Absolutely—the theme of leaders exploiting differences among people for their own ends is central to modern and historical political strategy. Here’s how this plays out with Trump, Putin, and Zelenskyy:
Trump: Leveraging Polarization
-
Domestic Division: Trump is known for amplifying divisions—racial, economic, ideological—to create loyal political coalitions. His rhetoric often targets urban vs. rural, immigrant vs. native, and left vs. right divides. He uses these tensions to mobilize his base and justify tough policies, such as more restrictive immigration laws in response to urban unrest.lemonde+2
-
International Exploitation: On the global stage, he has sometimes played European and Asian allies against each other, pressuring NATO and the EU to serve U.S. interests more directly. The result is a fracturing of old alliances and a focus on American "territorial" priorities.cer+1
Putin: Manipulating Social and Ethnic Differences
-
Ethnic Cleavages: Putin systematically exploits ethnic and linguistic differences, especially in Ukraine and other post-Soviet states, to destabilize adversaries. In Ukraine, Russian-speakers and local grievances in Donbas have been tools for justifying intervention and consolidating Russian control.cidob+2
-
Political Fragmentation: Kremlin-backed groups and information campaigns fuel and exaggerate divisions—between liberals and nationalists, between pro-Western and pro-Russian factions—both in Russia and abroad. This sows confusion and weakens opposition.journalofdemocracy
Zelenskyy: Counteracting External Exploitation
-
Bridging Divides: Zelenskyy has tried to counter Russian exploitation of local differences, promoting a united Ukrainian identity. However, he struggles against internal political fragmentation—between more pro-European and pro-Russian regions, as well as oligarchic interests that hamper unity.ukrainian-studies+1
-
Vulnerabilities: Zelenskyy’s government faces persistent efforts by Russia to create and leverage local grievances, undermine trust, and recruit collaborators within divided communities.
Key Takeaways
-
Dividing and Ruling: The exploitation of differences—whether ethnic, social, or ideological—is a classic method for consolidating power.
-
Social Engineering: All three leaders, in their own way, use or address divisions to advance their agendas: Trump weaponizes polarization; Putin manipulates identity politics; Zelenskyy attempts to bridge divides to protect his nation’s cohesion.
-
Contemporary Impact: These tactics intensify social tensions and make honest dialogue and reconciliation more difficult, often serving to entrench leaders rather than genuinely solve the underlying issues.lemonde+2
The deliberate manipulation of divisions within societies remains one of the most powerful tools for political actors seeking to expand influence or retain control.
- https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2025/06/09/how-donald-trump-is-exploiting-tensions-in-los-angeles-to-toughen-his-immigration-policy_6742146_4.html
- https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czxww2kez0go
- https://theconversation.com/trump-is-ignoring-the-power-of-nationalism-at-his-own-peril-252299
- https://www.cer.eu/insights/donald-trumps-return-office-ten-consequences
- https://macdonaldlaurier.ca/donald-trumps-dangerous-game-of-territorial-expansion-balkan-devlen-alexander-lanoszka-and-richard-shimooka-in-the-national-post/
- https://www.cidob.org/en/publications/conflict-management-donbas-elections-could-not-be
- https://carnegieendowment.org/emissary/2025/08/trump-putin-alaska-summit-goals-outcomes?lang=en
- https://ukrainian-studies.ca/2022/06/23/local-political-processes-in-ukraine-behind-the-war-the-security-risk-of-expanding-russian-influence-on-the-ground/
- https://www.journalofdemocracy.org/articles/what-putin-fears-most/
No comments:
Post a Comment