Trumputin, Europe, and the Ryder Cup

Since the 2010s, a number of political figures who virtually trademarked xenophobia as their core selling point have been found to be on particularly good terms with Putin’s Russia. Some received donations from Russian benefactors. Some held clandestine meetings to discuss common interests. Some secured sustained support from Russian troll farms in campaigns designed to back Brexit and the election of Donald Trump.

The dots are increasingly joining up to reveal a global network to advance anti-immigrant White nationalism. Putin has always viewed liberal Europe as the enemy on his doorstep. By positioning Russia as a champion of White nationalism, he has built tactical alliances with many anti-immigrant politicians across Europe, and cultivated a unique partnership with President Trump of the US. With their help, NATO is undermined, the EU diminished, and the UK weakened.

As the Xenophobic Axis continues to expand, we have seen Trump cutting support for Ukraine, not putting any pressure on Russia but instead giving them more time under the guise of ‘peace talks’ to press on with their invasion, while pushing for the surrendering of Ukrainian territories. Meanwhile, Trump threatens Europe with the US takeover of Greenland. In the new US National Security Strategy, support for Europe is deprioritised, and the focus is shifted to the US’s ‘own’ western hemisphere – changes openly welcomed by Russia. And in speeches at the World Economic Forum and elsewhere, Trump further delighted Putin and other xenophobic destabilisers of European democracies, by lambasting European countries for being inclusive towards non-White immigrants and refugees. 

With the emerging Trumputin doctrine – encapsulated by the photograph proudly displayed in the White House of the two presidents standing together – Europe is dismissed as a minor player that will not be able to stand up to Russian aggression from the east, and too weak to resist American bullying from the west. Leaders of xenophobic parties across Europe will have to choose to either carry on as sycophantic cheerleaders of Trumputin White nationalism (and thus ironically betray their own national interests), or wake up to the fact that their countries will only be strong when Europe is strong.

Now is not the time for Europe to fragment into a multitude of isolated countries that can be picked on (and picked off) one by one. Europe needs to be socially inclusive, democratically robust, economically open, and militarily prepared. It should guard against those who will besmirch, belittle, and even threaten their wellbeing. It must cooperate much more closely with other countries that are willing to develop mutual support and dependable partnerships.

The history of the Ryder Cup may serve as a geopolitical parable. Between 1933 and 1977, when the trophy was contested by Britain and the US, Britian only won it once out of 19 meetings. In 1979, Britain joined with others to compete for the Ryder Cup as Team Europe. In the 23 contests held since (up to 2025), Europe won 14 times.

The UK, or any European country on its own, is no match for the US. But Europe together can be confident in how it will fare in the world. For now, the US that fought with European patriots against Nazi White nationalism has gone AWOL. It is currently under the control of the Trumputin brand of White nationalism. If Europe is to repel the xenophobic forces unleashed in the service of Russian-American hegemony, it must stand firmly together for decency, prosperity, and democracy.

Helping Citizens Help Each Other

If children were left to grow up thinking it’s fine to steal from others, safe to jump off tall buildings, or commendable to harass anyone who speaks with a different accent, there would be an outcry about the failings of our education system.

It is no more acceptable for anyone to be brought up to believe that they should only ever care about themselves, or they are entitled to do as they please regardless of the consequences for others. Unfortunately, by design or default, many have acquired a mindset which assumes that doing anything that helps others must be inherently bad, and that one should always focus on what one wants.

The more people in society are moved by such inclinations, the worse it gets for society and its members. Instead of being well disposed and mentally equipped to pull together to tackle problems and make improvements that individuals on their own could not manage, we lose out because too many people keep rejecting collaboration, and ruining everyone’s prospects with their ‘beggar-thy-neighbour’ tendencies.

What can we do? Just as we need to ensure our children learn about the importance of respecting others, understanding safety, and so on, we ought to make certain that everyone is given the support to develop their propensity and skills for helping each other. Through citizenship education – in its broadest sense – each and every generation should learn to work with others for their mutual benefits, and back policies and practices that serve the common good.

There are four main components to this.

Firstly, we should teach ‘Ideas and Examples’ that will help to explain why and how collaboration with others – through sharing suggestions, efforts, resources, etc. – can lead to better results for all. Draw on sociological studies and historical records to demonstrate how acting in accordance with mutual responsibility, cooperative enquiry, and citizen participation leads to more satisfactory outcomes than purely self-centred behaviour.

Secondly, we should inculcate ‘Practical Skills’ that will enable people to relate to others empathetically, work with colleagues constructively in finding solutions to problems, and seek the views of others in reaching decisions that reflect an informed consensus. It takes training to be open to diverse ideas without giving up on making considered judgement; and the ability to choose a well-founded answer should go hand-in-hand with the readiness to revise one’s position in the light of new evidence and argument. 

Thirdly, we need to provide ‘Utilisation Opportunities’ and encourage their take-up. People learn from doing, and opportunities should be developed for participation in community collaboration (e.g., familiarisation events, group activities for defining and pursuing common goals); open exploration (e.g., investigative projects, joint outreach and research); and inclusive engagement (e.g., deliberative assessment events; reflective decision forums).

Fourthly, we must bolster ‘Supportive Conditions’ across society so that as many structural obstacles to cooperative interactions as possible can be removed. This involves institutional policies at all levels to help promote togetherness (through backing shared missions, mutual respect, inclusive membership); secure objectivity (by requiring cooperative learning, critical re-examination, responsible communication); and strengthen power balance (with participatory decision-making, civic parity, public accountability)

A society that is riven by egocentric behaviour is no society at all. Citizens who want to live together successfully and harmoniously must learn to help each other.

--

For more details on how to advance citizen learning, see ‘Citizens as Cooperative Problem-Solvers’ (available from the Citizen Network’s Library): https://citizen-network.org/library/citizens-as-cooperative-problemsolvers.html