Peter Hutchins said that the rule of law, Free speech and the ability of the press to critisise the Government is essential to create a society. Well I suspect that is where Britain is doomed to failure. Though I will confess that Mr. Hitching said this far more eloquently than I.

If one moans about Russian oligarchs, one really ought to moan about American oligarchs as well -- aren't the richest and most controlling all American?

@conorwhite2066

11 ай бұрын

Ditto with conspiracies and conspiracy theories.. conspiracies happen alright .. but between government officials and lobbyists and rich people over lunch, conferences and dinners

Thank you to the both of you for allowing us to listen to this conversation.

The main video link (full video) is unavailable.

@TerryStewart32

Жыл бұрын

is that a new video because he was on the same podcast a few months ago. i’m wondering if it’s a completely new interview or just old clips

@JohnAndersonMedia

Жыл бұрын

You may watch the full conversation here: kzread.info/dash/bejne/fpVhztqEZMKwgdo.html

Of course the US didn't abandon post-war Soviet Russia, instead it kept prodding and taunting the wounded Russian bear.

@johnschuh8616

Жыл бұрын

We treated the Russians somewhat like the West treated the Weimar Republic of Germany, except that the Germans had an existing and efficient capitalist system instead of a socialist system.

Interesting men - both of them.

@pennypiper7382

Жыл бұрын

Real men👍

Can someone please suggest me some books on the post 91 russian era

Do you have full conversation

@JohnAndersonMedia

Жыл бұрын

You may watch the full conversation here: kzread.info/dash/bejne/fpVhztqEZMKwgdo.html

What about "self-determination "? We in the west are constantly held to this you are too involved or not involved enough? Unfortunately, it seems that we do not get a full understanding of what goes on behind closed doors, and then how it is perceived.

they're not rewarded, they are exploited, and the exploiters have played a folly.

YEP!

whaat ? speak louder.

@bernardofitzpatrick5403

Жыл бұрын

Literally DOG

Against another segment of what I suspect is this same interview, I agreed with what Hitchens was saying about the state of education in Britain and the West generally. I prefaced this by saying "I am no fan of Peter Hitchens..." and someone replied "What exactly don't you like about him ?" I didn't bother answering that but oddly the above makes the case as to why apart from his mumbling speech patterns. It is intellectual nonsense and mushy thinking to represent the collapse of the Soviet Union and the subsequent choas as the "fault" of the West in someway simply because it totally ignores the nature of Russia a Country where a fully fledged democracy will never flourish. Russia throughout its history has been a kleptocracy ruled by terror simply because it is geographically too big to be ruled by any other means, Putin and his gang are just the modern version of Russian rulers throughout the ages, when he goes he will be replaced by another and just as evil because that is the only way they can keep a grip on power. The Russian people are effectively still treated as surfs and cannon fodder by their rulers which is the reason that they will never be short of secret policeman and young women prepared to by 'trophy girlfriends' because it is one way of escaping this reality. People in the West too often overlook that what is required for democracy to flourish is the rule of law by independent courts and trusted institutions to guarantee that the ballot is properly counted, in hundreds of years Russia has never evolved these and never will.

@CaptainGrimes1

Жыл бұрын

A country can change into a democracy look at Germany, look at Japan

@johnhaynes9910

Жыл бұрын

@@CaptainGrimes1 If it has the culture to do so. In both the cases you cite, they had both been given a total drubbing that forced them to look at their recent past and expectations. Without the Russians, WW2 would have been far longer but it is sobering to realise of their +20 million dead, a significant number, by some calculations up to 50% were directly caused by Stalin's purges. How on earth can the 'ruled' accept this from their 'rulers' ? The answer is because they lack the desire, the will and expectation of controling their own governance.

@TheVaughan5

Жыл бұрын

@@johnhaynes9910 I think you might be missing an important point here. While I agree with what you say about Russian society I feel that if the West had been more conciliatory towards Russia in the early 90’s and helped in rebuilding the country after 70 years of communism (instead of the usual suspects just opening up hundreds of fast food/fashion etc outlets) I’m sure it would have led to less anti Western feeling and thus less hostility. Democratising the country is another matter.

@johnhaynes9910

Жыл бұрын

@@TheVaughan5 Look whilst it would be lovely to think that Western business people didn't see Russia back then as "the wild west" where they could make loads of money or that these same people saw China as an authoritarian regime which could provide cheap labour and a safe investment to make vast profits back home, in neither case is it the real picture. The Russia of today is no different, ignoring technology to the Russia of the Tsars in the same way that the China of the Communist Party is little different to the China of any Dynasty you can name. Whilst we are in that part of the world, is the Afghanistan of today any different to what it was 200 years ago ? My point is that whether we like it or not, these nations are following their own destinies and in their own way, they are never going to be 'westernized' and why should they ? Russia is geographically too big to rule and the "rulers" throughout their history have never risked devolving power away from the centre because of the fear of being challenged by other centres of internal power - this is the Russian Way of doing things and always has been. China on the other hand has a huge population even though it may be in decline demographically. The Chinese people have no interest in western style democracy because they know that it wouldn't work in mainland China. In this respect the Chinese were/are foolish to want to control places like Hong Kong and Taiwan who have a democratic history, they don't need to in either case. In other words the "If we had been nice..." argument is totally silly, they have their own cultural background they are not "Us" whatever you imagine us to be, they are Russia and China and always will be so.

@TheVaughan5

Жыл бұрын

@@johnhaynes9910 Yes as I was saying their system of government is another matter, I agree that the West has no business with interfering with that. However if we in the West had shown more empathy towards a post-Soviet Russia maybe a leader like Putin would have been less aggressive, but who knows it’s too late to turn back the clock.

Your guest has very annoying diction, fast then slow, volume: up then down. An essential of communication is clarity. His brother was easier to listen to.

@reaccionapuertorico

Жыл бұрын

This is what you took from this clip?

Although it is easy to compare the difference between the approach of the USA towards Russia vs Germany, these are vastly different countries. Russia a stripped down version of a vast 70 year old state run communist country with no significant private enterprize and centralized control versus a modern, well organized free market economy going off rails. It was SO much easier to get Germany back on track versus the vast failed state Russia. I dont think even the US couldve done that turn around. Simply too large, too failed with a population with no living memory of working institutions. No way for the US to control that process. Yes, the US was arrogant and cocky but they DID try to set up foundations for the transit. The gap between theory and reality simply too big. It is rather facile for Peter to blame it on the US.

I dont often disagree with Hitch. But I was in Berlin between 89 and 91 and the reasons for the West staying out of things in Russia were: Amazement at the speed of developments. Gorbechev was doing pretty well until the inner circle got the wind up and the mayor of Moscow climbed on a tank. At that time I would surmise Russia was about ten minutes from a military take over. The very real threat of a lot of Angry Russian Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen still in Most of Eastern Europe. It could so easily have gone the other way and the Tanks Rolled. As for the analogy of Germany in 1945 and Russia in 1991... Ahh you are kidding? Germany flat and occupied at the point of a gun 45. Russia fully armed and the KGB in the wings ready to take over in 91. Putin by then was in the game along with all those lovely people who became the heads of all those Oil and Gas Companies. I think your smoking something herbal Hitch. There was no way anyone in their right minds would get involved at that level in that country.. Trillions would have gone in corruption and nothing achieved. Remember Lada, Fiat who owned a slab of it closed the factory and started again. Cost them a mint. As Germany found in the Former East Germany there was nothing that could be done with the place and they started from Year Zero. How could you do that with Russia.. Its bloody big Hitch. As for China. Simple really. You deal with China as it is, not the way you wish it to be. Both Russia and China were made for the phrase "real politik". Many have tried and come a cropper in both countries. Best to try and keep out of it and let them both Liberalise over time.

@LEEEEMO

Жыл бұрын

"As for China. Simple really. You deal with China as it is, not the way you wish it to be. " As it was sold to the US public, engaging China in commerce and culture would lead them toward our system. It was sold to us on the basis of 'China as we wish it to be.' Both HW and Clinton sold the turn to China on that basis. What went on behind the scenes as we know so well now was far more cynical and self interested. The upshot of it all is now staring us in the face with a good number of US politicians doing very well for themselves.

The treatment of the Russian state after 1989 was humiliating and degrading. It is no wonder Putin has a chip on his shoulder. had we shown some magnanimity things might have been so different.

@jerrymiller9039

Жыл бұрын

The West poured in money and people to help in the 1990's. The issue is that the communist elite just divided up the resources and took personal control and became oligarchs. Putin then came to power and created more oligarchs based on personal loyalty to him. Just like the USSR was heavy on corruption, they stayed corrupt and formed oligarchs that stay in power thru corruption. That is not the fault of the West. Look at the former Warsaw Pact nations and some of the USSR states such as the Baltics. The ones that turned to the West have prospered and have much higher standards of living for common people. TLDR: Putin is at fault himself, he has no reason to have a chip on his shoulder.

@jussim.konttinen4981

Жыл бұрын

That's delusional wishful thinking. Boris Yeltsin didn't care about human rights or progress. Putin and Navalny are like identical twins. If no one points a cannon at them, they will immediately attack without mercy.

@georgehetty7857

Жыл бұрын

Possibly,but it didn’t help in regards the CCP.

@alfredoprime5495

Жыл бұрын

@@georgehetty7857 the difference is that we neglected to support (and in cases sanctioned) the post-communist government in Russia while supporting the communist government of China. Insanity.

@Coconautify

Жыл бұрын

Err, I dont think so. If we were just nicer to him, then Bucha, Irpin, the forced separation of Ukrainian children smuggled into Russia and the systematic destruction of cities and Ukraine itself - would not have happened. Please, just crawl back under your rock.

I have come to the conclusion that Peter has become one of the worst of those things... a Kremlin apologist. For a better and far more nuanced insight into the Russian psyche and understanding the way their culture operates before, during, and after Communism, I would recommend Vlad Vexler, a repatriated Russian, who has his own website/podcast.

@johnschuh8616

Жыл бұрын

You fail to acknowledge the arrogance of our elites who thought they could impose their New World Order on the world. They set out to impose their socio-economic and even moral values on the people of their own nations. That the values were totally secularist with a tinge of liberal Christianity, caused them to think they could remake China into a version of Japan, despite the hold that the CCP had on its people, and totally disregard the resistance of Islam to their practical atheism. I recall the disrespect with which George W. Bush treated Putin during his visit to the United States. Quite different from the way that Khrushchev was treated by Eisenhower and vice-president Nixon.