Instead of ideologues, then, they are simply men determined to get their own way no matter what. Trump, who has openly admired Putin, is also notorious for his political opportunism and financial self-enrichment. Critics have called Putin a kleptocrat because of his stunning record of corruption. Putin may have started as an idealistic KGB agent in his youth, but the fall of the Soviet Union caused him to reinvent himself as a pragmatic politician and then as a ruthless leader. Ideology is of less concern to thugs than power and money. Few can forget his order to “Get ‘em out of here!” When he lurked behind Hillary Clinton and threatened to “lock her up” during one debate, he was using the intimidation tactics of a thug. Trump’s incitements to violence at his campaign rallies, though, are troubling. Fortunately, such politically motivated murders have not occurred in the States. “More of Kremlin’s opponents are ending up dead” states the New York Times headline from 2016 with the picture of yet another funeral. However, their thuggish behavior still involves violence. When first appointed president in 2000, he bragged about all the fistfights he had fought as a child, much like Trump bragging about being an “assertive, aggressive child.” Trump even gave his music teacher a black eye when he was in second grade.īoth Putin and Trump, of course, grew up to wield power in more sophisticated ways than using their fists. The word “thug” resonates in several descriptions of Putin, including his own account of his childhood.
If the trend toward authoritarianism continues in the U.S., though, it is wise to review Putin’s record of misogyny. Perhaps the traditional democratic values will reappear in our political system. Hopefully, Trump’s flirtation with Putin-like methods (e.g., refusing to compromise with his political opponents) is only an ephemeral phase that will fade away. I mean by the word “thug” simply a violent criminal. Women’s Issues for a New Generation: A Social Work Perspective After all, both Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump are thugs in power. Then I realized that the past year has been such a series of unbelievable political events that maybe such unconcealed misogyny could happen in the U.S. When I first read about the Russian government decriminalizing domestic violence recently, my first thought was: it can’t happen here. By Gail Ukockis | (Informed Comment) | – –
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