Editor's comment
Polit-Economic Paradox
22 October, 2015
That the Georgian historical lands are occupied by Russia is part of politics, and the fact that Georgia wants to use the Russian energy potential is the issue within the realm of economics. Would the concomitance of these two oddly paralleled veracities be considered by scholars as a paradox of political economy? Probably yes, if they want to think well and long enough! If Georgia was and is being hurt by Russia, and Russia is being indignant at Georgia’s political
recalcitrance so much that the erstwhile friends and allies have even severed diplomatic relations, then how come that they are still willing to maintain economic ties? I have learnt at school that politics and economics are mutually dependent as the fields of human activity, promoting and developing one another on the basis of fair and balanced parity. It is part of polit-economic lore that politics and economics are functioning hand-in-hand to promote human welfare and prosperity on earth. But in case of Russian-Georgian relations, this conventional wisdom looks weird and confusing. If Georgia and Russia need each other economically so much that they are ready to be together in weal and woe, so to speak, why can’t they get rid of their political differences so that all grudge and rancor between the two countries and peoples are gone away forever? It is obvious – and the world is aware of this – that Russia and Georgia are working on economic and financial deals that are presumably conducive to mutually beneficial cooperation and possible prosperity of both nations, this being flagrantly inconsistent with the level of their current political interaction – the paradox that has not been interpreted to the extent where all the T’s are crossed and all the I’s are dotted. The Georgian wine and water are being squeezed back into the copious Russian market – with squeaks and creaks though. The Georgian government is probing into the opportunity of making better and bigger use of the Russian natural gas – with understandable misgivings of the opposition and the army of political and economic experts. There are looming on the horizon the ongoing and upcoming cultural exchanges between the two nations although with certain streaks of forethought and caution. Meanwhile, the Russian troops have firmly dug in the Georgian soil, using every little chance to move the borders southward in favor of Russia’s breakaway protégés and against the will of the Georgian people and administration. How do you want to qualify this paradox? Is this a sample of hypocrisy of international caliber? Shall we call this some sort of latent political interests of the sides, major covered-up plans, thoroughly obfuscated incipient benefits, masterfully concealed future gains, or what? Who will tell us the truth? My rebelling hunch is prompting me that the whole thing is another conspiracy which will soon be revealed to become another topic of hot but futile political controversy. I have always wondered if the policy of nonspeaking terms with Russia on part of Georgia was a better direction of thought and action – cut the BS, forget about the former bigeotv.geg bro for good, continue being a splinter in her dictating finger, keep on playing the equality game and try not to surrender! I have also considered the giving-in position if it could work at all – revive trade, resuscitate the moribund cultural ties, suck up a little, give a sporadic handshake, slightly sweeten the angered strongman, stop combing the beast’s hair the wrong way and seek for a chance to make her change something to our benefit. Russia wants to tame the world with her gas-and-oil politicking which often rakes in some complimentary results, and sometimes those results are elevating Russia to former glory and grandeur. That is when the little fussy Georgia is getting seriously impressed and encouraged to carry on with strengthening the economic ties with the vital neighbor, forgetting about the vicious political circle, around which we have been running in the last so many years. It is the viciousness of extant Russian-Georgian political interaction and the seemingly beneficial business mélange that creates the current polit-economic paradox which looks easy to handle but difficult to perpetuate as the remedy for curing Georgia’s geopolitical maladies. There is no doubt that our physical survival is totally dependent on what kind of economic achievements we are able to come up with as a nation, but it also matters that Georgia has sacrificed a lot since the soviet demise to get rid of the Russian political duress and economic pressure, and to learn how to make a survival without Russia’s presence in our life. Look at the character and content of the paradox I am talking about: If Georgia embraces the economic favors granted by Russia without modifying their dysfunctional political marriage, then the aspiration and endeavor of the Georgian people of the latest quarter of a century to serve their national ideal of becoming a free and independent nation is turning into nothing, because we could have sat back and waited until the collapse of the Soviet Union, and kept kind and fruitful relations with Russia without any sweat and bloodshed. Who needed that much pain in the neck? Why does the story of Georgia of the last twenty-five years make sense then? This is the reason of my calling the entire Russian-Georgian political and economic dealing a piece of paradox which is truly objectionable logically.