Протесты в Украине: стычки с ТЦК, столкновения киевлян с властями и «картонный Майдан» / Щелин

Summary

Political philosopher Pavel Shchelin argues that the reported Republican losses in the U.S. midterm elections reflect voter dissatisfaction with Donald Trump, rather than a clear endorsement of the Democrats. In his view, Trump failed to deliver on promises to end wars and challenge Washington’s political establishment, while cost-of-living pressures and perceptions of personal enrichment further damaged his support. His immigration crackdown also alienated Latino voters and some moderates. Shchelin says Trump’s eccentric style is not itself the problem; the gap between his online image and his actions is.

Shchelin expects a more dysfunctional Congress, divided parties, and continued legal and political pressure on Trump. He doubts that Washington can make major agreements with other countries, arguing that U.S. policy is shaped by competing domestic interest groups. He also predicts no dramatic increase in aid to Ukraine: support may continue, but available weapons and supplies are limited, and some forms of assistance carry risks for the United States.

More broadly, Shchelin sees politics becoming increasingly performative, driven by social media, spectacle, and personality rather than competence. He criticizes liberal democracy as a system that shifts responsibility onto voters while leaving consequential power behind the scenes. He favors a model in which political privilege is tied to service and accountability. He also argues that modern political campaigns can manufacture a candidate’s public image through familiar techniques, but that such messaging is less effective against someone whose actions match their words.

On France, Shchelin interprets protests chiefly as a generational conflict caused by the loss of confidence in a better future. He says younger people expect to live less comfortably than their parents, while consumer prosperity no longer compensates for insecurity and declining trust. He discusses the influence of wealthy, long-term networks on politics, but does not claim that the Rothschild family controls the world; he presents his account as a general argument about organized elites and sustained political influence.

Discussing Serbia, Shchelin attributes the protests and electoral shift to a broad coalition, student organizing, and public irritation with President Vučić’s attempt to balance between competing international partners. He says the movement’s eventual direction remains uncertain.

On Ukraine, Shchelin draws a sharp distinction between the “cardboard Maidan” protests and protests against the TCC, the country’s military recruitment offices. He argues that authorities tolerated the former because it challenged corruption or internal arrangements without threatening the state’s wartime foundations, whereas opposition to mobilization challenges the supply of troops and is therefore met more harshly. He also contends that attacks on infrastructure are unlikely to produce a popular uprising or force major concessions. In his view, they are more likely to deepen apathy, while Ukraine’s supporters may continue financing the government despite mounting costs.

On the Middle East, Shchelin says Iran may have an advantage after the latest developments but has not secured a final victory or compelled its opponents to accept its demands.

On artificial intelligence and finance, he warns that the wider economic system is already structurally fragile and that AI-related investment may be speculative, though he cannot say whether it will trigger a crisis. He also highlights AI’s potential to displace workers and argues that the technology raises questions about what remains distinctively human—especially relationships, community, and spiritual life.

Presenters and Contributors

• Vasily Kuchushev — presenter
• Pavel Shchelin — political philosopher and guest contributor