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over authoritarianism

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Europeans lived for more than seventy years without war. Three generations learned to live without war (roughly 25 to 30 years per generation). We also grew used to living with a steadily improving standard of living (Greeks, at least, until the year of the debt crisis).

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That normality has ended. War is now taking place in Europe, and our standard of living is already declining. These developments require adaptation to the new reality.

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Many citizens grumble and complain about rising prices. But grumbling gets nowhere. When everything changes, the answer lies in adapting to the new reality. We must learn to live with less. We must scale back the manufactured needs created by advertising.

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By the way, wealth is not having a lot, but having few needs. So if we do not want to feel deprived of certain consumer goods, let us reduce our needs. That way, we will feel rich, or at least less poor.

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When the war ends - hopefully soon - inflation will gradually recede and the previous situation will return. The values that were brutally trampled on will also return: peace, freedom, territorial sovereignty, protection of civilians, and so on. But the trauma of war and of the violation of those values will take a long time to heal.

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Whether they realize it or not, citizens face a dilemma: violation of values and warmth, or defense of values and cold? Who said that the struggle for values comes without a cost?

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Of course, extremists of every kind and populists of every kind howl and complain about everything and everyone. By contrast, responsible citizens have learned to fight for values and to pay the corresponding price.

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Some also turn against the West, because, they say, it wanted to squeeze Russia. If it had wanted to do so, it would have done it after the collapse of the Soviet Union. It did not. On the contrary, it tried to bring Russia into Western institutions. Perhaps it did not take enough care to do so.

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From the beginning of the 21st century, Putin seemed to want the reconstitution of the Russian empire. In fact, he launched several interventions and wars to prove his intentions.

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Europe watched, pursuing a policy of appeasement because of its heavy energy dependence on Russia. Putin exploited this, which is why he also launched the invasion of Ukraine. But he did not reckon with Europe waking up.

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Europe woke up. It understood that sooner or later, its turn would come too. And it would come just as fast as the United States withdrew from Europe. That is why its response was unanimous.

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Ukraine's unity will defeat Russian imperialism. And democratic Europe will defeat authoritarian Russia.

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Every fair-minded person wonders: Why did the war not unfold as Putin had planned? Because Putin decides alone and received false information. Why did he receive false information? Because the courtiers of an authoritarian leader never tell the truth. Why do they not tell the truth? Because sycophants are afraid and say whatever pleases the leader.

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Of course, a sensible leader does not want yes-men. He wants a team of trusted and capable people who will always tell him the truth at any cost. But that is possible only under democratic conditions - perhaps only there.

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So, in the final analysis, fear leads to false information. Based on that, false decisions are taken. And those lead to defeat. That is the fate of authoritarian leaders.

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Democracy will prevail over authoritarianism because, among other things, democracy rests on freedom, while authoritarianism rests on fear. The final triumph of democracy over authoritarianism is a law of nature and a law of reason.

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If Peter the Great is considered the founder of the Russian Empire, then with Putin its collapse begins. Everything begins with arrogant dreams. But when hubris is ted, Nemesis follows. After all, no empire has ever been eternal. A question worth asking is this: Why do some Greeks want the expansion of the Russian Empire?

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Pavlos Marantos

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marantosp@gmail.com

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