Aleksandr Dugin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Aleksandr Dugin
Александр Дугин |
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Dugin in 2023
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Aleksandr Gelyevich Dugin
7 January 1962 Moscow, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
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| Education | PhD in Philosophy at Rostov State University (Rostov-on-Don, 2000) |
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| Era | Contemporary philosophy |
| Region | Russian philosophy |
| School | Neo-Eurasianism
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Main interests
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Geopolitics, political philosophy, conservative revolution, sociology |
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Notable ideas
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Aleksandr Gelyevich Dugin (Russian: Александр Гельевич Дугин; born 7 January 1962) is a Russian political thinker. He is known for his ideas about "neo-Eurasianism," which suggests Russia should lead a large empire across Europe and Asia.
Dugin grew up in a family connected to the military. In the 1980s, he was against the communist government. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, he helped start the National Bolshevik Party. This group mixed strong national pride with some communist ideas. In 1997, Dugin wrote his most famous book, Foundations of Geopolitics. In this book, he said Russia should become powerful again by making alliances and expanding its influence. He wanted Russia to challenge the power of countries like the United States.
Dugin started the Eurasia Party in 2002 to spread his ideas. He also wrote The Fourth Political Theory in 2009. His ideas are sometimes called "fascist," but he doesn't use that word himself. Instead, he talks about a "conservative revolution" for Russia.
He has worked as an advisor to some Russian politicians and taught at Moscow State University. He lost his teaching job in 2014 after making strong comments about events in Ukraine. Dugin strongly supports Russian President Vladimir Putin. He has no official role in the government, but some people call him "Putin's brain" because they think his ideas influence Russian foreign policy. Others say his influence is not that big. Dugin supported Russia taking over Crimea in 2014 and the full invasion of Ukraine in 2022. In 2022, his daughter, Darya Dugina, was killed in a car bombing.
Contents
Early Life and Learning
Aleksandr Dugin was born in Moscow. His father was a high-ranking officer in Soviet military intelligence. His mother was a doctor. His father left the family when Dugin was three, but he still made sure they were well-off.
In 1979, Dugin started studying at the Moscow Aviation Institute. He was later expelled. After that, he worked as a street cleaner. He used a fake library card to read many books, including some that were banned. Some sources say he worked in a KGB archive, where he found forbidden books.
Dugin taught himself several languages, including Italian, German, French, English, and Spanish. He was interested in the ideas of thinkers like René Guénon and Julius Evola.
His Main Ideas
Dugin does not like Western ideas, especially those from the United States. He believes in a strong, traditional state with positive values, where religion and the church are important. He wants media that supports national interests.
His main idea is "Eurasianism." He believes Russia should lead a large "Euro-Asian empire." This empire would unite all Russian-speaking people and challenge the power of the United States and Western countries. He thinks this empire would stretch from Europe to Asia.
Dugin's ideas also include the "Fourth Political Theory." This theory suggests a new way of thinking about politics that is different from liberal democracy, Marxism, and fascism. He believes these older ideas have failed.
Political Groups He Joined
Early Activism
In the 1980s, Dugin was a journalist and was against the communist government. In 1988, he joined a group called Pamyat (Memory). This group was very nationalistic.
In 1993, Dugin helped start the National Bolshevik Party with Eduard Limonov. This party combined strong national pride with some ideas from Bolshevism. Dugin left the party in 1998 after disagreements.
Eurasia Party
In 2001, Dugin started the Eurasia Party. This party promotes his "neo-Eurasianist" ideas. He said the party would support different cultures in Russia and be against "American-style globalization." The party was officially recognized in 2001. It claims to have support from some military groups and leaders of the Russian Orthodox Church.
In 2005, Dugin created the Eurasian Youth Union of Russia. This is the youth part of his larger Eurasia Movement.
Views on Russia and Ukraine
Dugin strongly supports Russian President Vladimir Putin and his foreign policies. He has said that Putin is essential for Russia.
Dugin is a key supporter of Russia's actions in Ukraine. He supported Russia taking over Crimea in 2014. He also believed that a war between Russia and Ukraine was unavoidable. He called for Putin to help pro-Russian groups in eastern Ukraine.
He has been in contact with pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine. He said he was "unconditionally pro-DPR and pro-LPR," referring to the self-declared republics in eastern Ukraine.
Ukraine banned Dugin from entering the country in 2006 and declared him an unwanted person in 2007. His Eurasian Youth Union was also banned in Ukraine.
Dugin has said that Russia is fighting for its independence and trying to unite the countries that were once part of the Soviet Union. He believes the United States caused the conflict in Ukraine to weaken Russia. He has also said that the internet should be banned because it doesn't offer anything good.
His Influence and Role
The amount of influence Dugin has on the Russian government and President Putin is debated. He doesn't have an official role in the Kremlin. However, some people in other countries call him "Putin's brain" or "Putin's Rasputin," suggesting he helps shape Russia's foreign policy. Others argue that his influence is much smaller than often thought.
Some reports suggest that Dugin's influence on Putin grew after his daughter's death in 2022.
Dugin has also connected with some political groups in other countries, including far-right and far-left parties in Europe. He has invited members of groups like Jobbik from Hungary and Golden Dawn from Greece to Russia to build stronger ties.
Personal Life
Dugin's first wife was Evgenia Debryanskaya, an activist. They have a son named Artur. Dugin had a daughter, Darya Dugina, with his second wife, Natalya Melentyeva. On 20 August 2022, Darya Dugina was killed in a car bombing near Moscow. It is not clear if she was the target or if her father was, as he had planned to travel with her but changed cars at the last minute.
Sanctions Against Him
Because of his involvement in the conflict in Ukraine, several countries have placed sanctions on Aleksandr Dugin.
- On 11 March 2015, the United States Department of the Treasury added Dugin to its list of sanctioned Russian citizens. His Eurasian Youth Union was also targeted.
- In June 2015, Canada also added Dugin to its list of sanctioned individuals.
- On 3 March 2022, the United States also sanctioned a publication called Geopolitika, which they say Dugin controls. They also sanctioned his daughter, Darya Dugina, for her work as chief editor of a website called United World International.
- In January 2023, Japan and Ukraine also placed sanctions on Dugin for promoting Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Images for kids
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Dugin in 2023
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Aleksandr Dugin in 2014
See Also
In Spanish: Aleksandr Duguin para niños
- All-Russian nation
- Anti-globalization movement
- Eurasianism
- Igor Panarin
- Intermediate Region
- Pan-Slavism
- Rashism
- Russian irredentism
- Russian world
- Russophilia
- Slavophilia
- Statism
- List of Russian philosophers
