Hollow Men

The current issue contains a number of details on Ukrainian political realities that cannot be passed over in silence. For example, Yuri Makarov indicates how anonymous he finds many of those in or close to power. I once worked in an institute, the researchers of which had earlier been Central Committee staff and true soldiers of the Communist Party, an institute from which a number currently prominent figures were later drawn. These historians knew precisely where every archival document was located and precisely what they were supposed to think each. They had (and largely still have) no idea about how history and politics are analyzed in the West, nor are they quite certain why they need such knowledge. If they are recruited, as a substantial number of them have been, to, say, the Presidential Administration, they became absolutely interchangeable, hollow men bereft of any political or ideological agenda except their own careers and personal interests. Some like Dmytro Tabachnyk have shown themselves more energetic or unscrupulous than others, but the gentleman's statements completely oblivious to the fact that administrative pressure is not a legitimate component of the electoral process is an indicator that he still has little idea of what representative elective government in Europe and North America is all about.

Such people are above all afraid of new ideas. Since the competence to adapt to the outside world means mastering ideas foreign to them, it means that they also fear competence as such. When someone like Serhiy Holovaty makes it into such a political environment, a confederacy of dunces forms against them. They will do everything in their power to marginalize, neutralize, and finally oust such a person as a threat to their own power, privileges, and interests. The former Minister of Justice is quite right to state that Ukraine's very independence is in danger. For one thing, a country cannot be viably governed by such people. This is a state where the cop on the beat is more interested in supplemented his income by rolling drunks or extorting bribes from little old ladies selling contraband cigarettes and dubious vodka than in anything resembling law enforcement. Recall that big league contract murders are never solved here. The structures of this state simply have ceased to carry out the functions basic to any state, like enforcing law, paying its bills, and, if not promoting economic growth, at least not making it impossible.

Also worth considering is Olha Herasymyuk's revelation about her acquaintance, whom the lawmakers she serves treat about like a piece of furniture and in front of her openly discuss their illegal financial transactions. Not that such lawmaking malefactors are any more dishonest than employees in the executive branch. If you want a building, you might well get a phone call from a man with no surname who will visit you, tell you what is available, and how much he requires to “facilitate” the transaction for you. Venality augments incompetence, and both are out in the open for everyone to see.

Add to this the growing threat to the freedom of expression, which the observers from PACE saw openly. This system that has mutated from that of Soviet Ukraine is determined to keep power, come what may. But that system cannot survive. The only question is how it will change.