Thomas Hobbes declared in 1651, in Leviathan, that without a social contract in which everyone gains security in return for subjecting themselves to an absolute authority, a “state of nature” will prevail. Life becomes “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short” when individuals are bound only by their personal power and conscience. Unlimited “natural” freedoms include the right to plunder, rape and murder.
Social contract theory asserts that law and political order are not natural but a means to an end. The contract is no longer legitimate when government fails to fulfill its portion of the bargain. Citizens can renounce a government when that government is too weak to preserve order or fails to benefit the best interests of society.
Without doubt the Putin government is today in default of its social contract. The invasion of Ukraine is unprovoked and belligerent and Russians post-Putin will incur a huge debt of compensation. Russian citizens need to stand up and overthrow Putin. The social contract is broken and a revolt of the citizens is now required.
Examples of effective recent revolutions include the American Revolution (1775 – 1783), the French Revolution (1789 – 1799), the Haitian Revolution (1791-1804) and the Russian Revolution (1917).
The Russian Revolution
By 1916 following the end of serfdom in 1861, industrialization, the disaster of WWI and years of shoddy management by the Romanov nobility, most Russians had lost faith in the failed leadership of the czar. Fuel and food shortages were common along with inflation. The Russian economy was backward and riddled with corruption. Nicholas repeatedly dissolved the Duma, the impotent parliament established after the Bloody Sunday massacre of 1905, when it opposed his will.
The “February” Revolution began March 8, 1917 as huge crowds of protesters and striking industrial workers clashed with police and the Petrograd (St Petersburg) army garrison. Protesters were fired upon. Many were killed. Protests continued and four days later Czar Nicholas abdicated and leaders from the bourgeoisie formed a provisional government ending centuries of Romanov rule. A program of rights such as freedom of speech, equality before the law, ability of unions to organize and strike were promoted. Russia’s continued participation in WWI was very unpopular and food shortages persisted, keeping the peasants and workers unhappy.
The “October” Revolution, a coup d’état led by Vladimir Lenin against the provisional government, occurred November 6 and 7, 1917. Lenin called for a Soviet government that would be ruled directly by councils of workers, soldiers and peasants. Lenin became the dictator.
Civil war followed the October revolution between Lenin’s Bolshevik government and a loose alignment of monarchists, capitalists and democratic socialists. The war lasted until 1923 when Lenin’s Red army declared victory and established the Soviet Union.
This Moment
When we look back into Russian history, we see glimmers of hope extinguished by dictatorial rule and corruption. Putin has started an unprovoked and ill-advised war that will have a heavy, heavy cost. Oligarchs, students and knowledge workers are running away rather than accepting isolation, inflation and loss of basic freedoms.
Putin must be removed!
Wonderful synapses of a complex subject. Do the Russian people have the courage to take ownership of their much maligned country? History will not be kind to them if they fail. Excellent post Tim
I’m afraid the majority of the Russians are so brainwashed by the Russian state media that they will blame their shortages on the US, NATO and Nazis, not on Putin.