On the dark side…

This year Russia’s President Vladimir Putin headed the list of the most influential people according to the American magazine Forbes for the second time. Just like the previous year, the second and third places were given respectively to leaders of the United States Barack Obama and the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping.

This year’s ranking includes 17 heads of state, who rule countries with a general GDP of 48 trillion dollars; 39 CEOs and chairpersons of boards, presented on the list, control the annual income of over 3.6 trillion dollars.

Journalist Caroline Howard explained Forbes’s decision to name Russia’s President the most influential person in the world: “Despite the fact that Putin’s reputation in the West was tarnished by the annexation of Crimea and ‘quasi-participation’ of Moscow in the military conflict in southeastern Ukraine, no one will dare to call Russia’s president weak: he is an unpredictable and not subject to anyone head of an energy and nuclear state, which is eaten by corrosion, but is still aggressive.” Two things stand out in this explanation, which indicate that this periodical, which presents itself as possessing certain authority, does not have information about what is really going on in our country. Firstly, everyone has already understood that Russia is directly involved in the conflict in eastern Ukraine through supplying of weapons and militants, and even regular Russian military units. Secondly, usage of words like southeast corresponds to Russia’s vision, but when anyone looks at the map, they can see clearly that only east of Ukraine is involved.

Then Howard explained that “the annual ranking of the planet’s 72 power-brokers (one for every 100 million on Earth) is based on the vote of Forbes editors, who consider such indicators as financial resources, scale and usage of power, and number of people that are being influenced.”

At the same time, she noted that was not a lineup of the most influential people or anointing a new establishment. “This is an assessment of firm power. We think that people on our list possess power that shapes and changes the world, and moves people, markets, armies, and minds,” the journalist said.

Forbes introduced the ranking of the most powerful people in 2009. And then, as Howard states, the periodical was trying to find an answer to a simple, but at the same time complicated question: “What is the true nature of power and can we really compare and rank heads of states, religious leaders, and outlaws?”

By the way, terrorist No. 1 Osama Bin Laden was on the first list of Forbes’s most powerful people and occupied 37th place there.

And this year, Putin undoubtedly became such outlaw, having violated all international regulations, bilateral agreements, annexed Crimea from Ukraine, and then started aggression in eastern Ukraine.

And now, as if rewarded for it, he makes the top of Forbes list of the most influential people. By the way, last year the periodical was criticized for the fact that Putin ranked higher than Obama. Back then, editor-in-chief Steve Forbes explained that the research applies not to countries or companies, but to people. He added that Obama willingly demonstrated weakness on the international arena.

Which explanation will he come up with this time, considering he heads a magazine, which positions itself as a respectable periodical and influences opinions of many people, and names a leader of an aggressive country, which does not intend to stop aggression in Ukraine and continuously demonstrates threats to other countries, as the most influential person.

As for the current ranking, some Facebook users are asking how well would Hitler do on Forbes ranking in 1936?

And should a different point be emphasized in this situation, that the West’s weakness lets Putin be strong and therefore make corresponding conclusions. And perhaps, include Russia’s leader to the ranking of the coolest criminals, etc. Maybe, it would have been more honest and just.

The Day addressed Ukrainian and foreign experts with a request to comment on Putin’s heading the list of the most powerful people in the world, which can be interpreted as legalization of Russia’s leader, who has a firm reputation of an aggressor.

Gerhard GNAUCK, journalist of Die Welt in Warsaw:

“In my opinion, this is an attempt to turn very complicated politics into very simple mathematics. This is the first, this is the second, and this is the third influential person, so masses, who love simplification of a complex picture, could admire that. This is the first point. And the question here is whether this is good for the humankind or is an example to follow. Power and influence themselves are not positive or negative, they are mere analytical tools. If someone thinks that power is the final goal, let them pursue it. And as regards the fact that Putin has been recognized as the most powerful person in the world by Forbes. Power, even in a ranking like that, is a very relative matter. I would rather view such ranking as a human ability to skillfully use the available tools. This is not power in absolute numbers, absolute GDP, absolute quantity of missiles and tanks, but the way a person uses them.

“It can be said here, that the police state, which Putin’s Russia is, uses its tools quite decently so far. The tools of propaganda, blackmail, usage of secret services in order to pretend that Russia is stronger than it is in reality.

“I saw an interesting argument in German press: that Putin fights in a wrong weight class, if we speak in boxing terms. His country is not a weightlifter today. And Putin is fighting in a heavier class, and it will be very interesting to observe when the whole world and he himself notices it and falls down to the category Russia should be in.”

How would you characterize the fact that along with politicians and religious leaders, hardened criminals are also included on this list of the world’s most influential people? In particular, terrorist No. 1 Bin Laden occupied the 37th spot in the ranking in 2009. Basically, the same can be said about Putin, who annexed Crimea and continues military aggression against Ukraine.

“Lining up influence of a spiritual leader, influence of a terrorist leader, and influence of an ordinary president is a very complicated, maybe even impossible task. Including outlaws is not an example to follow, especially when we talk about Bin Laden, but perhaps, symbolic power of such personality, capable of influencing policies of other countries in particular, was taken into consideration, since Bin Laden and his movement are known for truly having influence on the US policy.

“I would say that some awards and rankings should be treated critically. I read newspapers from the 1930s recently and learned that after the 1936 Olympics, Adolf Hitler was a serious candidate for Nobel Peace Prize.”

It is known that some forces have been promoting Putin as a candidate for this prize in the past few years.

“I think he does not stand a chance. For once, the world of democratic legal states is stronger now than it was in 1930. Back then the US kept aloof. And now it does not. And we should not forget that in 1989 the rule of law and democracy expanded greatly, and not only in Europe. So, Putin cannot even come close to Nobel Prize.”

The main thing is that the word, which became stronger according to you, found strength and means to stop Putin.

Brad ADGATE, media analyst, Horizon Media, New York:

“Putin ends up in such rankings and on front pages of newspapers, because he is ‘the guy everyone talks about.’ Whether you agree with it or not, but he undoubtedly is a newsmaker.

This is a person, whose actions on world arena present interesting coverage material. Bin Laden was a newsmaker too. These two persons are probably not the most pleasant ones on the planet, but nevertheless, people react to any actions of such people.”

Otar DOVZHENKO, media expert:

“This is an objective evaluation of influence, but not an assessment of good and bad. [Forbes ranking] is not a ranking of the best or the worst people. Putin is very powerful, because he can afford what the United States can’t, for example. This is symbolic to some extent. The symbolism lies in showing the Western world: look who’s got up!

“This is also a sign of sorts. People must understand that Putin is not some small landlord in Siberia, who sits on top of an oil pipe. This person virtually dictates his will to the whole world. This is another reason for the West to ponder whether it will continue imposing its own rules and dominating the world, or move to the background and let such people as Putin come forth. Who knows, who else might appear except for Putin? Next time it might be ‘South American Putin,’ or a ‘South Asian’ one, and the West will not have an answer to his actions again. It seems to me that this ranking is a warning for the West. Objectively Putin, having attacked Ukraine, challenged the West and the world order, which used to exist recently. He committed the largest act of influence on global politics and became the problem No. 1. This does not mean he is the most powerful person in the world, capable of solving many issues. It means that he is the person who acted in the most arrogant way. This problem should be resolved in some way, and it seems to me that lowering oil prices and economic sanctions will help achieve this.”