Kremlintarianism
Kremlintarianism [7] is the support of Kremlin policy (Kremlinism) by alleged libertarians.
“ They have crossed the line from a belief that the U.S. should “mind its own business” to explaining that the reason we should do so is because the regimes we’ve been told to be wary of by the shapers of American foreign policy are in fact righteous victims and national liberators.
What’s so ironic is that so-called libertarians are defending nationalist politicians who never hesitate to use the full powers of the state in quashing the personal freedoms of their citizenry
Kremlinism and Kremlinophilia
Kremlintarianism is an acute form of Kremlinophilia...
“ Even the falls of the British and French empires at the end of World War II do not match as geo-strategic disasters the collapse of the Soviet Empire and breakup of the Soviet Union since the end of the Cold War.
“ Why the West Hates Russia: It’s Not Woke Enough?
“ It is far easier for a political party to gain ballot status in Russia than it is in most states in the U.S.
“ A lot of people have it in for Holy Mother Russia
... and, currently, Putinophilia:
“ Vladimir Putin Is The Leader Of the Moral World
“ We should thank our lucky stars that Putin is a mensch.
“ a decisive, realistic, and nationalistic adult, in the person of Vladimir Putin ... Putin has a very clear view of Russia’s genuine national interests
“ he is not a dictator
“ Putin is a rational statesman, with legitimate security interest
“ Putin is a Russian nationalist, patriot, traditionalist and a cold and ruthless realist looking out to preserve Russia as the great and respected power it once was and he believes it can be again.
“ Putin, a proud Russian patriot... The neocons hate Putin with a passion because he is a patriot.
“ It’s difficult to really know the truth about Putin. I must confess that the more I hear the man speak, the more impressed I am with him.
As such it defends Kremlinism, in particular Russian Imperialism/Russian Colonialism.
Characteristics
“ Let me get this straight. Mises Caucus says the United States should not have fought the Nazis. But they also say Russia is right to invade Ukraine because of Ukrainian Nazis.
“ To be so angry at your own government that you will ally yourself with tyrants abroad is … well, words fail me. But when I become very calm, one comes to mind with perfect clarity: evil.
“ I gotta say, it takes a certain kind of psychopath to support genocide even when their own country is on the right side of history.
- Moral equivalency between genocidal regimes openly advocating War Crimes[12] and (imperfect yet vastly preferrable) Western liberal democracies
- Criticizing much more the latter than the former
- Worse, openly considering the latter as worse than the former [13]
- Staunch desire for the US, NATO, the EU and any half-decent country to avoid at any price or lose wars, even defensive ones, especially when Russia, a Russian ally, a former Russian ally or Russia-supported regime is involved (Ukraine should surrender/be conquered by Russia, Taiwan should be conquered by Russia-ally China [14], the US should have stayed out of WWII [15], Israel should not defend itself against Russia-ally Iran, etc)
- Staunch support for Russia to launch wars [16] and be successful in its wars of aggression (Russian invasion of Ukraine is to be admired[17], and Russia should be successful in it [18])
- Denial of genocides by allies of Russia, or genocides stopped by NATO intervention [19]
- Favors decentralization of (already small) European states into even smaller [20], indefensible ones[21], dissolution of NATO [22][23], dissolution of the US [24] (“Libertarian” Party, Walter Block, etc), etc. Calls for small states to be neutral, non-interventionist, etc.
- Conversely (!), favors expansion of the largest state on earth (Russian Imperialism) [25]. Has no objection to Union State [26], CSTO [27], etc. Never calls for Russia to be neutral, non-interventionist, split into smaller states, etc. (“anti-imperialism” of idiots)
- In particular, while claiming to support decentralization and secession, supports expansion of the largest state territory on earth, through military conquest and fake referenda under occupation. (for instance the 2014 Crimean status “referendum”: “Ron Paul: Crimea secedes. So what?”)
- Does not seem bothered by the fact that “self-determination” to join Russia (even were it real and not fake referenda) can only be exercised once [28]. Too bad for the next generation.
- Or that, while secession from Russia is very illegal, Russian agents are eager to encourage secession to Russia, or any secession that could weaken Western countries: Spain[29][30], US[31][32]... (which, it just so happens, is the exact same pattern as Kremlintarians...)
- 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, Russia over Ukraine, anyone over Israel and the US, etc)
- Support for outright tankies such as Noam Chomsky, “believed to be the greatest living intellectual of our time.” (sic) [33]
- Publication of outright fascist Russian imperialists such as Aleksandr Dugin [34] (nothing is beyond the pale for the Lew Rockwell Cesspool [35] )
- Of course, they will call their opponents “russophobic”
- Of course, their staunchest opponents are Russian libertarians[36] [37] (starting with the ones from Москва itself ru: Мне стыдно быть либертарианкой). Followed by Ukrainians, Poles, etc. (Their explanation? They must be paid by the CIA. Of course. [38])
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.
- — Roman Skaskiw [39]
Kremlintarians will try to trick useful idiots into moving closer to the Kremlin [40], 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
- Cathy Young, “Russia’s Global Anti-Libertarian Crusade” (Kremlintarians did not like this one at all! [41])
Kremlintarianism is anti-American
Kremlintarians go as far as to suggest Russian dictator Vladmir Putin should become president/dictator of the US (they are perfectly fine with a fascist dictatorship in general[42]):
“ if Donald Trump doesn’t run for president in 2024 ... I’m voting for Vladimir Putin.
- — Boyd D. Cathey, LewRockwell.com [ the t-shirt version ]
- Kremlintarians also ignore Russian threats to the US[43]:
- Kremlintarians are usually not very good in geography. [44]
Kremlintarians and geography
Kremlintarians claim that Russia is “encircled” or “surrounded” by NATO [45]. (As if, incidentally, this were a bad thing, were it true: countries actually surrounded by NATO —Switzerland, Austria and Liechtenstein—seem to be doing just fine, and are, in fact, often idolized by those same Kremlintarians[46][47]. Go figure...)
They claim that “Geopolitical feuds between nations halfway around the globe do not require the United States to choose sides.” [48]. When actually, Russia is threatening the US, in particular Alaska [49], and Russia is not “halfway around the globe”, but in fact a neighbor of the USA [50].
Incidentally, note that while “Polish MPs vote almost unanimously to approve Sweden and Finland’s NATO accession”[51], a “no” vote is expected[52] from Kremlintarian Rand Paul (he ended up abstaining):
- In October 2019, the Senate approved North Macedonia’s accession by a vote of 91-2. And in March 2017, just a few months after Russia was found to have meddled in the 2016 presidential election, the Senate voted 97-2 to admit Montenegro.
- The lone “no” votes for both countries came from Sens. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Mike Lee (R-Utah), both of whom have expressed some skepticism over the years about NATO.
- Lee is undecided on Finland and Sweden joining NATO and is considering the arguments on both sides, while Paul told POLITICO that he’s not yet ready to make a statement on the issue. Both senators voted against the $40 billion aid package for Ukraine. [53]
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. [54] [55]
- 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” [56]
- or about how Putin is actually a liberal (“Putin is a liberal in the old fashioned sense that no longer exists in the West.” [57]) even while Putin openly proclaims being anti-liberal [58] (or even: “Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four was about liberalism, not totalitarianism, claims Moscow diplomat”)
Kremlintarians
Kremlintarians, simply put, are vatniks. Vatniks who think how smart and original they are by being dumb contrarians by opposing whatever the US government says or does[59]. The one time when Lew Rockwell was not spreading Kremlintarianism was... when he thought the US were ok with Russian invasions. [60].
“ I am deeply saddened by the stance of some American [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.
typical...
...Kremlintarian
Prominent Kremlintarians
“ Thus, fortuitously, from a mixture of theoretical and practical grounds of their own, the Soviets arrived early at what libertarians consider to be the only proper and principled foreign policy ... Stalin and his successors strengthened and reinforced the nonaggressive, “peaceful-coexistence” policy.
“ 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.
- Murray Rothbard (🎖 We award him[1] Order of Lenin[61] for outstanding lifetime achievement in promoting Kremlintarianism [62] and thus sabotaging libertarianism)
- Walter Block (🎖 We award him[1] International Stalin Prize for Strengthening Peace Among Peoples [63] 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.”[64])
- Justin Raimondo
- Scott Horton
- Daniel McAdams
- Hans-Hermann Hoppe
- Ron Paul
- Rand Paul
- Lew Rockwell
- David Gordon [65]
- 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.” [66])
- Doug Bandow (“In 2014, Doug Bandow called Ukraine a ”fake country“ and defended Russian influence over it.” [67])
- Jacob G. Hornberger [68]
- Michael Scheuer
Kremlintarian Dens
- “Mises” Caucus
- “Libertarian” Party
- ProWarDotCom
- Mao Tse Tung Institute [69] (allegedly “Ludwig von Mises Institute”. Ludwig von Mises, of course, was no Kremlintarian (he spoke Russian)[70])
- Ron Paul Infamy for War and Poverty
- Lew Rockwell Cesspool
- sCato Institute [71] [72]
“ 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.
Levels of Kremlintarianism
Level 0: non-interventionism, might or might not be Kremlintarian, depending on the justifications for it.
- level 1 Kremlintarian: the delusional Kremlintarian: Russia is not invading! Russia is not our problem! Russia might be bad, but surely it’s not all that bad (likewise China, Hitler, Milosevic, etc). no genocide happening!
- level 2 Kremlintarian: the nihilistic Kremlintarian: Russia and Ukraine are the same. genocide? who cares.
- level 3 Kremlintarian: the evil Kremlintarian: Russia is better! Russia should win! whatever genocide Russia is doing is ok.
- level 4 Kremlintarian: the extra-evil Kremlintarian: Russia is not killing enough, Russia should kill more , declare more wars[73]! Putin is too soft![74]! more genocide!
Examples:
Level 2 Kremlintarians:
“ a ridiculous war effort to save one fascist democracy from another fascist democracy
- — Todd Hagopian, “Kremlintarian-In-Chief”, Kremlintarian Party treasurer, [75]
“ you have to consider surrendering, because you see that only one corrupt gang is exchanged for another corrupt gang. For example, the Ukraine war
Kremlintarianism in the UK
Kremlintarianism is primarily an anti-American-American phenomenon, but alas the plague has spread even to the UK...
- The
LibertarianKremlintarian Alliance, who claims that “What we want is a government so small that it doesn’t matter where it is, what it does, who’s in it, or how they got there.”[77], from which “Alan Bickley, who is both Editor of Free Life [sic] and Director of the Libertarian Alliance” concludes: “I hope the Russians will win.”[78]
- Like their American counterparts, they think fighting Hitler was wrong: “Our unwise entry to the Second World War had brought economic dislocation and a large mass of debt, and it required us to rethink our status as an imperial power.” (the Director Alan Bickley again [79])
- They themselves describe their views as “Bleak and Cynical Semi-Libertarianism” in yet another awful piece [80], yet frankly, if we add the publication of such titles as Hoppe’s awful speech redefining libertarianism as boot-licking of the alt-right [81] (while calling real libertarian organizations such as Students for Liberty “stupid”), or “Why I Choose to Collaborate with Racialists and Theocrats” by Keith Preston: “It is true that groups like the Ku Klux Klan have a lengthy history of terrorism and violence against minorities. It is also true that skinhead gangs have perpetrated much violent street crime in the name of racism (though still less than black and Latino crime gangs). However, white nationalism has evolved considerably in the past ten or fifteen years ... Even when I read the commentary of ex-Nazis like Don Black or David Duke, I find that I frequently disagree, but I don’t find their views inherently scandalous”, perhaps “idiotic non-libertarianism” or “dangerously misguided anti-libertarianism”, or, more bluntly, “fascism”, would be even more accurate.
Not all libertarians are Kremlintarians
Studies on Kremlintarianism
- Steven Greenhut, “Opposing War With Russia Doesn’t Require Excusing Putin’s Aggression”, Reason 2022
- Anarcho-Putinism, Facebook Group
- Confused Pro-Putin Libertarians, Facebook Group
- “Russian State Propaganda for American Libertarians. How does it work?”, Analysis of the theses of the Kremlin propaganda focused on American libertarians, 2022
Protests against Kremlintarianism
Threads about Kremlintarianism
- N. Stephan Kinsella, “I *literally* have some ”libertarian“ friends arguing that Russia’s attack on Ukraine is *justified*”
- Mikhail Svetov, “Ten likes one fact about Putin’s Russia and everything that Western right wing gets wrong about Putin.”
- Михаил Пожарский, https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1566731792551403522.html [82] auto-translate: https://threadreaderapp-com.translate.goog/thread/1566731792551403522.html?_x_tr_sl=ru&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=wapp
- Михаил Пожарский, https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1508772598494150668.html [83] auto-translate: https://threadreaderapp-com.translate.goog/thread/1508772598494150668.html?_x_tr_sl=ru&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=wapp
