Ideology is an important tentpole of any philosophy and social structure. Whether you like it or not, the world is shaped by principles born from ideological foundations. From the earliest times of human civilization to the rise of Nazi Germany in Europe to the cold war, important events in history have all been shaped by dogma.
Currently, in Europe, these ideologies are once again shaping geopolitics as we see it. On the one side of the conflict, we have president Putin, fueled by authoritarianism and nostalgia for the communistic USSR. On the other hand, Ukraine. A state that is desperately trying to escape the shadow of the iron curtain. A nation begging to be bound by NATO.
Although markedly different from the cold war era, we see history repeat itself in Europe. Ideology is not bad; conviction is important, but wielding it as a political weapon is dangerous.
As we see the war taking shape in Ukraine, Putin wields ideology as a weapon. We’ve all heard Putin make claims about de-nazifying Ukraine. It is these very comments that make the war in Europe dangerous. Consequently, ideology can be used as a scapegoat for other actions, ones of consequence.
In this issue of DDintel, we continue to cover the Ukraine Russia crisis. We analyze whether neoliberalism’s ideological position is becoming outdated, and why it is important to remain consistent with your investing despite the world’s struggles.