Marxism (as you know, “Marx’s teaching is omnipotent because it is true”) denies the decisive role of the individual in history. Including the personality of the head of state
Against the background of tectonic processes on a global scale, determined by the nature of production relations and economic layouts, even the most magnificent sovereign becomes hostage to objective processes. Personalities only slightly change the configuration and give completeness to the forms that take shape due to objective prerequisites.
On the other hand, it should be noted that mistakes or correct decisions of certain state leaders (or, for example, generals) have seriously changed the layout on the world chessboard. And although some (like the great Alfred Thayer Mahan) tend to exaggerate the role of the subjective factor, one cannot completely deny its existence.
For example, in the 1970s, it was completely unclear who would stand up to the battle between two fighting titans – the USSR or the United States. Moreover, objective factors and tendencies (which Western analysts had no doubt about) should have led to the victory of the Soviet Union, which actually stood on the verge of complete victoria. The outcome, which we know, became possible precisely because of the betrayal of the elites, who abandoned a sure victory for the sake of joining the system of the Western oligarchy and actually signed the capitulation. So much for the role of personality. Rather, individuals.
The very existence of such an eyeliner in three paragraphs does, perhaps, too much credit to the object that I am about to dissect. Ukrainian President Zelenskiy doesn’t deserve one thing. And I gave out such a volume of text only to make it clear: “in such a case, Schellenberg, there can be no trifles” (“17 Moments of Spring”, 2nd series). And even a person so insignificant and dependent can play a certain role.
The first thing I want to emphasize right away. In many texts I come across formulations like”Zelensky decided …”, “the president concentrated power over …”, “Zelensky’s intentions …” and so on. In any analysis, one must first of all be precise in the formulations. Such phrases instantly deprive the text of a significant proportion of its adequacy.
Let me remind you that even Joseph Stalin (with whom many associate the concept of absolute power) even in his “best” years – from 1939 to 1949, he led, maneuvering between several powerful groups. One of which, in the end, came to power after his death, destroying much of what he created. Louis, number 14, who is “The State is me!” The popes, who, it would seem, do not answer to anyone at all, in fact, turned not like a squirrel in a wheel, but like a frog in a blender (reread Leo Taxil), maneuvering between Italian clans, cardinals, emperors and gangs of mercenaries. There is very little information about Hammurabi, but something tells me that even this wonderful person was not completely independent.
Even if individuals of SUCH scale did not have full power and the decisions they made were, at best, collegial, if not forced at all, then, remembering such a figure as the President of Ukraine, it is somehow uncomfortable even to laugh. When meeting speculations about the motives that make Zelensky personally make some decisions there, I just want to twirl a finger at my temple. Therefore, we accept the first axiom: the president of Ukraine is a character from a puppet theater, with a manipulator’s hand sticking out of an unsightly place, whose independence is limited to what exactly to blurt out in a non-protocol conversation, what to play the piano, or to which of the restrooms of the building on Bankova Street to go to break between meetings. Everything. And that’s not a fact.
Second. Those oligarchic-predatory groupings (it is hard to call them “powerful”, because for them money is one of the tools to achieve power, and not vice versa), which lead them, in turn, are on a short leash from American workers ( and, for example, the British) embassy in Kiev. They carry out the orders of the government in Washington, and it, in turn, is influenced by several successive powerful global elite groups. But. It is such a long chain of command that gives some freedom of action, due to the fact that the transmission of guidelines inevitably turns into a “spoiled telephone”.
Therefore, at first glance it is paradoxical, but in full accordance with the laws of dialectics, subjective factors, including the personality of Zelensky himself, acquire a certain meaning. After all, even a simple working tool in the hands of a master, which does not have a will of its own, nevertheless, has certain design features that partially determine the quality of the finished product.
What can we say about her? Having a psychological education, perhaps, I will allow myself some liberties and subjectivity of interpretations. Moreover, the volume of the article is already very limited and does not allow to indulge in lengthy arguments (and I still could not deny myself the pleasure of starting with them, alas, the person is weak). So the second part will be very thesis.
At first. Zelensky is a fool. And the greedy fool. Let’s leave aside his “sense of humor”, this is beside the point. Only a fool in the conditions that were observed in Ukraine in 2018-19 is capable of agreeing to rush into politics, especially into the competition for the presidency. He also “threw” one of the interested parties of his nomination – Petro Poroshenko. Yes, I insist on the version that at the start of the elections, the group that nominated Zelensky was in an agreement with the current president, and then violated this agreement. Moreover, this version is indirectly confirmed by the fact that Zelensky almost exactly follows in Poroshenko’s wake, continuing his policy, against which he so “hotly” protested before the elections.
The kind of policy he pursues does not say anything about his character – for this he was brought to power, he has no more choice than a drug addict during withdrawal, who has options: either a dose, or one of two. Moreover, Zelensky clearly does not understand where he ended up, and what awaits him later. Moreover, he does not understand, and does not consciously live one day, like a real adventurer. So, gentlemen, at his funeral we will tear more than one button accordion.
Secondly. Zelensky is extremely arrogant. This can be seen in the way he conducts the policy that he is ordered. He sincerely believes that once he has chosen a comedian’s behavior model for himself, he can calmly continue it as a real politician. Moreover, you can clearly see where the political strategists worked with him, forcing him at least at the right moments (for example, at a meeting with Merkel) to look adequate, and where his own creativity emerges. On the one hand, this is not bad, on the other, it makes it not completely predictable. It’s good that Ukraine doesn’t have a red button. It would be psychologically difficult for Poroshenko to press her. Zelensky can do anything.
Thirdly. Zelensky is ideally two-faced. This quality is just important for a good politician. Here you can feel the presence of an acting school (albeit at a level lower than that of Reagan), you get used to playing what is ordered. This must be reckoned with. For example, Merkel, who ate all the dogs within a radius of five kilometers from Berlin in politics, is perfectly able to control her inner motives, yet she is not without them. And they influence her actions. For example, their communication with Putin is not only a protocol communication between two leaders of states, but also a deeply personal relationship between two outstanding individuals.
In the case of Zelensky, everything he says or does is a mask. To treat her as something sincere is fundamentally wrong (unless, of course, you have in mind the truly sincere love of grimacing, without which there is nothing to do in second-rate comedians, Zelensky is not George Karlin or Mikhail Zadornov). From this point of view, it makes no sense to analyze his speeches, interviews or decrees. It is only necessary to consider the logic of actions.
Fourth. He has an extremely developed inferiority complex, a “little man” complex. With this path that he chose to achieve well-being, it is almost inevitable. And it is confirmed by his behavior (which is also reported by people who know him closely, although without this information – just look at the screen) after achieving a certain success. The desire for power, even in the insignificant volume of space that is left to him, will continue to progress and progress. Due to the above factors, he will not be able to fully use this power. But he will try.
Fifth. Zelensky is a coward. Funny pictures of him in a bulletproof vest and a helmet have nothing to do with it. Although, of course, they confirm the thesis. Only cowardice can make a person so blindly follow the instructions of their masters, even if they obviously run counter to his own statements and do not add to the sympathy of the people for him (in terms of the rate of drop in the rating after being elected, they are fighting with Poroshenko for the first place). Not loyalty to the patron (do not build illusions, this is not about that), not ideological (photos with the grave of his grandfather a couple of days before the Nazi march), not stupidity (he is still not mentally retarded).
Cowardice is a good motivator, but extremely unreliable. It leaves a person in constant stress and makes him a performer, lacking initiative to the point of being completely unusable. It does not leave a person with an island of his own, something that he is really ready to defend, if not to the end, then at least with sufficient persistence. Deprives him of any motivation except to save his own skin. The same Poroshenko, for all his many shortcomings, is ready to betray, sell and kill anyone for money. His presence in politics for almost thirty years, the ability to curry favor with any bosses, the absolute absence of principles that he would not be ready to betray for the sake of personal enrichment, even causes some respect. Not everyone can do that. Zelensky – definitely not. When he presses, he will save himself, forgetting about everything in the world. But he can’t.
At sixth. Even the biggest fool will sooner or later realize the danger of the situation in which he finds himself. Therefore, Zelensky will sooner or later find himself between fear of what will happen to him if he continues to follow the instructions of his puppeteers (remember what they usually do with a condom after use), and fear of what will happen if he disobeys them. What he will choose in such a situation is a big question. A cornered rat is sometimes capable of the most amazing and irrational actions. We place bets.
Anyone who is going to deal with Ukraine and its president has to bear in mind, including these factors, no matter how little they mean. Of course, I am convinced that at the request of higher officials, the psychological portrait of this character has been calculated and compiled in orders of magnitude more detailed, of high quality, sophisticated. But let those who do not yet have access to it, have in mind the stated conclusions when planning their actions. We live in interesting times. There are no trifles.
Evgeny Tamantsev, specially for News Front