Verified Document

Room For Debate: Russia And The Liberal Essay

Room for Debate: Russia and the Liberal Ideal The Liberal Ideal of the West, which grew out of the Romantic/Enlightenment era where men like Voltaire and Rousseau espoused the qualities of naturalism, freedom, and equality, is now being challenged by Russian President Vladimir Putin. He in turn is raising questions and rebuttals from those who oppose his regime's initiatives. Three articles from The New York Times show different perspectives on this challenge -- specifically, its effects on the social, political and economic situation of those it is aimed at rebuffing. This paper will identify the perspectives, synthesize the arguments, and put forth the new argument, which is this: while Western (and Eastern) liberals may object to these anti-liberal policies, as leader of Russia Putin has the right to oppose and/or support whatever ideals he deems healthy for Russia.

Each article shows why Russia's new anti-liberal direction is problematic for both liberal Russians and Westerners. "Pussy Riot Members Take Tour to New York" addresses the problem on the social scale. "Anti-Gay Policies Chill Viewers' Interest" addresses the problem on the economic scale. And "Anti-Gay Law Stirs Fears in Russia" addresses the problem on the political scale. The Pussy Riot article shows that the significance of Russia's stance is global and far-reaching. The "Viewers" article shows how the issue is significance for small business owners, who wish to support the liberal ideal but also bring in customers by showing the Winter Games on their TVs. The "Law" article shows the significance of Russia's stance politically, as Russia asserts a new "moral law" in the face of what it believes to be decadent Western values.

The Pussy Riot article provides the perspective that Russia's laws are uniting liberals across the world. Celebrity social activists like Susan Sarandon are meeting with the jailed...

Bands like The Flaming Lips and artists like Peter Gabriel and Madonna are performing in New York to "raise awareness of what Amnesty calls prisoners of conscience" (Gladstone). The perspective of this article is sympathetic with the stance of Pussy Riot and the liberal ideals they represent. The phrase "prisoners of conscience" evokes the notion that the Pussy Riot members who oppose Russia's anti-liberal laws and were jailed for their protest are victims of anti-liberal oppression, that Russia is impinging on their right to follow their "conscience." The article does not suggest that Russian leaders also have a right to direct Russian citizens on how to properly form their consciences so that they are in conformity with the "moral law" that Russia desires to promote.
The issue of "moral law" is mentioned in the article that gives the political perspective of the issue, "Anti-Gay Law Stirs Fears in Russia." However, as the title of the article indicates, Russia's "moral law" is viewed as archaic, insensitive, aggressive and hostile to Western liberalist ideals. The article describes how the law views homosexuals as "perverts" and that there will be a "crackdown" on such people (Schwirtz). The language used in this perspective is meant to inspire fear among liberal citizens and draw attention to what appears to be ruthless lawmaking based on old world doctrine. Schwirtz notes that "Western governments" are urging Russian lawmakers to oppose the anti-liberal laws. This note is meant to appeal to hopeful liberal idealists, even as the rest of the article shows how hostile to liberalism Russia is fast becoming.

The perspective of the article that deals with the local economic impact of this issue is sympathetic to gay small business owners whose clientele is of the homosexual community.…

Sources used in this document:
Works Cited

Bernstein, Jacob. "Anti-Gay Policies Chill Viewers' Interest." The New York Times. 31

Jan 2014. Web.

Gladstone, Rick. "Pussy Riot Members Take Tour to New York." The New York Times.

5 Feb 2014. Web.
Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

Russia NATO Relations Russia Was Among the
Words: 1170 Length: 4 Document Type: Essay

Russia NATO relations Russia was among the main opponents of NATO countries and despite this there is a history of collaboration between NATO and Russia which dates way back in 1991.This was when Russia became part of the North Atlantic Cooperation Council. The Russian Federation in 1994 took part in a project titled partnership for peace and in 1997; the founding act of the NATO-Russian council was signed in France. It

Is American Power Declining Are China and India the New World Superpowers ...
Words: 1938 Length: 6 Document Type: Essay

American Empire Is There Room at the Top? The question as to whether the United States is currently and will remain a superpower is the topic of much scholarly debate and in the general population around the dinner table. The follow up question to that, of course is, is there room at the top for another superpower, and if so which country or countries will rise to the occasion? Is America really

U.S. Ignorance of Stalin's Crimes
Words: 6893 Length: 20 Document Type: Term Paper

In many ways, Russia is still recovering from it, trying to deal with the fact that only a few decades ago, it inflicted on itself one of the worst holocausts in human memory" (Hochschild, 1993). Therefore, the purges were used on the one hand to discourage the people and the elites in particular from establishing a dissident opposition or a negative pole of power that could have countered the

Social Sustainability Through Nuclear Energy and Waste Disposal
Words: 31658 Length: 2 Document Type: Essay

Meta-Analysis of Nuclear Energy and Waste Disposal in Social Sustainability A Dissertation Presented using the Meta-Analysis Technique Komi Emmanuel Fiagbe Gbedegan Christina Anastasia PH-D, Chair [Committee Name], [Degree], Committee Member [Committee Name], [Degree], Committee Member Date Approved Komi Emmanuel Fiagbe Gbedegan, 2016 This research proposal explores the link between public perceptions of nuclear power, how those perceptions are formed, and what influence those opinions have on energy policy. These issues are important in light of two realities.

Social Sustainability Through Nuclear Energy and Waste Disposal
Words: 31658 Length: 4 Document Type: Essay

Meta-Analysis of Nuclear Energy and Waste Disposal in Social Sustainability A Dissertation Presented using the Meta-Analysis Technique Komi Emmanuel Fiagbe Gbedegan Christina Anastasia PH-D, Chair [Committee Name], [Degree], Committee Member [Committee Name], [Degree], Committee Member Date Approved Komi Emmanuel Fiagbe Gbedegan, 2016 This research proposal explores the link between public perceptions of nuclear power, how those perceptions are formed, and what influence those opinions have on energy policy. These issues are important in light of two realities.

Social Sustainability Through Nuclear Energy and Waste Disposal
Words: 31780 Length: 4 Document Type: Essay

Meta-Analysis of Nuclear Energy and Waste Disposal in Social Sustainability A Dissertation Presented using the Meta-Analysis Technique Komi Emmanuel Fiagbe Gbedegan Christina AnastasiaPH-D, Chair [Committee Name], [Degree], Committee Member [Committee Name], [Degree], Committee Member Date Approved Komi Emmanuel Fiagbe Gbedegan, 2016 This research proposal explores the link between public perceptions of nuclear power, how those perceptions are formed, and what influence those opinions have on energy policy. These issues are important in light of two realities. First,

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now