Punctul de cotitură. Ruptura continuitate si transformarea democratiilor

Radu Carp studies Russia’s war in Ukraine and its effects on democracy. He sees the invasion as a turning point. Russia’s illegal seizure of Crimea in 2014 gave signs of what lay ahead. The book looks at politics and how power works. It is for readers drawn to democracy and Russian power. It also speaks to those who follow public debate in Romania. Its title draws on Zeitenwende, a term Olaf Scholz used after the invasion.

Carp sees Putinism as a new, thin-centred ideology, like populism. This means its core set of ideas is narrow. He weighs both sides of a key question: can fascism exist today? This helps him ask if Putinism fits that term. He also argues that a long war serves Putin’s goals. Arms output grows, and fewer people lack jobs. Despite the deaths, war draws focus away from choices in politics.

Carp also looks at the limits of Romania’s media debate. Habermas sets out distinct roles for those in the press. Carp contrasts this with the blurred roles in Romania. There, owners, editors and writers cross the lines between their roles. Owners join debates on politics. Guests agree with others to make sure they get asked back.

Carp finds that many pundits lack basic facts about world affairs. They also lack a grasp of how systems of rule work. Even those who give stronger views often read too little, he argues.

He links these flaws to too little spending on news sources. Few newsrooms pay for access to the foreign press. Few keep a daily file of world press reports for those who give views on the news. He argues that skill comes from reading with care and knowledge. It does not call for a doctorate. Pay for analysts could help raise standards. So could funds for access to sources they can trust. But he sees little will to fund either.