charbonneau-–-america-and-the-triumph-of-the-oligarchy

Headings :

CHARBONNEAU – America and the triumph of the oligarchy

IIT’S BEEN YEARS in the making but with the arrival of president-elect Trump, America’s oligarchy is near completion. The transformation from a democracy to an oligarchy is a victory for Trump’s friend, Vladimir Putin. In the past, America has taken pride in the exportation of democracy by promoting free elections abroad, placing sanctions on authoritarian regimes, funding civil society to foster democratic values and, when all else failed, invading countries in need of the U.S. brand of democracy. Unlike a traditional oligarchy, where wealthy elites are part of government, the Russian model is referred to as “sultanistic” oligarchy. This style of oligarchy requires loyalty to Putin in maintaining their influence and wealth without formal participation in government. As in the U.S., Russia wasn’t always ruled by an oligarchy. The rape of Russian’s public resources began during the post-Soviet privatization era in the 1990s. That’s when a select few oligarchs acquired valuable state-owned assets. Given the size of Trump’s ego, a sultanistic oligarchy is a perfect match. The morally challenged president-elect imagines himself as a dictator. He imagines himself as being on the top of the heap and with the power of the presidency he will seek retribution from his perceived [...]