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Articles by Yevgeny Bazhanov
China Coming Full Circle as a Superpower
14 July 11
In the fifth century B.C., Chinese philosopher Shan Yan developed a new form of propaganda based on the following notion: When a powerful nation goes to war, it unifies the people and makes the state even stronger. When a strong country is at peace, the people become relaxed, and it loses its edge.
Overcoming the Bazaar Mentality
17 March 11
We all know the rules of buying and selling in Russia's "bazaar economy." Today Ivanov sells Petrov counterfeit French cologne. One week later, Petrov sells Ivanov outdated medicines. The bazaar mentality is what makes the Russian economy different from the more developed economies in the West.
When Fewer Nuclear Arms Means More Security
17 February 11
The Russian parliament and U.S. Senate both ratified the New START treaty, which reduces and sets limits to the number of strategic nuclear warheads and delivery vehicles, but there are plenty of people from both sides who are not happy about the treaty.
Too Many Political Quacks and Faith Healers
02 February 11
Twenty years ago, there were no political scientists in this country, and political science as a discipline did not yet exist. Now, almost every television pundit calls himself or herself a political scientist.
Assange and the Anarchist War Against the U.S.
15 December 10
In the late 1960s, I attended a university in Singapore. My dormitory roommate was a 19-year-old American student. He hung pictures of Che Guevara and Mao Zedong on the wall and spent days on end writing a treatise about when and how the “rotten capitalist system” in the United States would be overthrown.
Not Everyone Hates Russia
26 November 10
Russian political scientists like to speak of the centuries-old clash between Russian and Western civilizations. One of their theories is that the West has been united in an ongoing attempt to break Russia’s back and enslave it.
Rumors of Capitalism's Death Much Exaggerated
21 October 10
Ever since the global economic crisis shook the world in 2008, we have been hearing dire warnings about the imminent end of capitalism. In Russia, these warnings have particular significance since the Soviet Union long predicted the downfall of capitalism.
Why Russia Needs a Strong NATO
22 September 10
Some of my friends and colleagues are still talking about Russia’s “shame” when it decided to allow troops from NATO-member countries to take part in the Victory Day parade on Red Square, although the event happened more than four months ago.
5 Barriers to a Western Partnership
20 August 10
Now, 20 years after the end of the Cold War, what is hindering a close partnership between Russia and the West? A professor with the Foreign Ministry's Diplomatic Academy names some of the reasons. Cold War memories and economic disputes are just two.
Tangled Triangle of Russia, China and the U.S.
22 July 10
Russia has more than enough internal problems that it needs to solve without having to worry about conflicts with China. This is why a long-term U.S.-Russian alliance against China is as much of a nonstarter as a Russian-Chinese alliance against the United States.
Either Democracy or Death
01 July 10
Some people say democracy is unsuitable for many nations. But a far more convincing argument can be made in favor of democracy. It stimulates both technologies and economies.
The Future Faces of Russia
27 May 10
There has been “a disturbing new trend” among students at the Foreign Ministry's Diplomatic Academy: In the past 10 years, more and more students believe ridiculous conspiracy theories about U.S. aggression. And many of those students may become Russia's elite.
The Lessons of the Kyrgyz Revolution
23 April 10
The rulers of Kyrgyzstan bathed in a sea of luxury while the people lived in dire poverty; it is no surprise that it ended in a popular revolt two weeks ago.
5 Reasons Why Russia Isn’t China
15 March 10
Many believe that Moscow should have copied China’s reforms. But what made China’s reforms a success was inapplicable to Russia.
Dispersing the CIA Myth
16 February 10
The key reasons for the Soviet collapse had little to do with the U.S. and everything to do with the its internal problems.
Long Path to Europe’s Very Distant Unification
14 January 10
Recent events show that there is still a desire for European unification, but national and international obstacles stand in its path.
A Smarter Caucasus Policy
03 December 09
The first step toward a better way of handling the South Caucasus should be for Russia, the United States, the European Union, Turkey and Iran to agree to stop trying to push each other out of the region and to stop carving it up into pieces.
How to Keep Iran Nuclear-Free
28 October 09
Iran’s leaders publicly deny any plans for developing nuclear weapons, but there are three main reasons why Iran wants nuclear weapons.
From Adversaries to Allies
02 October 09
Russia and China should look at France and Germany as an example of how former enemies can build a strong partnership.
The Illusory U.S.-Chinese Axis
13 August 09
The United States has been growing more insistent lately in its hopes of teaming up with Beijing to rule the world together. Washington’s was driven to this only because its grandiose plan to build a global empire as the single remaining superpower failed miserably.
Looking Beyond the Reset
21 July 09
No sooner had U.S. President Barack Obama left Moscow than numerous experts, swelling with ambition and guided by instinctual aggressiveness, began wailing that the summit did not produce the much-anticipated “reset” of U.S.-Russian relations, and that the new Cold War continues as before.
Overcoming the Hobbesian Instinct
15 May 09
An ancient Chinese proverb says, ""Making a prediction is difficult -- especially in regard to the future."" I would go a step further and say, ""We have absolutely no idea what the future has in store for us.""
The Larger North Korean Threat
14 April 09
On April 5, North Korea said it launched a communications satellite.
China as a Partner, Not as a Threat
25 March 09
China's growing economic and military might is changing the balance of power between Moscow and Beijing. This has caused anxiety among various groups of people in Russia -- especially those living in geographic proximity to the Celestial Empire -- and some have been raising the alarm of a Chinese threat.
Russia Is Much Smarter This Time
20 February 09
Chinese Communist leader Mao Zedong loved to say, ""The world's two superpowers, the Soviet Union and United States, collide and collude, and the more they collide, the more they collude.""
