Richard Wolff: Europe's "Russian danger" discourse masks deeper structural decline
By
Richard D. Wolff
Summary
Richard Wolff analyzes the post-WWII reconstruction of Europe and draws parallels to contemporary geopolitical tensions, particularly the discourse around Russia as a danger. He argues that Europe's employer classes used the Cold War and now the "Russian danger" narrative to maintain their wealth and power, but this strategy fails to address Europe's long-term structural decline. The piece critiques how ruling classes have historically driven conflicts that ultimately harmed their own interests, and suggests that current political alignments (Europe with the US against Russia) mirror past patterns of self-destructive behavior.
Source
bskyRichard Wolff: Europe's "Russian danger" discourse masks deeper structural declinetherealnews.comKey quotes
· 3 pulledBy 1945 the war's outcome had proved far worse than many in those classes had imagined or wanted before the war.
While the Russian danger discourse might secure Europe's employer classes a few more years of sitting atop Europe's wealth and power distributions, it fails to address Europe's long-term decline.
Europe's politically dominant employer classes had driven their national governments to a clash that had produced those results.
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