Here is the TV series that turned Zelenskyy into a household name in Ukraiina.
So do oligarchs rule the world?
(1) Let us start with the leading light of democracy, Britian. A two chamber democracy, with the House of Commons for elected officials (MPs), and the House of Lords for hereditary & nominated officials. How to get a seat in the British House of Lords? Evgeny Lebedev bought a newspaper, cultivated top politicians, and gave lavish parties. Similar route to Canada’s own Lord Black of Cross-dresser (sic). MPs are often nominated by the Prime Minister. To be Prime Minister, just attend Eton then graduate from Oxford or Cambridge. Not hard, just expensive.
(2) USA? Well, to become President you need money, fame and a fixer. So Trump had all three. The fixer being Paul Manafort for a few months in 2016. A long time advisor to five previous republican candidates, four of whom made it to president.
(3) Which leads to Manafort working for Yanukovych in Ukraiina. Yanukovych, who set new standards in corruption, was supposed to sign the next stage towards joining the EU but ran off to Putin, triggering the EuroMaidan, the 2014 invasion of Crimea, the subsequent proxy-war in the Donbass region, leading to an eight year Russian involvment, culmanating this February in a major three-pronged invasion by Russia.
(4) Russia. Or should we just rename that Putin-ville? Managed to be in power since 1999. And according to Kasporov, “……controls enough money, probably more than any other individual in the history of human race.”
So what have you done lately to keep your politicians honest? Do it now. If you need some background I can recommend ‘The Narrow Corridor‘ by Daron Acemoglu and James A. Robinson.
This book describes societies from around the world, how they formed, and why. All the way back to the earliest human history. And around the world. Societies form to help all in the group be safer, healthier and richer. A group will fare better than an individual. But unless the society has some measure of equality for all, that society will fail.
So I ask again. What have you done lately to keep your politicians honest?
ps: As for Canada, well let us start with the Senate (upper house) having a varied population of people offering public service. And a Prime Minister who used to be a teacher, but more importantly, a famous father.
This is Zelenskyy’s current role, asking for help…… https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Bqynh595Rc4
Please continue to help.
There is the RedCross/RedCrescent in all countries.
In Canada, we also have the Ukrainian Canadian Congress and Canada-Ukraine Foundation who are raising money for humanitarian aid. You can donate via this link https://www.ucc.ca/2022/02/24/ukraine-humanitarian-appeal-update/ or directly https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/canada-ukraine-foundation/campaign/ukraine-humanitarian-appeal/
CanadaHelps has a list of organizations here https://www.canadahelps.org/en/donate-to-ukraine/
Please also continue to thank your MP for their support, and continue to ask for further and speedier military support.
You can find your Canadian MP here. Just scroll down the page, and enter your postal code.
You can find your British MP here. Just enter your postal code.
From the USA? You can find your President, and more, through this link.
As Zelenskyy states in the video, the Ukrainian armed forces have destroyed more military equipment that some European armies posses. But Russia still has much more. Here is CNN’s summary from Feb25th.
Military help is required. And needed now.