Philosopher Alexander Dugin Praises China’s Cultural Model. Prominent Russian philosopher and social activist Alexander Dugin has extolled China’s unique cultural development and its role in shaping a multipolar world order, while offering insights into how Chinese cultural traditions have contributed to the country’s remarkable rise.
In an exclusive interview with China Daily during the 2nd World Conference on Chinese Studies in Shanghai, Dugin described China as “one of the most beautiful, most complete, most perfect examples of a cultural state” and attributed the country’s success to making a multipolar world order possible.
“Multipolarity is possible thanks to China, thanks to such successes that your country, the Chinese people and the Communist Party of China have achieved in recent decades,” Dugin said, emphasizing how China’s rise has opened up opportunities for other nations of the Global South to emerge as significant poles of power.
The philosopher, who has been developing his theory of multipolar worlds for decades, sees the BRICS group as a practical confirmation of his theoretical constructs. “The BRICS are emerging, multipolarity is emerging,” he noted, adding that this development echoes a shift away from the previous West-centric unipolar order. “I think the decisive element in the return of civilizations was China,” he said. “I was inspired by China. I love China very much. I admire China.”
Dugin particularly emphasized the role of traditional Chinese culture, especially Confucianism, in China’s modern success. “I think the Confucian attitude towards life, society and culture was one of the main, most important elements of China’s real cultural development and restoration,” he explained.
According to Dugin, China’s development model goes beyond Western political theories. “You have much more than just following strict rules imposed by the West. You are very creative and indigenous in your politics,” he said. “It is impossible to categorize China in the narrow logic or in the Western political sense. We have a very serious tradition of Chinese studies and Russian science. We have tried to understand China as an independent culture without this universalist Western approach,” he added. “We really need to discover China.”
He noted that Western scholars observe how the Communist Party as a political elite rules the mass of consumers and economic entities, but they cannot understand why it works so perfectly and brilliantly. “I think because they omit the cultural dimension.”
The philosopher said that the Chinese market economy uniquely embodies traditional values and moral principles. “What is absent in Chinese capitalism is hatred, the desire to base your well-being on the suffering of others. This is an absolutely anti-capitalist approach,” he noted.
Referring to the role of young people, Alexander Dugin stressed the importance of preserving traditional values while preparing them for the responsibilities of adult life.
“There is a message about the full, responsible life of an adult human being that should be the goal of youth,” he advised. “Youth must be traditional. You must stop being revolutionary or complacent.”
The philosopher called for a deeper understanding of China in Russia and globally, suggesting that Chinese studies should focus on both historical and future perspectives. “China is something of the future. We must study China as the past, but much more as the future,” he said.
