“Liberal” Is Becoming a Slur in America

by Alexander Dugin

Alexander Dugin argues that the rapid conservative revolution unfolding in the United States under President Trump mirrors Russia’s own turn to traditional values, challenging the dominance of the left-liberal globalist agenda.

What has transpired in the United States following Donald Trump’s victory in the presidential elections, the inauguration process, and the transfer of power, demonstrates that we are witnessing a rapid process of conservative revolution in the U.S. The system of values is changing in a direction almost diametrically opposed to its previous trajectory. The principles Trump and his team are proclaiming, along with the initial steps they are taking, stand in complete contradiction to the left-liberal ideology underpinning the orientations, strategies, and actions of the globalists.

Essentially, what is happening today is a profound transformation and even a schism within the West into two poles. One of these poles remains left-liberal and globalist. It has been embodied by Biden and almost all his predecessors, including Republican George W. Bush Jr., who posed no alternative to the left-liberal agenda.

The second pole, however, is Trump and Trumpism itself. This is conservative America, which has essentially rejected left-liberal ideology entirely, advocating instead right-conservative principles. Notably, this is no longer even right-liberal but distinctly right-conservative, as many representatives of the Trumpist camp speak of post-liberal values and outright rejection of liberalism as such.

The very word “liberal” is becoming a slur in America. These changes are occurring so dynamically and rapidly that many have not yet grasped just how substantial these transformations are, both for the West as a whole and for American society in particular.

Globalist left-liberal values are being replaced by traditional ones. There is a shift from liberal progressivism to conservatism and even traditionalism. In fact, Trump and the Trumpists are promoting a value system closely aligned with the one proclaimed by Russia. In this regard, Putin’s Decree No. 809 on traditional values, Russia’s ban on the promotion of perversions and gender politics, the emphasis on patriotism, prioritizing the spiritual over the material, and many other foundational principles are now being realized by Trump.

What is striking is how rapidly he is implementing these changes. Not long ago, those who held such views were complete outcasts, shunned and “canceled” under the so-called cancel culture, branded with inflammatory labels like “far-right,” “fascist,” and so on. But after Trump”s rise to power, they suddenly found themselves at the center of political and social discourse. Support for right-wing conservatives and traditionalists within American society is enormous. Unlike during Trump’s first term, this has now evolved into a significant socio-political trend.

For us Russians, it is crucial to understand how to act in this emerging situation. One of the core aspects of our civilizational identity — our challenge to globalism — is now, in a certain sense, being co-opted by the Trumpists. Against this backdrop, with the dynamism, decisiveness, extravagance, and boldness of the changes unfolding in the U.S., we no longer appear as pioneers or trailblazers.

No, we are not ceding leadership in this domain, which remains one of our strongest suits: the proclamation of traditional values, the rejection of gender politics, and many other good and important initiatives that Russia has embraced in recent years. However, we have failed to bring vibrancy and dynamism to our own approach to identity, traditional values, and conservative ideals.

Our process has been protracted, hesitant, and riddled with constant retreats, compromises, and concessions to liberalism. Moreover, it is evident that a significant portion of our elites has been forced to accept the policy shift towards traditional values, perceiving it as something temporary and formal, in the hope that it will soon end.

Thus, our profound conservative pivot today feels muffled and uncertain, like it is happening in a muffled and half-hearted manner. In reality, we need to boldly promote these ideas, presenting them in an appealing and vibrant manner. This involves creative media formats, new television programs, debates, artistic works, and more.

It is essential that we fear nothing, that we assert our values, interests, and ideals, and that we defend our identity. Certainly, it is commendable that Decree No. 809 is being emphasized and implemented across the board. However, it feels as though we have yet to ignite the ruling class with these traditional values. Much of it appears to be performed out of duty. Those tasked with this responsibility either partially believe in the necessity of this value shift or do not believe in it at all, merely pretending to agree. This is palpable and unmistakable — especially when contrasted with the dynamic, bold conservative transformations of Trumpism. For this reason, we must not lose momentum under any circumstances.

On the contrary, we must elevate our conservative-ideological strategy to a fundamentally new level. We must fearlessly proclaim our values, interests, and ideals, defend our identity, and speak more about the greatness of the Russian people, our Empire, and the significance of Orthodoxy. While doing so, we must emphasize that alongside the state-forming Russian people, our Empire holds a place of honor for our other illustrious Eurasian nations. And alongside Orthodoxy, our primary and foundational religion, there exist other traditional faiths as well.

Yet, we continue to bow endlessly, apologize, and make excuses. This is not a dignified trait. Enough of this left-liberal, Westernist, secular, modernist, and postmodernist nonsense that even the Americans are abandoning. We are Russians; God is with us! We uphold our traditional values, and we do not need any WHO directives or capitalist procedures to which we have been tethered since the 1990s. Let us build a Great Russia, establish our state, and revive and restore the Empire in all its splendor and might. We must ruthlessly combat the nihilistic tendencies, perversions, decay, and corruption that plague society.

It is time for us to gather our strength and imbue our patriotic reforms and return to traditional values with renewed dynamism. To achieve this, we need both a rotation of elites (perhaps through the creation of an analog to the American DOGE — Department of Government Efficiency — now headed by Elon Musk) and the unleashing of the creative potential of ordinary people, of our entire nation. Without this, we will fail to be genuinely convincing even to ourselves.

Otherwise, we risk losing the brightness, avant-garde nature, and relevance of our advantages and unique strengths. Not that they will disappear, but they may be overshadowed or surpassed by those who are not only not our friends or allies but, on the contrary, are using their conservative turn to strengthen their own global hegemony.

Here, it is crucial that we draw a clear line between what we embrace and applaud in Trumpism and what remains an adversarial force. If Trump succeeds in making America, as he promises, “great again,” then we are left with no choice but to ensure we achieve the same for Russia. We do not need an acronym like MAGA, but we must revive Russia’s greatness in all spheres, awakening from a long social and cultural slumber. Either we rise now, making a leap into the future, or we will face a difficult reckoning.

(Translated from the Russian)

Alexander Dugin’s books can be purchased here.