Putin’s “landslide” is a new totalitarian milestone

Video Summary

In recent years, Russia’s elections have transformed into performances where the outcome is predetermined. The goal is no longer to hold a genuine election, but to stage a legitimization ritual to reinforce Vladimir Putin’s power. The 2020 election was no exception, with Putin securing 87% of the votes. This is not surprising, as the results are always rigged, and the point of the ritual is to demonstrate the people’s support for Putin.

The Western media has long recognized that the election was manipulated, but they still report that a majority of Russians support Putin. This narrative creates the illusion of a popular leader and perpetuates the myth of Putin’s legitimacy. The outcome is that the Russian people are portrayed as united behind Putin, with anyone opposing him being seen as a traitor or an enemy of the people. This is the direction in which Russian society is moving, with the goal of creating a more robust society capable of maintaining a war effort in the coming years and decades.

Putin’s strategy has been to depoliticize the Russian people, presenting the notion that you can live a good life as long as you do not get involved in politics. However, this has changed, and now he needs to incite the population to support his political project, which is war, including the conflict with Ukraine and the eternal war with the West. This is a delicate balancing act, as mobilizing the people too much could lead to protests against him instead of for him. The 2020 election was a demonstration of this dilemma, with Putin securing 87% of the vote and the other candidates receiving around 4% each. This is not a coincidence, as the goal was to show that Putin is the only choice, and any opposition is unacceptable.

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