The Obama Administration has argued that Russian President Vladimir Putin is pursuing 19th-century policies in his foreign adventures, implying thereby that Putin is playing a losing hand. The Administration is right that Putin belongs to the 19th century, but that does not necessarily mean that he is bound to lose in the contest for more global influence. In order to beat him, the West needs to consider what a 19th-century mindset amounts to, most especially a Russian one.Above all, Putin’s reign is reminiscent of the czardom of Nicholas I, who ruled successfully from 1825 to 1855. Thirty years is a …read more
Source: The American Interest
