Podcast Summary

Podcast: LSE: Public Lectures and Events
Episode: voxEUROPP Episode 2 – Eastern Europe and Democracy
Date: March 21, 2013
Host: Chris Gilson, LSE Film and Audio Team

Overview

This episode of voxEUROPP explores the state of democracy and governance in Eastern Europe, focusing on Russia under "Putinism," the political climate in Romania, and the impact of austerity policies across Europe. Expert guests include Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Anne Applebaum on Russia, Romanian politics analyst Clara Volintiru, and renowned intellectual Noam Chomsky on European austerity and welfare policy.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. "Putinism" and Managed Democracy in Russia

Guest: Anne Applebaum (00:29–08:07)

• Definition & Nature of "Putinism":

  • Applebaum describes “Putinism” as both an ironic and serious term for Vladimir Putin's ruling style—now an almost complete ideology and system:
    • “Putinism… has really become over time a complete system. You can almost call it an ideology.” (Anne Applebaum, 00:29)
  • Features include "managed democracy," control over media (especially TV), the controlled allowance of dissent, and the repoliticization of Soviet history––notably the cult of May 1945 and WWII triumphs.

• Stability and Corruption:

  • The system has shown stability largely due to economic factors, particularly Russia's dominance in oil and gas, favoring monopolies and stifling grassroots entrepreneurship:
    • “It has not been a system which has encouraged much grassroots entrepreneurship, and it's not a system that's been very dynamic in creating a new middle class or lots of economic energy.” (Anne Applebaum, 04:27)

• Evolution and Opposition:

  • Recent years have seen increased crackdowns as the opposition shifts from human rights rhetoric to anti-corruption activism—which is more threatening to the regime:
    • “There's been a raft of laws passed that make it more difficult for people to protest and have forced some into jail, some into long prison sentences.” (Anne Applebaum, 05:48)

• Export of Corruption to Neighbors:

  • Russia deliberately exports its corruption model to other Eastern European countries (e.g. Belarus, Ukraine), as well as Western Europe, often via strategic investments:
    • “I think Russia has quite consciously tried to export corruption not only to its neighbors… but also to Western Europe.” (Anne Applebaum, 06:32)

2. Political Crisis and Distrust in Romania

Guest: Clara Volintiru (08:07–15:24)

• 2012 Referendum & State of Democracy:

  • The 2012 presidential impeachment referendum raised legal, subjective, and structural concerns, resulting in a legitimacy crisis:
    • “The referendum is the main subject of debate surrounding the rule of law and the state of democracy… unfortunately, the current government has tended to regard the procedures for the referendum as something they could change in the eve the event.” (Clara Volintiru, 08:34)

• Role of Populist Leadership:

  • President Basescu described as a "one man show," emphasizing personal rule over party development, a pattern distinct from previous leaders:
    • “President Basescu… hasn't been very concerned to maintain and develop the organizational base of the party… he has done this to be certain that his political intentions are followed.” (Clara Volintiru, 11:03)

• Disenchantment and Corruption:

  • Voter disillusionment driven by failed anti-corruption efforts and social hardship under austerity:
    • “Widespread corruption and widespread scandals and wasteful allocation of resources do tend to further create a divide between politicians and the population.” (Clara Volintiru, 12:51)
  • Perception that anti-corruption efforts are politicized and ineffective.

• EU’s Role and Limits:

  • While Romanians value EU involvement for upholding democratic norms, practical structural influence is limited by internal ambiguities:
    • “Whatever the European Union does address on the issue of the state of democracy in Romania is very much taken into account, both by politicians and the population… but otherwise I don't think there is much structurally that they can do.” (Clara Volintiru, 13:47)

3. Austerity and Europe’s Social Contract

Guest: Noam Chomsky (15:24–19:32)

• Critique of Austerity:

  • Chomsky calls European austerity "destroying a generation" and “economically outlandish,” emphasizing its negative human and economic consequences:
    • “The main problem… is destroying a generation, which is not a trivial matter. It's also economically outlandish.” (Noam Chomsky, 16:36)

• Need for Stimulus:

  • Advocates for stimulus policies over austerity, citing agreement even from sources like the Financial Times and IMF:
    • “Europe needs a stimulus to even the IMF’s coming around to that position. And there's plenty of capacity for stimulus. There's no shortage.” (Noam Chomsky, 15:48)

• Attack on Welfare State:

  • Maintains that the drive for austerity can only be explained as an attack on the welfare state, referencing European Central Bank leadership:
    • “The policies, they make sense only on one assumption—that the goal is to try to undermine and unravel the welfare state. And that's almost been said.” (Noam Chomsky, 17:16)
    • “Mario Draghi… said [that] the social contract in Europe is dead… but not dead. That's an exaggeration, but under attack.” (Noam Chomsky, 17:35)

• Flaws in the Eurozone Structure:

  • Highlights the contradiction of countries lacking monetary control, forced to implement austerity without recourse to economic adjustment measures.

• Historical Contrast with NAFTA:

  • Compares European integration favorably to NAFTA due to efforts to help poorer member states, but notes current pain results in part from Europe’s relative humanity.
    • “[Europe] was done to a nontrivial extent… that's a relatively humane way of moving towards integration. In the United States… Mexico was integrated… in the worst possible way.” (Noam Chomsky, 18:50-19:14)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Anne Applebaum, on Putinism:
  “Putinism from the beginning has involved the use of what’s often called managed democracy in Russia. So some democratic norms are observed, but elections are nevertheless manipulated, not just through the voting process, but through the media and so on.” (02:28)

• Clara Volintiru, on disenchantment:
  “Here then you have the disenchantment of the disenfranchised, the austerity measures that have left many people under the poverty line. And so there is this sense of not getting what they deserve from the politicians.” (12:20)

• Noam Chomsky, on the human cost of austerity:
  “If people are forced into joblessness, that's not only extremely harmful from a human point of view to them, but even from an economic point of view, means there's unused resources which could be used to grow and develop.” (17:03)

Important Segment Timestamps

| Topic | Guest | Timestamp (MM:SS) | |:----------------------------------|:------------------------|:-----------------| | Introduction & Episode Preview | Chris Gilson | 00:02–01:14 | | "Putinism" in Russia | Anne Applebaum | 01:14–08:07 | | Romania’s Democratic Struggles | Clara Volintiru | 08:07–15:24 | | Europe’s Austerity Policies | Noam Chomsky | 15:24–19:32 |

Conclusion

This episode delivers a comprehensive snapshot of Eastern European democracy and the effects of economic policy in the wider European context. Featuring thoughtful insights from leading experts, it explores the systemic features of Russian authoritarianism, the turbulence in Romanian politics, and the deeper meanings and costs of austerity across the continent.