, Nine Lessons of Russian Propaganda
• Roman Skaswki, “I’m accused of being a Neo Con”

See also

• Russophobia
• Useful idiots
• Walter Duranty
• Rashism