Any state must have some vision or meaning of existence that the majority of citizens agree upon. The loss of that meaning is a serious danger for the survival of the state. For the sake of examples, let us not forget our recent past. Most of the Soviet people for some time thought that they were building a bright communist future, and perfect happiness was hindered by evil imperialists (along with the vision, it is very desirable for there to be an image of the enemy).
But in the 1970s (perhaps a little earlier), no one believed in that vision anymore, and the state, the meaning of which was also based on that belief, slowly began to degenerate and finally collapse over the next 20 years for this and many other reasons. The meaning of the Third Reich’s existence was revenge for the defeat in the First World War. Similarly, the basis of Azerbaijan’s identity in 1994-2020 was the recapture of “their” lands and the accompanying brutal hatred of Armenians. The Third Republic of Armenia was born and survived until 2020 on the basis that it was able to ensure the existence of Artsakh as an Armenian territory. But since November 9 of last year, that meaning of the state’s existence has almost disappeared and been replaced by a new meaning.
The vision was formulated by the government in May 2018. The purpose of the state today is to punish the former regime, and this propaganda is carried out consistently and with great success, including populism, that is, the seemingly easy-to-achieve goals and the formation of the enemy’s image. Accordingly, if Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan are arrested and, preferably, shot, and their wealth is shared equally by the revolutionary Robin Hoods, Armenia will become a happy and prosperous country. This is the vision of Pashinyan’s electorate, that is, the majority of active citizens, and, as in previous examples, there is a broad public consensus on it.
But here the question arises of why these people and a number of other hated figures for the mentioned electorate have not been convicted of corruption for three and a half years so far. Maybe they are really innocent? I don’t think so. Do judges serving the former regime interfere? Again, no. The reason,I believe, is something else. If they are shot, if the thirst for revenge of those masses is satisfied. It is not clear what people will be occupied with after that. What many believe to be the meaning of the state today will disappear. It turns out that talking about “theft” is more profitable than really punishing the alleged “thieves.” I don’t think it will be possible to talk endlessly either.
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Aram Abrahamyan
