Trump plans to use Putin’s ‘dark arts’ if elected: new book
US Presidential candidate Donald Trump plans to use the same constitutional tactics that Russian President Vladimir Putin has used to build and cement his power over a nation, according to a new book.
“Trump has reportedly had as many as seven private phone calls with Putin since leaving office. Trump has also made clear that he hopes to use some of Putin’s ‘strongman’ tactics if he is elected in November,” says Associate Professor William Partlett of Melbourne Law School, author of the book Why the Russian Constitution Matters: The Constitutional Dark Arts.
Associate Professor William Partlett's article in The Conversation elaborates further on his analysis.
“Today’s strongmen rely on more than just violence and intimidation; they also use what I call the ‘constitutional dark arts’ to consolidate their power. This involves centralising vast constitutional authority in themselves.
“Strongmen like Vladimir Putin in Russia and Victor Orban in Hungary have not disbanded democratic institutions like courts, parliaments or elections. Instead, they have co-opted them, using them for their own ends. Trump plans to do the same.”
Professor Partlett, a comparative constitutional theorist, warns that this system is not accountable to voters and distorts electoral systems, with leading opposition members often jailed or killed.
It also undermines effective decision-making, as reliable information is not passed upwards if there are fears it will be ill-received. “For example, Putin’s decision to launch a full-scale invasion of Ukraine was based on flawed intelligence that suggested Kyiv would fall in just three days,” Professor Partlett says.
“Russia’s experience with the constitutional dark arts carries important lessons for American voters in the upcoming election. Centralising power in one person would threaten key pillars of American economic prosperity and political stability.
“For instance, Trump has said he plans to ignore unwritten constitutional norms that ensure that bodies such as the Federal Reserve Bank and the Department of Justice are independent of direct Presidential control. Presidential power over these agencies would allow Trump to personally set interest rates and prosecute his enemies.”
Trump centralising power to himself could also create also problems internationally. “A highly personalised foreign policy that ignores advice from the State Department or long-standing US allies could weaken American sovereignty and its standing in the world.
“For instance, Trump’s insistence that he would implement a ‘hasty deal’ to end the war in Ukraine could paint the US as an unreliable ally and embolden Russia and China to take aggressive action.”
Professor Partlett warns that the Russian experience shows that one-man rule is not a solution to any of the pressing problems facing governments: “Instead, it is more likely to deepen these problems by undermining the capacity of the state to respond to the demands of its people.”
Why The Russian Constitution Matters: The Constitutional Dark Arts, by Associate Professor William Partlett, Hart Publishing.