How to Lose a Country

1. Populist Movements: The Rise of "Real People"

A movement of real people is the new zeitgeist, a promise to bring back human dignity by draining the swamp of the stagnant water that politics has become.

Provincial discontent fuels populism. Populist movements often originate in neglected provinces, tapping into a deep-seated sense of victimhood and promising a return to greatness for "real people." These movements are not merely political parties but claim to be revolutionary forces, transcending traditional political divisions. They articulate a collective "we" that excludes those deemed "unreal" or part of a corrupt establishment, creating a powerful, unifying narrative for their supporters.

The allure of "greatness." Populist leaders understand the human need for belonging and purpose, especially in a world where individualism has often led to feelings of mediocrity and disappointment. They offer a simple, compelling story: "It's not you; it's them who prevent us from being great." This narrative provides a clear enemy and a shared cause, making followers willing to sacrifice for the collective "we" and its promise of restored dignity and power.

"Respect" as a political weapon. The demand for "respect" becomes a central tenet, initially appearing as a plea for political politeness but quickly transforming into an unquestioning silence demanded from critics. This weaponized respect allows populist leaders to dismiss opposition, label critics as "oppressive elites," and consolidate their moral authority. Examples include:

• Erdoğan demanding respect for "my people and their choices."
• Trump supporters demanding respect for their leader's actions.
• Orbán asserting "Respect to the Hungarians!"

2. The Assault on Reason: Infantilizing Language and Dismissing Truth

The primary consequence of calling these leaders infantile, and psychologising their ruthlessness, is simply to make their critics feel more adult and mentally healthy by comparison.

Logic becomes irrelevant. Populist leaders systematically disrupt rational discourse, replacing logical arguments with emotional appeals, ad hominem attacks, and blatant inconsistencies. They reject facts as "totalitarian statements" or "elite papyrus," forcing opponents into futile attempts to prove basic truths. This strategy infantilizes political language, making complex issues seem simple and dismissing expert opinions as irrelevant or biased.

The "adult strategy" backfires. Critics often fall into the trap of portraying populist leaders as childish or psychologically damaged, believing this will discredit them. However, this "adult strategy" merely makes critics feel superior while underestimating the populist's appeal. It fails to recognize that the infantilization of political language is a deliberate tactic, not a sign of weakness, and that many people are drawn to simplified narratives.

The origins of simplified discourse. The erosion of complex political language began long before the current wave of populism. Decades of neoliberalism, with its focus on "alternativelessness" and market-friendly terms, stripped political vocabulary of concepts like "solidarity" and "social justice." This created a vacuum that populists readily filled with their own simplified, often vulgar, rhetoric, amplified by social media, making rational debate increasingly difficult.

3. The Erosion of Empathy: Shamelessness in a Post-Truth World

In a very fundamental way we, as a free people, have freely decided that we want to live in some post-truth world.

Truth's fragmentation. The concept of a single, shared truth has fractured into "islands of reality," where personal tragedies and suffering in one reality are irrelevant to another. This shift, evident since events like the first Gulf War and the Bosnian genocide, has normalized a detachment from others' pain. The term "post-truth" describes a world where facts are less influential than appeals to emotion and personal belief.

The normalization of shamelessness. This era is marked by an organized shamelessness, where leaders and their supporters openly disregard moral norms without consequence. From politicians joking about "clearing dead bodies" to reality TV celebrating cruelty, the public's capacity for vicarious shame has diminished. This creates an environment where even blatant lies, rebranded as "alternative facts," can proliferate and shape political realities.

The cost of moral vacuum. When morality is exiled from public life and confined to individual conscience, shared ethical standards erode. This vacuum allows for the rise of "antipathy militias" – individuals who, fueled by a manufactured "cause," justify cruelty and dehumanization. The lack of a compelling, secular moral narrative leaves people vulnerable to simplistic, hate-filled stories that provide meaning, however destructive.

4. Dismantling Democracy: Subverting Institutions and the Rule of Law

When the establishment is disturbed, a new political motion will emerge to better the politics.

False hope in institutional resilience. Many intellectuals and citizens mistakenly believe that democratic institutions are robust enough to withstand populist attacks and that political disruption will inevitably lead to a "better politics." This "desperate hope" often causes delayed and ineffectual resistance, as dissidents wait for an imagined "bottom" to be hit before acting. However, authoritarian regimes demonstrate that political systems can sink indefinitely, leaving no time for reflection or fundamental reform.

The "paper tiger" effect. Populist leaders systematically undermine state institutions, from the judiciary to the military, creating a public perception that these bodies are superfluous or ineffective. By constantly challenging and bypassing legal processes, they send a message that the "palace of power is empty," inviting their supporters to participate in its "looting." This erosion of institutional authority makes it easier to label critics as "terrorists" and consolidate power.

Economic control as a political tool. Authoritarian leaders build vast networks of financial dependence, transforming basic social rights into political charity. This system ensures loyalty by making citizens' survival dependent on the leader's political existence. Examples include:

• Distributing food and coal in exchange for votes.
• Prioritizing public services for loyal districts.
• Confiscating businesses of opponents and rewarding loyalists.
  This economic control creates a powerful safety net for the leader, making resistance a fight for one's livelihood.

5. Engineering Society: Designing the "Ideal Citizen"

Every regime, without exception, starts building its ideal citizen by tampering with its women.

Women as ideological battlegrounds. Authoritarian regimes invariably begin their societal redesign by targeting women, viewing them as "cut-out paper dolls" to be molded into the ideal female citizen. This involves promoting specific images—from "pious, obedient, docile" to "career-driven-happily-married-with-children"—and enforcing new regulations that restrict women's autonomy. Misogyny acts as a "wingman" to right-wing populism, making women the first and most vocal to resist.

The "olive branch" and its cost. Initially, regimes may offer an "olive branch" to secular or independent women, inviting "collaboration" to gain legitimacy. However, this is often a veiled demand for submission. Women who refuse to become "Play-Doh" for the regime face increasing intimidation and danger, while those who comply are rewarded with social positions and approval, often at the cost of their dignity.

Militants of antipathy. The regime actively cultivates a new generation of "ideal citizens" who are politically charged with antipathy towards those who don't conform. These "proper daughters" or "super elites" exhibit a chilling lack of empathy, justifying cruelty in the name of the "cause." Their unwavering loyalty to the leader, despite inconsistencies or ethical crimes, stems from the regime's ability to provide a clear purpose and a sense of belonging in an otherwise morally ambiguous world.

6. The Peril of Laughter: From Resistance to Cynical Paralysis

Festive folk laughter presents an element of victory not only over supernatural awe, over the sacred, over death; it also means the defeat of power, of earthly kings, of the earthly upper classes, of all that oppresses and restricts.

Carnivalesque resistance. Mass protests like Gezi or Tahrir Square often begin with a carnivalesque spirit, where collective laughter, wit, and absurdity are used to mock power and dismantle fear. This spontaneous joy creates a powerful sense of unity and shared purpose, temporarily erasing social boundaries and fostering trust among strangers. The laughter acts as a "magical transformative tool," making rulers seem ridiculous and their authority fragile.

The erosion of genuine joy. However, this initial, liberating laughter can become a trap. As oppression escalates, the humor turns bitter, sarcastic, and eventually cynical. The "Gezi Spirit" becomes damaged, leading to self-mockery and division among dissidents. The constant need to "laugh away fears" can create a virtual distance from reality, making people reluctant to engage in serious political action.

The "dancing phase." When the absurdity and cruelty of the regime become relentless, and anger and despair are exhausted, the human mind can enter a "dancing phase." This is a state where laughter becomes an involuntary, almost pathological response to horror and illogical oppression. It's a "Joker smile" cut into the face, a desperate attempt to maintain dignity or sanity, but ultimately a sign of a mind overloaded and retreating into a "wicked sort of fun" that is devoid of true spirit.

7. The Mafia State: Consolidating Power Through Economic Control

This conception of Putin as sole sovereign has developed only gradually.

The leader as the state. Populist leaders gradually merge their identity with that of the state, making themselves indispensable. This is achieved by knitting together a vast web of loyalists and vassals, transforming economic transactions and public services into personal favors. The idea that "when Erdoğan is gone, Turkey is destroyed" becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, as the leader's political existence is inextricably linked to the survival of countless individuals and businesses.

Exploiting greed and precarity. The system caters to both the poorest, by turning social rights into party charity, and the wealthy, by offering access to capital and public tenders in exchange for personal loyalty. This creates a new class of "nouveau riche" and a dependent populace whose daily bread relies on the leader's continued rule. This economic consolidation ensures a loyal voter base and a compliant business elite, further entrenching authoritarian power.

The illusion of choice. In this "mafia state," elections become mere formalities to approve the leader's right to continue distributing wealth. The opposition is paralyzed by a constant barrage of legal challenges and propaganda, while the populace is too dependent or too exhausted to resist. The state apparatus, once a check on power, becomes a tool for the leader's arbitrary whims, making it impossible for citizens to distinguish between the state and its ruler.

8. Losing Your Country: The Psychological Toll of Authoritarianism

The vast land you thought you belonged to does not shrink down to a table overnight.

The shrinking homeland. The process of losing one's country is not a sudden event but a gradual, years-long erosion of shared values, justice, and morality. It begins when the fundamental concept of justice is damaged, and the minimal morality one unknowingly depended on is destroyed. This terrifying immorality forces individuals to retreat, making their country feel like a "strange land" or reducing it to a "table surrounded by loved ones" where jokes don't need explanation.

The shame of being mocked. In this new reality, resistance is not met with dignified opposition but with ridicule and mockery. Dissidents are labeled "attention whores" or "traitors," their suffering turned into public jokes by internet trolls and even ordinary citizens. This paralyzing fear of being shamed, rather than death threats, becomes a powerful tool of suppression, stripping individuals of their dignity and making collective action increasingly difficult.

The "This is not my country" sentiment. As the country turns hostile towards its own citizens, many find themselves uttering, "This is not my country any more." This sentiment reflects a profound alienation, a feeling that the master plan for their nation has changed, and they are no longer required or welcome. This psychological toll extends to those who leave, becoming "strangers in someone else's land," and irrevocably changes the story and soul of the country left behind.

9. The Call for a Counter-Movement: Reclaiming Solidarity and Secular Morality

Hope is a fragile word. I prefer to believe in determination, the determination to create beauty, political beauty.

Beyond hope: determination. In the face of overwhelming authoritarianism, the author suggests moving beyond the fragile concept of "hope" towards "determination to create beauty, political beauty." This shift acknowledges the grim reality but emphasizes active, creative resistance. It's a call to action that transcends passive waiting for things to improve, focusing instead on building a new future.

The power of young women. The author identifies young women as a crucial force in this counter-movement. Empowered and unafraid to challenge patriarchal norms, they are politicizing and organizing people to demand social justice. Unlike conventional critics, these women offer clear answers and a "counter-cause" to right-wing populism's illusions, understanding that true change requires solidarity and a rejection of the current system's ethical vacuum.

Rebuilding secular morality and solidarity. The antidote to the "militants of antipathy" lies in rebuilding bonds of solidarity and a robust secular morality. This means actively connecting with "our own kind"—progressives and those who share a commitment to justice—rather than wasting energy trying to understand or empathize with the perpetrators. It's about recognizing that radical evil often has no profound reason, and the burden of understanding it should not fall on the victim.

Last updated: October 23, 2025