Timothy Snyder: Ukraine, Russia and the Central Significance of Civil Society

Profesor Timothy Snyder speaks about the situation in Russia and Ukraine in the last year and about the significance and role of civil society.
„History teaches three lessons here. One is that civil society can and does exist. The second is that civil society can be and is oppressed. The third is that the contest between those who wish to oppress civil society and those who wish to embody it was and remains a central element of history, transcending the history of nations.” (Excerpt from Timothy Snyder’s foreword to the book “Ukrainian history, Russian politics, European future”.)
Timothy Snyder (born 1969) is an American historian, professor at the Yale University. His main focus is on the history of Central and Eastern Europe. He is the author of „Bloodlands“ and „Thinking the 20th Century”.
Organizers: People in Need Czech Republic; Faculty of Arts, Charles University
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Profesor Timothy Snyder hovoří o situaci v Rusku a na Ukrajině v posledním roce a o významu a roli občanské společnosti.
„Historie nás učí tři věci: zaprvé, občanská společnost může existovat a také reálně existuje; zadruhé, občanská společnost může být a často také bývá utlačována; zatřetí, zápas mezi těmi, kdo ji chtějí utlačovat, a těmi, kdo ji chtějí spoluutvářet, byl a je rozhodujícím prvkem dějin přesahujícím dějiny národů.“ (Výňatek z předmluvy Timothyho Snydera ke knize Ukrainian history, Russian politics, European future).
Timothy Snyder (nar. 1969) je americký historik, profesor na Yaleově univerzitě. Zaměřuje se na dějiny střední a východní Evropy. Je autor knih „Krvavé země - Evropa mezi Hitlerem a Stalinem“ a „Intelektuál ve dvacátém století“.
Organizátor: Člověk v tísni, Filozofická fakulta Univerzity Karlovy

[@toosinbeymen6304]

Wow. Wow. Wow. Professor Tim Snyder. What an amazing talk and Q&A. So informative. Yale, man. You folks know how to get the good ones. Snyder is a man to follow if you want to be informed on Ukraine.

[@adrianseanheidmann4559]

and look what has happened. Oof...

[@bonsummers2657]

The USA / The West meddled in the ousting of Yanukovich in 2014,…. that was Russia's redline. Compromise for peace by allowing Russia's reclamation of Crimea and the Kherson through Luhansk regions. And then Russia allows Ukraine to go its own way beyond those reclaimed regions. Look up Russian history of that area. Russia is reclaiming prime real estate which was given to Ukraine under the context of the USSR. Russia doesn't want the West to have jurisdiction by of Ukraine over that historical Russian land space. It's the matter of world polarity neighborhoods. Respect, or devastation ensues.

[@linguaphile8533]

Fascinating to watch and think about in what is now February of 2023. TS remains a pragmatic intellectual who, within a broad sweep of history, synthesizes-and accessibly communicates-a stunning body of information into original thought, based on wide-ranging sources. A brilliant mind and national treasure.

[@christerheljestrand4949]

Exact date of this speech? I cannot find it, just "8 years ago".

[@christerheljestrand4949]

Extraordinary!! 👏👏👏👏

[@armellemaier2417]

Incredible what Snyder said in 2014! Its in 2022 the same.

[@bonsummers2657]

The USA / The West meddled in the ousting of Yanukovich in 2014,…. that was Russia's redline. Compromise for peace by allowing Russia's reclamation of Crimea and the Kherson through Luhansk regions. And then Russia allows Ukraine to go its own way beyond those reclaimed regions. Look up Russian history of that area. Russia is reclaiming prime real estate which was given to Ukraine under the context of the USSR. Russia doesn't want the West to have jurisdiction by of Ukraine over that historical Russian land space. It's the matter of world polarity neighborhoods. Respect, or devastation ensues.

[@vinm300]

29:00 "The revolution was about Europe" I'm reminded of Hugh Trevor-Roper's line , "All great revolutions have a social context as well as a political cause".

[@drcharlesnordlinger667]

Bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbjbhbhbhbbbbbbjbbbjhbbjj be Bibb by bbbj you bbbbjb by hhhjhjhh B h h h h h h B B hhhjjh

[@JanMiklossy]

I read his books (Bloodlands and The Road to Unfreedom). He is not only one of, if not the best, historians dealing with this issue. He is a visionary whose analyzes have, unfortunately, been confirmed by reality. I also recommend lectures and books by an excellent expert on the issue of relations between Poland, Ukraine and Russia, prof. Andrzej Nowak from the Jagiellonian University.

[@globalwarming5050]

great talk had to watch it twice

[@coreycox2345]

I do watch some of these twice on purpose, Global Warming.

[@globalwarming5050]

@@coreycox2345unfortunately it does not hold up to the test of time, too shallow and too egotistic creating cowardice

[@adrianseanheidmann4559]

@@globalwarming5050 eeeh......

[@GrimUpNorth77]

What I'm trying to say is its not just obnoxious news channels where the modern Russian state is taking inspiration from the darker parts of our own societies. Hopefully the Russian governments position does become more unpopular with the Russian public before any escalation.

[@freeforall1394]

If the internet existed in 1936 comment boxes would have been filled with poisonous praises for der Fueher and the virtues of public parades filled with goose-stepping uniforms. And little difference is found in todays proclaimers of Novorossiya and its policy of military expansionism, right down to its love of youth organizations based upon the Hitler Youth and Komsomolists. Too many older Russians see the similarities and embrace Putins adventurous flights of fury while too many young Russians have made a choice not to reject the hostility passed down to them from their elders. Little wonder then todays Russian trolls use the same worn out phrases of Cold War rhetoric bathed in martial implications. The FSB rules Russia today without the debased filter of a powerful Communist Party or its Central Committee, two entities that kept the KGB in check. Now there is no such shared governance, it's just the all powerful unchecked FSB and its military wing the GRU. Neither organizations were ever dissolved in 1991 and have enslaved Russia so completely that most Russians can't see their slave status.

[@coreycox2345]

Your comment seems plausable to someone who samples a wide variety of internet comments, freeforall. It's hard to see these things from Canada. On focus groups, if you want to trick people into stopping posing and work towards a solution, get them in a room working on accomplishing a common task. Except I didn't say it that way because it sounds like social engineering and don't want people think I am a either a Nazi or a Communist (and some will, regardless depending on their own political leanings). It's hard to do, but on the rare occasions it works, it seems to result in a more lasting peace than winning one battle or another. It works best is when everyone sees some common good.

[@bonsummers2657]

The USA / The West meddled in the ousting of Yanukovich in 2014,…. that was Russia's redline. Compromise for peace by allowing Russia's reclamation of Crimea and the Kherson through Luhansk regions. And then Russia allows Ukraine to go its own way beyond those reclaimed regions. Look up Russian history of that area. Russia is reclaiming prime real estate which was given to Ukraine under the context of the USSR. Russia doesn't want the West to have jurisdiction by of Ukraine over that historical Russian land space. It's the matter of world polarity neighborhoods. Respect, or devastation ensues.

[@GrimUpNorth77]

Is reverse asymmetric warfare like when the SAS got caught planting bombs in Basra and had to be broken out of jail or more like Gladio.

[@adambraun422]

30:00

[@GrimUpNorth77]

Chatham House did a report a few years ago about the rise of extreme political parties. It recommended that the mainstream political parties needed to come together to meet this challenge. This is the most important example that the fracturing of our society is being driven by the us and them attitude of the establishment. It's the lack of perceived choice in the mainstream that has led to the rise of extreme political parties. Focus group politics??

[@coreycox2345]

I would include that step, improveyourself. Sometimes they will point to the answer. Before you hate my guts because I work for the government, these are often done as a proxy for democracy because it is impossible to engage the public. Once, I even had a booth at the State fair. It appeared to get zero people to my meeting. The Dean of the Architecture college was there. The developers thought they had better watch what we were doing, so they were always there.

[@Jeanne90275]

"Bush's popularity was in the 90s in 2003 and he still lost the next election?" Uh, no he didn't. He was elected President on 2000 and reelected in 2004.

[@GrimUpNorth77]

Just to add I am an ex labour voter, active trade union member and volunteer to local historical and charitable organisations so I value civil society but have watched it be co opted by groups promoting minority and identity politics at the expense of community cohesion to such an extent that people are genuinely afraid to speak honestly for fear of loss of livelihood or public dressing down.

[@coreycox2345]

Everyone talks and there are no stupid ideas is one way to run a government, improveyourself. Government officials could create it for you, if you want.

[@tvwatcher1883]

awesome evaluation of the situation.......russia will lose at the hand of ukrainians :) God Bless All the Defenders of Ukraine!!! and look at how many views, and where this guy speaks, london school of economics, chicago humanities, etc, etc, sorry putin

[@coreycox2345]

I am looking forward to hearing his comments if what you say is correct, tv watcher. Keep in mind that this talk is dated 2014. I didn't hear him say that Russia will lose at the hands of the Ukranians. You don't do yourself any favours with this bullshit.

[@tvwatcher1883]

coreycox2345 but russia lost a long time ago, think about it, moscow occopied almost all of Eastern Europe, once freed, those countries all gave the russian neo nazis in moscow the finger and joined the EU and NATO, and they all became success stories, the only way moscow can get areas to join them is to bomb them the russians suffer from the fact that they’re rejects :)

[@bonsummers2657]

The USA / The West meddled in the ousting of Yanukovich in 2014,…. that was Russia's redline. Compromise for peace by allowing Russia's reclamation of Crimea and the Kherson through Luhansk regions. And then Russia allows Ukraine to go its own way beyond those reclaimed regions. Look up Russian history of that area. Russia is reclaiming prime real estate which was given to Ukraine under the context of the USSR. Russia doesn't want the West to have jurisdiction by of Ukraine over that historical Russian land space. It's the matter of world polarity neighborhoods. Respect, or devastation ensues.

[@inzhener2007]

EU is united because trading rules and infrastructure make trade and business hundred times easier than in Russia, roads and absence of borders btwn (independent!) countries is not imaginable for Russians because they can't move to another region of the Russian FEDERATION to live more than 90 days without the permission by the local police (of course people avoid this but this makes them illegal in their "own" country). No roads, no railways that should cover the country to make the economy efficient, and -- UNIMAGINABLE CORRUPTION EVERYWHERE.

[@GrimUpNorth77]

Europe United LOL best one yet. Are you aware of the existence of Greece. I can't believe I bought your book.

[@inzhener2007]

Yeah, you were smarter in the past...

[@Vedioviswritingservice]

GrimUpNorth77 Exactly. This Synder is a just a shrill. He should talk to ordinary people in Spain, Greece, Portugal, Italy even the UK and ask them how they feel about living under the EU.

[@adrianseanheidmann4559]

@@Vedioviswritingservice well HOW do they feel? Mhh?

[@pinkfloyd111]

You gotta love profesors, they know everything, even things they can't confirm, yet talk very affirmative about it.

[@inzhener2007]

Да, особенно важны замечания в отношении профессоров от людей, которые не пытаются писать свои комментарии без грамматических ошибок.

[@pinkfloyd111]

Петр I Великий Ne vem zakaj odgovarjaš v drugem jeziku. Angleščina niti ruščina ni moj prvi jezik.

[@yuwolfuswithout-any-bosssh2420]

Professors are only experts in their very narrow area, but they are fuckheads in life. They are analisers. Their analisis are great. But we need also synthesizers. Synthesizers are we.

[@inzhener2007]

YuWolfus Without-any-boss sheep WTF is this you just wrote here?

[@coreycox2345]

I doubt that with this professor, pinkfloyd1 1 1. I would like to hear what evidence he used to form his Hillary email server smashing. The best would be if Aron Mate were in the room.

[@quetzalchocholaty705]

No nikdy jsem neměl valné smýšlení o americkém školství, a toto individuum mě v tom jen utvrdilo .

[@virariueb7182]

Me teda prednasky prof Snydera vzdy potesi. Je to chytre, velmi pekne podane, proste poteseni poslouchat. Co konkretne vam vadi?

[@JanMiklossy]

@@virariueb7182 To on nevie, čo mu vadí, najskôr to, že je to Američan. Označiť svetovo uznávaného historika za indivíduum!? Bohvie, akú školu absolvoval tento odborník na americké školstvo?

[@GrimUpNorth77]

F*** the EU???

[@lowersaxon]

Well, truth is one of his key words but unfortunately he obviously uses false analogies ( e.g. USA and Canada is his most preferred model of state vs. ethnicities which doesnt fit for Europe) and here and there he is going to construct his own versions of truth. Btw, does he speak seriously of „my leftist anarchical friends“, if so who is meant?

[@WINNNY22]

Novorossia is a historical fact!

[@Pandamasque]

Hysterical more like.

[@francoisdesmeules4532]

Rus land Drunk Vatnik.

[@WINNNY22]

Stupid fat yankee...nazi ukrop ;)

[@WINNNY22]

USA occupated Guantanamo and make slaves and torture camp on other countrys territory! What a shame to call itself a democracy!! Fui

[@MuireKnight]

Rus land LOL jealous cause your country can't do the same and get away with it?

[@vinllga]

There no in fact any Ukraine. This is territory of ancient Russia (Rus',MaloRossia - or 'central Russia') that was occupied by medieval Poland during 16 century and renamed to so called "Ukraine". Than this russophobic liar term 'ukraine' was restored every time when enemies want to dividing Russia into different parts - such was during German occupation in WWI and WWII. And such dividing of Russia was happened in 1991 - it was criminal and illegal, violating the laws of USSR and people's wiil referendum of 1990 when all soviet people said 'No' for dividing the country. This "lecture" is Goebbels propaganda that need to be punished as nazi propaganda and crime against humanity.

[@siblinganon66]

You are wrong. Both Russia and Ukraine were Soviet Republics allied in the Soviet union. Created by Stalin.

[@vinllga]

Sibling Anon By Lenin, Trotskiy and Stalin. Republics were most important type of inner Soviet Union regions. So called Ukraine is most privileged Russian historical province - place of origin of Russia as a state. In fact without Ukrane Russia is a split country. Thats why Ukrane must return to Russia as it was all times from 9 century

[@siblinganon66]

+vinllga if you knew that why were you lying and claiming there was no Ukraine before 91?

[@vinllga]

Sibling Anon What? Lying about that Ukraine was a province of Russia/ republic -region of USSR? Ukraine never existed as country before 1991 - that is the sense of proposition. You cant work with differentiaton of meanings and unable for understanding complicated things. If you so slow and clumsy, you never can see the essence of problem .

[@adrianseanheidmann4559]

@@vinllga I'm not even sure what your point is.

[@miroslavlugner6690]

Ako vždy - odpad.

[@nescius2]

tak váš komentář zvedl šance tohoto videa se objevit v doporučeních i dalším lidem :)

[@jovobobici5731]

Snyder, what we are interested in is which branch of your ancestors mixed with monkeys? And yours intellectual regurgitation about Europeans and, above all, about Russians and the Slavic world is of no interest to anyone.