Counterhegemony – The Need for Operationalizing the Ideology into Strategy, Plans, Vision of the Beautiful Free Prosperous Shining Town on the Hill
The Thorn Flag and the Lost legitimacy of the False Globalists
The global hegemon has already lost. It is defeated economically, militarily, politically, and most importantly, it has lost the moral and ideological high ground and with it its legitimacy bestowed to them by until recently willing and compliant sovereign nations in all corners of the global West, East and South.
The values of democracy, human rights, free speech etc, that until a decade or two ago were pronounced with an unquestionable and near-religious fervor, and on which the global hegemon built its unipolar empire, now lie thorn in the mud, for every citizen of the Earth to see them for what they have always really been, just empty phrases behind an immoral, brutal, exploitatory and murderous global system with no other values than the profit for its handful of the elites. The nations across the World learnt this hard way and on their own skins, with the very same corrupt and exploitatory systems being replicated in all nation-states that were given as personal fiefdom to the local unrepresentative anointed elites and puppets through corruption, take-over of free media, silencing dissent, stollen elections, hence, without the consent and mandate of the sovereigns, the people of these states.
While it is easy to understand that an unchallenged victorious mighty global hegemon felt that it can now send to hell all these fine and minute details such as fair elections, free speech, national identities, traditional values and ways of life, now when they can without resistance ram through whatever they want, globally and in every nation they rule. However, it is exactly the hubris with which such hegemons behave throughout history, showing their ever-increasing detachment from the reality, that is their own undoing.
And what they lost in that manic blind race for ever more power and control, was much more precious and important than any of their short time gains and quick-fix solutions, they lost the most important thing – the legitimacy – and with it the right to govern and the consent of the governed.
And it is exactly the legitimacy that is of the utmost importance for governance at both the state level and at the level of global institutions, ensuring that the mandate to govern is given by the governed, and more importantly, creating a conducive environment for enforcing the rules through more voluntary and less coercive enforcement, reducing transaction costs, thus making such systems not only legitimate and accepted but also more efficient and easier to govern.
The global hegemon has continuously weakened the role of the states in the global neoliberal order by introducing various decentralized and de-centered local, regional and global systems of governance. This de-statization is marked by stripping away the powers and mandates of states to regulate their own affairs by outsourcing them to unelected international or quasi-domestic bodies. Where do we see this process in the last decades? In the move from National Banks to independent Central Banks, creation of independent regulatory agencies, NGOs or the third sector, professional networks, etc. All these were designed to sideline and weaken the states, that since Aristotel until today are the only recognized sources of legitimacy and levels of accountable governance where the nations can legitimately self-organize and manage their own affairs and ways of life.
The ways in which the global hegemon has achieved these levels of de-statization are precisely identifying the areas for action for the counter-hegemon’s strategy and operational plans. And they represent exactly the entry points for building the counter-hegemon’s 1) vision, 2) strategy and 3) operational plans.
The counter-hegemon needs unified vision (ideology) that is not prescriptive but governed by a number of unifying principles for self-organizing nations based on their moral, human, natural and godly laws and traditions, free sovereign nations that in turn will together build the new fair, real and just globalism. Being overtly prescriptive will be contrary to the essence of counter-hegemon struggle against the prescriptive totalitarianism of the false globalists that is attacking the very existence of the nation-state as the only recognized source of legitimacy where communities, nations, people can self-organize and satisfy their need and human pursuit to govern its own affairs and ways of life.
Vision and the New Flag of the Shining Prosperous City on the Hill – Sovereignism of the Sovereigns
While the global hegemon is falling, what the counter-hegemon needs is to distil its ideology and principles into a 1) vision, 2) strategy and 3) operationalization of the new fair and legitimate global and state-level system that will replace it, something that is now glaringly missing. What will replace the current global hegemon and local elites and their networks? Imagine the global hegemon collapses tomorrow due to its own internal contradictions, there should be existing theoretical and ideological platforms, coupled with strategy and operational plans for the counter-hegemon to be able to take over immediately and build that brave new world from the day one.
The human nature, and rightly so, advises caution among the majority of populations since the issues such as war, hunger, poverty, joblessness and potential inability to feed their families, are the key issues for the majority of ordinary people in most of the nations. The global hegemon is exploiting this by further fear-mongering and basically openly arguing that being slave or servant is better than being dead or imprisoned.
This is where the counter-hegemon should come up ideologically with all guns blazing, firstly by painting its vision of a beautiful shining prosperous free and just world that is coming. The majority of the populations should be given not only a picture and promise of eternal struggle and suffering against the global hegemon, but the vision of that world they are fighting for, a world where they can live a dignified and worthy life that will be in line with the human aspirations for freedom, fairness and justice but will at the same time be economically more prosperous than the current one. More concretely, the time has come to be not only against something – the current false globalism for the benefit of few and at the expense of all of us, but to also be for something – the real globalism of the free sovereign people and nations, with equitable global and state-level economic, social and political system where no man is left behind, and that are grounded in the laws of nature, humanity and God.
While the current critique of the global hegemon has succeeded in eroding the moral and ideological foundations of the false globalists and the global hegemon in terms of “Why” it is bad and why it will end, it is not developed enough into “What” should come in its place, and even less into “How” it will come about and how it should be implemented and operationalized. One of the reasons for failing to successfully operationalize the communist idea in practice of the Marxism for example, was that it was mostly a critique of the Capitalism, not a blueprint of what to do and how to implement communism. The counter-hegemon world faces similar void in “What” and “How” that should be urgently filled.
While the theoretical foundations for the critique of the global hegemon exist, provided by Aleksandar Dugin (The Fourth Political Theory), Leonid Savin (Ordo Pluriversalis) in the East, and Steve Bannon, Neil Howe, William Strauss (The Fourth Turning Theory) and others in the West, an agreed set of unifying principles that are emerging, and that are recognized as such by the nations is required. And while the totalitarian global dictatorship is bound by its totalitarian nature to be prescriptive in minute details, the counter-hegemon in its struggle for freedom of nations neither can be nor should be, since it defeats its own principles and the claims for freedom for the self-organizing nations. The counter-hegemon is also not prescriptive in what political form – from kingdom to republic or democracy or something else – will each sovereign nation decide to organize itself, but only to proclaimed principles of equity, human, moral, equitable social and economic development with no man left behind. These emerging unifying principles of the New Free and Fair World seems to be: traditional human, natural, moral values, that define the mankind and that will shine bright in the contrast to the current godless, robotic, empty lives stripped of any liberty, diversity, humanity, traditions and moral values.
Hence, the counter-hegemon’s first focus should be on stripping the global hegemon of the usurped monopoly of the terms “globalist” and “globalism” both ideologically and semantically by continuing with the demasking of the current global hegemon as the false prophet of the globalism, who while preaching false diversity – practices uniformity, and while preaching false freedom and peace – practices enslavement and impoverishment of nations and individuals, initiating endless criminal wars, having blood of millions of innocent people on its hands.
The real globalists are We, the counter-hegemon, that promote the brave new world of freedom, diversity, that celebrates, cherish and practices the richness of nature and humanity, cultures and nations, that are to flourish in their own ways of self-organized polities, as described by Aristotle, the founder of the Macedonian Kingdom of Alexander the Great, which in essence and with minor modifications is what the contemporary modern state – that is constantly eroded by the false globalists – represents. And exactly these sovereign, prosperous and free nations will build the brave new world and the global institutions – since the globalization will happen – but only in a way that the free and sovereign nations will agree and decide.
The counter-hegemon also can’t simply build its struggle solely on painting the picture of returning to the good old pre-global hegemon ways since there is nothing left to return to, and it will be seen by majority of people as impossible and unrealistic due to unprecedented technological and informational progress, and as empty nostalgy for good old times. Similarly, it can’t built its ideology and vision on the already non-existent and false paradigm of left-right since they were merged by the Blair-Clinton act of the Third Way and coopted within the tight perimeters of the globalism, only to serve as political theater for keeping the false pretenses of elections and democracy. The counter-hegemon is rising due to global hegemon attacks on both, the former right’s ideology centerpiece – nations, traditions and morality, and also on the former left ideology centerpiece – fairness, equality. The counter-hegemon it is more “right” in protecting traditions, nations and freedoms than the old and current “right”, and is more “left” in providing social and equitable dignified life than the old and current “left”. The lost legitimacy of the global hegemon can only be rebuilt starting from the level zero, the family, community, through the polity and nation, ending with the full global community, operationalizing them in the only way possible – at the very source where the legitimacy can only exist, and that is the nation-states as defined by common values, culture, language and identity.
For achieving this, the counter-hegemon needs to distil its vision and ideology into a small number of goals and their representative symbols, that will be positive, easily recognizable and palatable for the populations and that will instantly bring in their minds and hearts the desired picture of the beautiful shining city on the hill that counter-hegemon represents. The current predominant symbol and consequent semantics of the counter-hegemon in the oppressed nations has grown to be sovereignism that is above the old left-right struggle within the global hegemon since it incorporates the ideological aims of both and captures the need and desire of people for returning its self-organizing powers within the nation-state.
Strategy and operationalization of the shining town on the hill
Not only the areas but also the methods that the global hegemon is using in achieving these levels of de-statization are exactly the indicators for where the counter-hegemon’ strategy and operational plans should focus in uncovering, shaming and dismantling the global hegemon and its corrupt state-level tentacles, educating and sensitizing the public about the counter-hegemon alternatives, and most importantly, creating these credible ideological, strategic and operational alternatives. What are these areas that underpin and keep the current global hegemon: 1) The global financial system that benefits only the elites of several nations that are taxing the rest of the world through their fiat money. Only they can print money and debt out of thin air, no one else can print, all other states are financial vasals to the US dollar. 2) Funding for corrupt governments, NGOs, organizations, that promote and defend the global hegemon at the expense of the well-being of their own nations. 3) Professional networks that are selling the global hegemon agenda to their own nations, thus selling them out to the corrupt elites. 3) Economic and trade flows that are tilted towards benefiting the transnational corporations, global hegemon and their local puppet elites worldwide. 4) Perceived military might and willingness to use it against dissenting sovereign nations. 5) Network of local corrupt spies, servants of the western Deep State intelligence services. 6) Corrupt global and local media that pushes 24/7 propaganda and fake news for the global hegemon. 7) Academia, think tanks, that are politicized and produce “scientific” support to whatever campaigns the global hegemon needs. And, the most importantly, it should start with a de-monopolization of the global hegemon’s usurpation of the semantics of the terms: globalists and globalism, since they are not, and they are only working for the benefit of the 0.00001% of the elites, not for the global good.
What should such strategy and operational plan contain at the global level? For example, what will replace the currently defunct UN, and how are the neighborly disputes going to be settled? Will NDB or AIIB replace the World Bank and IMF or will there be a complete overhaul of the system and the globally controlled exploitatory fiat currency western-system be replaced by a fair exchange system? How will the economic links that are to be created going to work between sovereign nations that have not been trading or investing in each other before going to work? The features of these answers are something that nations are expecting from the leading countries of the counter-hegemon, beyond their critique of the existing global hegemon.
Who will develop the ideology and principles into strategy and operational plan at state-level and in the name of the counter-hegemon? A network of states and non-state actors opposing the hegemon. And while there are some rudimentary beginnings, this network is far from being put into existence, let alone being workable and efficient, and it should be an ongoing and urgent focus. Creating an efficient and responsive network will help advance the counter-hegemon’s vision and help the local counter-hegemons share information, experience, knowledge in developing and implementing the strategic and operational plans of the vision and ideology.
There are two kind of nations where the counter-hegemon is fighting the global hegemon, ones with the sovereign governments (Hungary, Poland, China, Russia, Venezzuela, etc) and other governed by the corrupt illegitimate governments installed by the global hegemon through coups, colour revolutions, stollen elections (Ukraine, Macedonia, Italy, Bolivia, etc).
Hence the fight against the global hegemon differs in both sets of these nations. Ones that are fighting for preserving its sovereignty and with it contributing towards the multipolar order, and others that are fighting their installed domestic repressive illegitimate regimes. Ones that are fighting for regaining their freedom have to operationalize their strategy, vision and operational plan in credible platforms for the new fair society that will come. This credible national platforms of the beautiful shining cities on the hill, need to be informed by both domestic self-organized society that we will build, but also by the features of the new fair and just international order that is coming.
Counter-hegemon’s global flag bearers
The nations that lead this battle globally are almost universally recognized as Russia and China globally, and Iran, Turkey and others regionally. And in the absence of such unified counter-hegemon vision or ideology we see the personification of the counter-hegemon’s symbols not with ideology but with Putin for example, who even though seen as not enough patriotic and decisive by many Russian patriots, has become a symbol of the counter-hegemon in many nations from the Balkans, Arab world, and also in many EU countries and amongst American patriots. Similar personification of the counter-hegemony in the western nations themselves is seen in the rise and popularity of Trump in the USA, Farage that almost single-handedly brought the Brexit in the UK, which shows the similar thirst for freedom in the oppressed western nations too, but also reveals the dangers of ideology-less personified struggle once these symbols are gone.
Providing just a moral, political support by the flag-bearers is all important for the counter-hegemon in the nations struggling for freedom against the global hegemon. Fighting the global hegemon on issues such as not agreeing and conceding with its for example forced changed of name of Macedonia by its illegitimate western puppet government would go long way in encouraging other nations to resist the global hegemon. Currently, the multipolar and regional powers meekly agreed and legitimized a criminal eradication of a nation by the globalists, excusing themselves by “not meddling” into other nations internal affairs which on its face value is noble and accepted. The moral and political support to the nations attacked by the global hegemon is not meddling into their own affairs, but showcasing to the world what is right and wrong thus making the strong case and example of what that beautiful new world will bring to all nations. Supporting the counter-hegemon forces in countries that are run by illegitimate installed globalists’ puppets through coups, color revolutions and falsifying elections and people’s will (Ukraine, Macedonia, Italy, Bolivia, etc), and, supporting the sovereign patriotic governments where they are under attack (Poland, Hungary, Venezuela, Belarus, etc) in Europe, Asia, Africa, Americas – these are the red lines that the multipolar powers should defend in every corner of the Earth, instead of fighting them later on or within their own borders. In order for these state-level global and regional counter-hegemons to succeed against the global hegemon, creating a one successful example and case-study of a prosperous counter-hegemon state that they have helped peacefully and politically, will have a big demonstrational effect to the rest of the freedom-loving nations that are fighting the global hegemon. However, and since the flag-bearers of the counter-hegemony are not as yet prepared to fully engage, the international organizing and networking should begin by non-state actors until the state actors join at any point in the future.
State-level counter-hegemons
The nations oppressed by the global hegemon are self-organizing in extremely difficult conditions of occupation and dictatorship.
They are doing that by forming national movements, grassroots organizations organizing protests and fringe political parties that have no access to resources or media.
They are organizing alternative media outlets that are also frequently removed, censored or shadow-banned by authorities and globalist social platforms
Educational platforms are being built to educate new intellectual and administrative elites developed and accessible to the general public and future national leaders, economic, commercial officials, statesmen, ready to lead the country and the nation in all different fields, such as economy, trade, political system, diplomacy, business, agriculture, health care, education, social development, public administration, etc.
Another key focus of the counter-hegemon is organizing the ground by creating small informal and formal organizations at the grassroots level with their subsequent unification into national movements around the ideology, strategy and operational plans of the counter-hegemon.
They are starting to organize themselves into enlightening the population of not only how bad the current global hegemon is but also on what and how of the tools, instruments and processes in order to regain their national and human liberties. The work should be focused on organizing, enlightening, educating the people, and by personal examples showing how to break the fear and de-mystifying the “almighty” global hegemon for what it really is, a defeated, weak paper tiger, and building the new vision, strategies and plans for their thriving shining city on a hill, and planting this vision in the head and heart of every citizen in every city, town and village in our countries and nations.
The counter hegemon will strengthen through continuously putting forward the alternative sovereign vision of the future 1) by the self-made alternative media equivalent of internet Samizdats in the countries that have galvanized the public opinion and planted seeds of potential alternative into the mainstream; 2) creating a credible political, social and economic alternatives to the current oppression and enslavement – that will be seen as such by the people in each sovereign nation – through new and professional education platforms for enlightening the populations about the content, vision, strategy and plans for the bearers of the counter hegemon, is of an utmost importance, and 3) organizing the counter hegemon on the ground through setting up small grassroots informal and formal organizations and then linking them into national movements around the counter hegemon’s ideology, strategy and operational plans.
Counter-hegemon networks
However, what is lacking in the current struggle is its compartmentalization and the absence of an international network and mutual support between the counter-hegemons. While the global hegemon has all of resources, funding, media, NGOs, professional networks, corrupt local politicians, spies, courts, judges and police against the oppressed nations, the counter-hegemon has not got anything even similar. Many of the counter-hegemons are facing prosecution and jail, constant harassment by government, media attacks, being labeled as Russian agents. And since many of them wear the false “Russian agent badge” with an honor and pride, the globalist tactics has changed and they are smearing them with even more deadly curse, of being their own agents.
There is an urgent need for establishing communication channels between all these counter-hegemon movements in the oppressed nations and in the currently free nations, something reminiscent of the Sovereignist International. The moral support, exchange of information on the joint struggle, learning from each other and supporting each other will not only give strength to the national movements, but will also increase the credibility of the counter hegemon ideology and operational plans in the eyes of their own populations.
In regional and international aspects of the counter-hegemon’s activities, the non-state counter hegemon should create a network of experts from the countries struggling under global hegemon occupation and from the bearers of the counter-hegemon’s flag that are ready to be present on the alternative media and educational platforms in the countries and globally. Such expression of broader, interlinked and credible analytical, ideological, visionary, strategic and operational content will help to further mainstream the counter-hegemon’s ideas in the nations and will inspire and assure their people that such credible alternative really exists. The enhanced links within the grassroot movements in the countries and their links with the key alternative movements of the worldwide counter-hegemon’s intellectuals and opinion makers will lend the necessary credibility to the counter hegemon among their own nations. These are the areas where the work for the counter-hegemons throughout the world lies ahead.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the counter-hegemon needs organizing around the ideology, flag, vision, developing strategy and operationalized national platforms for the beautiful shining city on the hill in the nations worldwide. To educate, enlighten and provide the vision, strategy and operational plans for the counter-hegemons domestically and worldwide through the worldwide network will facilitate and speed up the bringing down of the global hegemon and building the new world of freedom loving sovereign nations. The counter-hegemon will win, peacefully or not, because the morality, humanity, and justice, is on our side, however, such domestic and global vision, strategy and operational plans will give further credibility and legitimacy in the eyes of their own nations and will enable the counter-hegemon to be ready for both, long generational struggle but will also make them prepared to take over tomorrow in the case of a sudden collapse of the global hegemon.
Goran Shumkoski,
9th of May 2021