“Madman Theory” at Present

I am constantly asked the question: “What do you propose we do?”

My answer is: The new is the well-forgotten old. I propose to return to the “strategy of a madman” or in other words “the theory of a madman”, the author of which is Machiavelli. As far back as the 15th century, the Italian thinker noted that in politics “sometimes it is useful to pretend to be crazy”.

The meaning of this strategy is to convince others that you are COMPLETELY CRAZY, it is better not to mess with you and make compromises instead.

This strategy was brilliantly executed by Nikita Khrushchev during the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962 to force the United States to withdraw its medium-range ballistic missiles stationed in Turkey and Italy, which, due to their short flight time, posed a serious military threat to the Soviet Union.

The USSR responded by importing its medium-range ballistic missiles to Cuba. And most importantly, Khrushchev demonstrated his determination to use these missiles.

And the United States, despite its overwhelming superiority in nuclear weapons (the United States then had 400 nuclear warheads, and the USSR only 40), agreed to withdraw its missiles from Europe and give security guarantees to Cuba. And the USSR in response withdrew its missiles from Cuba.

By the way, in 1969, at the height of the Vietnam War, US President Richard Nixon tried to use this strategy against the Soviet Union to stop Soviet military assistance to North Vietnam, but it did not make any impression on the Soviet leaders. But now Richard Nixon is undeservedly considered the author of the “madman’s strategy”.

Today, the “madman strategy” is being implemented very successfully by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

I understand very well that President Putin will never use this strategy. Simply because he lacks the willpower and determination necessary for this.

Even in the event of the approach of Ukrainian tank columns to his bunker on Rublyovka. But I think that in the context of an impending national catastrophe, his departure becomes inevitable. And coming to power of completely different people who will be able to successfully implement this strategy.