A Tale of Two Cities

The western conviction that Russia’s fragility is explained by its move away from the ‘Anglo’ economic doctrines reflects wishful thinking.

The chaos that western ‘experts’ were expecting, ‘with libidinous excitement’, to unfold in Russia “which was certain to feature “Russians … killing Russians”, and with Putin “probably hiding somewhere.” – did arrive – except that it exploded in France, where it was not expected, with Macron on the ropes rather than it being Putin in Moscow.

There is much to be distilled from this interesting inversion of expectations and of events – from a tale of two very different insurrections:

On Saturday afternoon, after Prigozhin had reached Rostov, news broke across the U.S. that Prigozhin had struck a deal with President Lukashenko to end his protest and go to Belarus. Thus ended a largely bloodless affair. No support was forthcoming for Prigozhin, either from the political class, or from within the military. The western Establishment was left reeling; their expectations seemingly inexplicably crushed, within hours.

Equally shocking however to the West, were the videos coming out from Paris, and from cities across France. Cars burning; police stations and municipal buildings on fire; police attacked and shops widely looted and sacked. These were scenes, as if poached from the ‘Fall of Imperial Rome’.

https://www.lewrockwell.com/2023/07/no_author/a-tale-of-two-cities/