Yuri Chekalin

Yuri Chekalin15.07.2026

Why do people obey political authority? Few questions have occupied political thought more persistently. Power and Legitimacy From Plato and Aristotle to Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and Max Weber, political philosophers have sought to explain why governments are recognized as legitimate and why individuals accept obligations imposed by political institutions. The question is […]

Yuri Chekalin12.07.2026

The concepts employed throughout this article are not presented as fixed or universally accepted definitions. Concepts and Terminology: A Framework for Analysis Terms such as myth, mass, power, charisma, and political religion have acquired different meanings across history, sociology, anthropology, political science, and philosophy. Rather than attempting to resolve these longstanding conceptual debates, this article […]

Yuri Chekalin11.07.2026

“The good historian resembles the ogre of the fairy tale. Wherever he smells human flesh, he knows there is his prey.” — Marc Bloch. Author’s Note This article examines political myth as an object of historical inquiry rather than as an instrument of political advocacy. Its purpose is neither to defend nor to condemn particular […]

Yuri Chekalin04.07.2026

On this Independence Day, we honor the courage, vision, and enduring principles that gave birth to the United States and continue to inspire generations. It is also a day to celebrate the freedoms that allow ideas to be shared, history to be explored, and meaningful conversations to flourish. Thank you to every author for your […]

Yuri Chekalin01.07.2026

”…Death will bestow on us the bells of glory. Yet we pass through this world as envoys Of a country that has no name.” — Alexander Galich We were leaving Russia. Three years had passed since we had made the decision to emigrate to the United States—three years and an endless number of certificates, documents, […]

Yuri Chekalin27.06.2026

In the city of Uchtensk, Bureaucracy lived. It never walked—it went through the proper approval process. It never spoke—it issued directives. Even its mirror reflected a person only after they presented valid identification. One day, a citizen attempted the impossible: to obtain a certificate stating that he existed. “Please fill out an application to receive […]

Yuri Chekalin21.06.2026

Today, we remember Viktor Alksnis on what would have been his 76th birthday. Although he passed away in 2025, his memory endures through a lifetime of public service, principled advocacy, and unwavering commitment to the causes he believed in. Born on June 21, 1950, Alksnis belonged to a generation that witnessed profound historical transformations. As […]

Yuri Chekalin21.06.2026

The mass disturbances in the Azerbaijani city of Sumgait occurred on November 7, 1963, the 46th anniversary of the October Revolution. At 10:00 a.m., as usual, an official workers’ parade was proceeding through the city’s central square, just as it was throughout the Soviet Union. From the reviewing stand, slogans and praises honoring the Communist […]

Yuri Chekalin20.06.2026

Yesterday, the world once again found itself on the brink of a historic event. No, not the discovery of a cure for all diseases, nor the establishment of world peace. Something far more important. Trump admitted that he wanted to award himself the nation’s highest military decoration. “There have been many of the greatest people […]

Yuri Chekalin19.06.2026

Today we’re heading to the very heart of Tokyo — Shibuya. As you’ll see, it’s like Times Square multiplied by a hundred. There are endless crowds, entertainment venues, restaurants, izakayas, and countless little eateries. Tokyo truly never sleeps. You can pass the time until dawn by drinking, playing billiards, reading manga in cafés, or even […]

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Political Myths: Authority and Legitimacy (Part.3)

Political Myths: Authority and Legitimacy (Part.2)

Political Myths: Authority and Legitimacy

Happy Fourth of July to the Authors and Readers of the CommentaTHOR!

A Life: For My Grandfather, Iosif Lvovich Mirkin

The Great Bureaucratic Seal

A Tribute to Viktor Imantovich Alksnis

Code 10-44 for Azerbaijani City of Sumgait on November 6, 1963

A Gold Medal for the Most Deserving

Notes from Japan: Hachikō

Political Myths: Authority and Legitimacy (Part.3)

Paradise Blown Apart

Who’s Gonna Buy All the AI Stuff?

A Scaled-Down Second Cuban Missile Crisis