Theses for the Plan and Strategy to Rebuild Ukraine – The Elite, Society and Strategies (Part – 5.3.)
The war that Russia has unleashed against Ukraine is not merely a confrontation between two states or nations. It is a clash between two civilisational models: the European democratic model and the Eurasian authoritarian one.
Although Western politicians spent decades convincing themselves and their societies that Russia was gradually moving towards democracy, this was never the case in reality. The voices of Ukrainian experts and analysts were often ignored in the West, even though Russia itself has long openly declared – and continues to declare today – that its so-called "special military operation" is, in fact, a war against the so-called "Collective West". By this term, the Kremlin refers to all democratic nations worldwide, and it cites "the end of US hegemony" as one of its strategic goals.
The true aim of the war unleashed by Russia lies not merely in the destruction of Ukrainian statehood, the elimination of Ukraine's independence and its annexation. It is also an attempt to defeat global democracy – the democratic West as a civilisational model. If successful, Russia seeks to establish control over what it itself describes as a "degenerating" and "decadent" Europe, as well as to promote the formation of a new multipolar world in which the leadership of democratic countries and the US will be replaced by the dominance of authoritarian regimes.
For centuries, Ukraine has remained a gateway to European civilisation and global democracy. Today, it effectively serves as Europe's shield, containing Russia's authoritarian Eurasian expansion.
In his book Bloodlands, Yale University professor Timothy Snyder acknowledged that the most tragic events of 20th-century Europe took place on Ukrainian territory: two world wars, the revolution, collectivisation, the Holodomor, the repression of the Ukrainian intelligentsia and the 'purges' of so-called 'bourgeois Ukrainian nationalism'. Ukraine lost tens of millions of its citizens. Yet despite centuries of subjugation and a lack of political experience of independent statehood, the spirit of freedom among the Ukrainian people was not destroyed. It intuitively broke through from within – through the pursuit of dignity, freedom and independence. The two Ukrainian Maidan Uprisings and over twelve years of resistance to Russian aggression stand as testimony to this enduring aspiration.
To consolidate Ukraine's European democratic path of development, the strengthening of four key components of national power should constitute the central priorities of state strategy: ECONOMY, ARMED FORCES, DIPLOMACY, and INFORMATION POLICY. Equally critical is the existence of a responsible political elite capable of implementing this strategy in the interests of both the state and society.
Particular emphasis must be placed on developing an industrial, innovative economy and prioritising national material production. Ukraine must produce goods with maximum added value and ensure the strategic self-sufficiency of its own military-industrial complex. First and foremost, this applies to the production of modern weapons and military equipment, an area in which Ukraine has traditionally possessed strong scientific and engineering capabilities.
As the largest country in Europe by area and one of the world's key food producers, Ukraine can feed hundreds of millions of people worldwide. At the same time, it must reclaim its place among the world's most developed industrial nations. Following the return of all temporarily occupied territories, the Ukrainian army must remain strong enough to prevent any new aggression against Ukraine.
Success in the restoration and development of the Ukrainian economy must serve as a driving force for creating conditions to reduce the tax burden, strengthen the socio-economic protection of the middle class, and foster the flourishing of small and medium-sized businesses. This is precisely what must form the basis for the realisation of Ukraine's National Idea in its three dimensions: spiritual, socio-economic and state-building:
1. GOD, FREEDOM, FAMILY and UKRAINE have always been and will remain the highest spiritual values of the UKRAINIAN PEOPLE;
2. CULTURE, SCIENCE, LAND and PROPERTY, fairly and equitably distributed between citizens and the state, will always constitute the foundation of UKRAINE's prosperity;
3. ELECTIONS, SOCIAL JUSTICE, THE RULE OF LAW and THE ARMY must always protect the rights of Ukrainians to life, freedom and a dignified future, as well as defend the unity and independence of the UKRAINIAN STATE.
States are built by aristocrats – people who dedicate their lives to establishing an honourable reputation and passing it on unblemished to the next generation. For them, service to society is the very purpose of life, while the gravest punishment is the loss of honour and public disgrace. "Honour above all" is not merely a lofty slogan; it is the foundation of genuine statesmanship and public responsibility.
Unfortunately, we have largely lost such a political elite. It was eradicated over the course of a century, whilst its finest representatives served other governments, often demonstrating loyalty, professionalism, and integrity in those capacities.
Nor have we succeeded in forming a new responsible political elite. Instead, following independence, the old pseudo-elite of party and Komsomol functionaries, along with various opportunists and profiteers, largely re-emerged. They are not burdened by strategic thinking about the greatness of the state, the future of the nation, or responsibility towards future generations.
To this day, there is virtually no genuinely ideological party in the Ukrainian parliament that realises that, under contemporary conditions, effective democracy is the only sustainable model for building a strong state.
Attempts to build a democratic state in Ukraine have often been discredited by populism, political irresponsibility, and the imitation of reforms. Some political forces, whilst professing commitment to democratic values, frequently reproduced authoritarian methods of governance in practice, causing no less damage to the country's democratic development than the open opponents of democracy.
The fact that we have found ourselves at the epicentre of a clash between two civilisations without a strong government, a robust economy, a strong army, and a responsible elite marks a critical turning point. Beyond this point, we must either begin to act exclusively in the interests of our own state and nation, or face destruction.
Under current conditions, there can be only one national development strategy for Ukraine: the construction of a developed and effective European democracy. Such a democracy must be supported by a socially oriented market economy, a strong middle class, and a mature civil society. It should combine limited state regulation of strategically important sectors of industry and agriculture with the preservation and further development of the country's defence capabilities.
Because without a strong middle class, an active civil society, and independent branches of government subject to public scrutiny, there can be no free citizens of the state. And without free citizens, true democracy cannot exist either.
Thomas Jefferson, the author of the Declaration of Independence, is credited with the following statement: "True independence, freedom and democracy are not a toy given to children. It is a very serious matter, which can only be exercised by highly educated, strong and courageous people, for whom personal dignity is one of the highest virtues of human life."
Conversely, global experience convincingly demonstrates that it is effective democracy that provides the highest standards of living, the strongest guarantees of citizens' rights and freedoms, and the greatest level of security – both within the state and on the international stage.
Ukraine has no alternative path. At the same time, this is a historic opportunity for our state to become a connecting link, a contributor to security and, finally, a full-fledged political player in the formation of a new European security space. This is precisely how Ukraine can contribute to the completion of the European and Euro-Atlantic integration process and make its own historic contribution to the continued peaceful and evolutionary process of interpenetration and gradual integration of the world's civilisations.
Previous articles on this topic:
Theses for the Plan and Strategy to Rebuild Ukraine – The Elite, Society and Strategies (Part- 5.1.)
https://blogs.pravda.com.ua/authors/smeshko/69e60f59dd4e7/
Theses for the Plan and Strategy to Rebuild Ukraine – The Elite, Society and Strategies (Part- 5.2.)
https://blogs.pravda.com.ua/authors/smeshko/69ee166586c7d/
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