Tradition, nation and the evil West
Putin, Erdoğan and the legitimisation of their rule
Helge Blakkisrud, Zaur Gasimov
Deutsche Fassung
Abstract
Even authoritarian rule requires the support of those under its control. In order to secure their legitimacy, the political leaderships in Russia and Turkey are pursuing similar strategies. The Putin and Erdoğan regimes emphasise the greatness of their own nation, invoke their imperial past in the form of the Soviet Union and the Ottoman Empire, and underscore the importance of religion and allegedly “traditional values” for the identity of their citizens. At the same time, both stress the frontline position of their country against the West. The outward confrontation that results is intended to facilitate integration at home.
(Osteuropa 10-12/2018, pp. 131–146)