On a large scale in history, what Vladimir Putin is trying to do today is revive empires - structures that have lost their power of seduction after the two world wars (which were triggered precisely by the imperialist logic). Every enduring empire has always relied on two arguments: the force of attraction exerted by a cultural, political, scientific center (Rome, London, Paris) and, on the other hand, on conquest and repression.
Putin: The Empire Strikes Back
