Demythologization of the «controlled chaos» as a tool for geopolitical war: economic and sociocultural markers

Economic Annals-ХХI: Volume 184, Issue 7-8, Pages: 94-106

Citation information:
Kakhovska, O., Skyba, E., Popova, D., & Tyshchenkova, I. (2020). Demythologization of the «controlled chaos» as a tool for geopolitical war: economic and sociocultural markers. Economic Annals-XXI, 184(7-8), 94-106. doi: https://doi.org/10.21003/ea.V184-09


Olena Kakhovska
D.Sc. (Economics),
Professor,
Department of Economics and Entrepreneurship,
Prydniprovska State Academy of Civil Engineering and Architecture
24a Chernyshevsky Str., Dnipro, 49600, Ukraine
olenakakhov@ukr.net
ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6235-968X

Eleonora Skyba
D.Sc. (Philosophy),
Associate Professor,
Department of Social Sciences and Humanities,
Dnipropetrovsk State University of Internal Affairs
26 Gagarin Ave., Dnipro, 49005, Ukraine
eleonora.skiba@gmail.com
ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6364-5207

Diana Popova
MA (International Economic Relations),
MA (International Law),
PhD Student (International Economic Relations),
Department of International Business,
Institute of International Relations,
Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv
36/1 Yuriy Illienko Str., Kyiv, 04119, Ukraine
diannnap1995@gmail.com
ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8099-0109

Iryna Tyshchenkova
PhD (Law),
Associate Professor,
Department of General Law Disciplines,
Dnipropetrovsk State University of Internal Affairs
26 Gagarin Ave., Dnipro, 49005, Ukraine
tishchenkova@ukr.net
ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0323-5035

Demythologization of the «controlled chaos» as a tool for geopolitical war: economic and sociocultural markers

Abstract. Through the example of ten countries of Asia, Africa and the former Soviet Union, where the so-called «color revolutions», coups d’état and civil wars occurred in the past decades, the inconsistency of particular foundations of the theory of «controlled chaos» have been ascertained. The reasons for prolonged social turbulence in these countries are, in the first instance, intrinsically conditioned. They are related to existing fundamental social and economic problems within these countries. The role of the external interference in the matters of sovereign states in the contemporary political discourse is grossly exaggerated.

A particular interest for our research presented a «decade of revolutions» – a time of growth, culmination and decline in the social tension. Chronologically, the revolutionary «outbursts» are arranged as follows: Ukraine – 2004, 2014; Armenia – 2018; Georgia – 2003; Kyrgyzstan – 2005, 2010; Lebanon – 2005; Syria – 2011; Egypt – 2011-2013; Tunisia – 2010-2011; Myanmar – 2007; Vietnam – 2018.

«Controlled chaos» is an exquisite yet paradoxical and utopian in its substance metaphor which disguises a natural human striving to put the blame for their misfortunes on anyone else except themselves. A search for an external enemy, which represents a historically well-proven political technology, averts the public attention of the country, which remains in a turbulent condition, from real issues and allows corrupt elites to continue satisfying their materialistic aspirations thus plunging the country into the state of decline.

Keywords: Theory of «Controlled Chaos»; «Color Revolution»; Elite; Economic and Political Crisis; Social Turbulence; Coup d’État; Civil War; «Decade of Revolutions»; Corruption

JEL Classification: D74; F35; F51

Acknowledgement and Funding: The authors received no direct funding for this research.

Contribution: The authors contributed equally to this work.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.21003/ea.V184-09

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Received 2.05.2020
Received in revised form 20.05.2020
Accepted 26.05.2020
Available online 10.09.2020