{"id":11321,"date":"2022-01-04T03:33:25","date_gmt":"2022-01-04T00:33:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/api.pozirk.online\/longreads\/lukasenka-trying-to-build-totalitarian-system-in-internet-age\/"},"modified":"2026-02-24T20:29:13","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T20:29:13","slug":"lukasenka-trying-to-build-totalitarian-system-in-internet-age","status":"publish","type":"longreads","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/11321\/","title":{"rendered":"Luka\u0161enka trying to build totalitarian system in Internet age"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n By Valieryj Karbalievi\u010d <\/span>\n<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

\n The Belarusian government cracked down on dissent and rolled backed freedoms in 2021. Most observers\u2019 forecasts for the year have proved incorrect. <\/b>\n<\/p>\n

<\/b><\/p>\n

\n\t Economists had predicted that Belarus would experience economic hardships, but the government managed to keep the economy afloat, benefiting from favorable terms of trade and the limited impact of Western sanctions.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t Political analysts had said in late 2020 that opposition protests would continue because the political crisis had not been resolved. No big demonstrations took place on March 25, Freedom Day, and later on.\n<\/p>\n

Terror campaign helps authorities suppress protests<\/span> <\/h2>\n

\n\t The scale of the government\u2019s political terror campaign came as a surprise to many observers. Arrests and prison sentences were the only means of communications between the regime and the public. The number of political prisoners climbed to nearly 1000.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t Aliaksandr Luka\u0161enka limited the purpose of his governance to holding on to power. The government stopped performing many of its usual functions, including justice, foreign policy and border protection, and focused on fighting dissent instead.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t It has persecuted opponents at any cost. Security forces went as far as to force a passenger plane to land in Minsk in order to arrest opposition blogger Raman Pratasievi\u010d. Belarus\u2019 state air carrier nearly lost its business as a result. Authorities have dismissed dissidents from state companies and institutions regardless of the detrimental impact of the purges. The crackdown might have strengthened the regime at the expense of its efficiency.\n<\/p>\n

Stalinization<\/span> <\/h2>\n

\n\t The crackdown does not seem to have any limits as the country descents into totalitarianism. Some political prisoners have been given sentences of 14 to 20 years. The government has shut down dozens of nonprofits and seems to be trying to eradicate dissent completely. People have been jailed for clicking on likes under social media posts.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t The regime cannot open up politics and stop the onslaught because this is the only way for it to survive now that public support for the incumbent is at the low ebb.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t Authorities seek to control people\u2019s private lives. Officials check candidates\u2019 social media accounts and phones before hiring workers to state enterprises and establishments. State media rhetoric has become similar to that of Soviet newspapers that came out during the Stalin terror campaign in 1937.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t The regime is conducting a major social experiment, trying to establish a totalitarian system in the Internet age.\n<\/p>\n

Belarusians experiencing horrors of strong-arm rule<\/span> <\/h2>\n

\n\t The crackdown has not helped the authorities restore public trust. Possibly, Luka\u0161enka\u2019s historic mission is to push his authoritarian rule to absurdity. Eventually, that might be a way to vaccinate the future generations of Belarusians against totalitarianism.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t Luka\u0161enka was holding on to power at any cost in 2021. He did not even try to disguise his intentions, and therefore many voters must have been put off by his behavior.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t Belarus\u2019 foreign policy has been servicing Luka\u0161enka\u2019s political interests. Minsk has cast Belarus as a besieged fortress and harassed neighbors in retaliation for their refusal to recognize Luka\u0161enka as president. The country found itself at the center of a regional security crisis.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t Meanwhile, Western sanctions have failed to make an impact. It is unclear whether they will make any impact at all. The European Union and the United States have no other tools of influence on the Belarusian regime.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t Belarus has become more dependent on Russia. Moscow is working consistently to increase that dependence, realizing that Luka\u0161enka cannot count on anyone else.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t * * *\n<\/p>\n

\n\t Last year\u2019s trends are likely to continue in 2022. There are no observable factors that could change it. Still, the political climate may turn sharply against Luka\u0161enka at some point.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Valieryj Karbalievi\u010d The Belarusian government cracked down on dissent and rolled backed freedoms in 2021. Most observers\u2019 forecasts for the year have proved incorrect. Economists had predicted that Belarus would experience economic hardships, but the government managed to keep the economy afloat, benefiting from favorable terms of trade and the limited impact of Western […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":75,"featured_media":0,"template":"","rubric":[24],"class_list":["post-11321","longreads","type-longreads","status-publish","hentry","rubric-theviewer"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nLuka\u0161enka trying to build totalitarian system in Internet age | Pozirk<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"By Valieryj Karbalievi\u010d The Belarusian government cracked down on dissent and rolled backed freedoms in 2021. 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