Civilization at the Crossroads: Individualism vs. Collectivism 30.06.2026

"Under no circumstances should a Communist place his personal interests first; he must subordinate them to the interests of the nation and the masses."

— Mao Zedong, The Role of the Chinese Communist Party in the National War (October 14, 1938)

"The question isn't who is going to let me; it's who is going to stop me."

— Ayn Rand

Our civilization has now reached a crossroads where a fundamental choice must be made: will we become one vast communist anthill, or will we preserve the freedom and individuality of every human being?

The beginning of the twenty-first century has brought profound changes to people's lives across the globe. In many countries, these changes have directly affected an individual's right to freedom of choice.

Let me offer a few examples.

China has established a system of mass surveillance over its citizens, upon which it built its Social Credit System. In modern China, virtually every person lives under continuous surveillance: their movements, social media activity, financial transactions, and much more are constantly monitored. Any deviation from the norms established by the Communist Party is punished in one way or another—from being denied the right to purchase a train ticket to being sent to an internment camp. Chinese society has already been transformed into one enormous anthill, and this model of society will inevitably expand beyond China's borders if left-wing ideology continues to prevail.

The second striking example is Russia, whose leadership has chosen a course that, in my view, is turning the country into a Chinese colony. While China is developing at an extraordinary pace, Russia, by contrast, has fallen into deep stagnation—brought about by the war against Ukraine, international sanctions, endemic corruption, censorship, and the complete control of public life by the security services.

Modern Russia represents, in my opinion, a vivid example of twenty-first-century neocolonialism, whose primary objective is the gradual destruction of the bulk of the indigenous population, followed by its replacement and assimilation with more politically loyal ethnic groups, and only then the seizure of natural resources and territory. In my view, the war against Ukraine was conceived precisely with this objective in mind, which is why it has been conducted in such a prolonged and, from the perspective of classical military strategy, difficult-to-explain manner.

Consequently, in a colony such as Russia, there is no personal freedom. The entire country has effectively become one vast concentration camp. Any dissenting individual, whether inside the country or often even abroad, risks physical elimination. Two examples from this very month are the killings of Semyon Skrepetsky in Poland and Yevgeny Vasilyev in Belarus.

But what is happening in the so-called "free world"?

What we are witnessing there is nothing less than a modern-day "Fifth International." Across Europe, various left-wing movements have pushed the policy of multiculturalism to the point where the Muslim population has grown over the past twenty years from 29.6 million (4.1%) to 44.1 million (6%), and is projected to reach approximately 58 million by 2030.

This has already led to a sharp rise in crime across the European Union, the emergence of no-go areas in many of Europe's largest cities, and the spread of radical jihadist ideology within the EU itself. At the same time, criticism of this carefully engineered immigration policy is increasingly met with criminal prosecution. A notable example is the case of French publicist and politician Éric Zemmour, who was convicted in France after describing what he called a "Muslim invasion" and urging that Islamization be viewed as a threat.

Alongside Islamization—which, in my opinion, will inevitably lead to profound social upheaval—and the expansion of censorship, Europe is also facing serious economic challenges directly connected to China. China acquires European technologies—sometimes through legitimate means, sometimes not—in sectors such as the automotive industry, robotics, and many others. It then adopts those technologies and uses them to drive European manufacturers out of the market, causing heavy losses and, in many cases, bankruptcies. Even Deutsche Welle, hardly a publication known for hostility toward China, has openly written about this. One such article is titled: "Europe's Auto Industry Is in Crisis, but Chinese Manufacturers Are Building Factories Here."

Let me add another fact that is, in my experience, not widely known. Since 2014, China has been steadily expanding its influence over Europe's offshore financial sector by acquiring European banks. I have encountered this process firsthand.

As a result, policies promoted by politicians with left-wing ideas are fundamentally reshaping Europe's ethnic composition, pushing its economy toward decline, all while the war between Russia and Ukraine continues—a conflict that still has every potential to spread further across the continent. Behind the scenes, both in Europe and in Russia, I believe the same geopolitical forces are operating, with their strategic orientation increasingly centered on Beijing.

Now let us turn to the United States.

For decades, left-wing ideas were cultivated in America's leading universities. Over time, this produced an entire generation of political and cultural figures shaped by that worldview. One of America's two major political parties—the Democratic Party—has, in my view, become the principal political vehicle of this modern "Fifth International." It has given rise to movements and policies such as DEI, BLM, and many other initiatives that are unlikely to make America great again.

In America's blue states, where Democrats have maintained long-term political dominance, similar trends can be observed. Gun laws continue to become more restrictive, while police staffing and authority are reduced. Taxes on working citizens continue to rise, while government support for the socially dependent population continues to expand. It is not difficult to see where such policies ultimately lead.

The return of Donald Trump and his team to the White House in 2024 shifted the direction of American politics toward the opposite extreme. Of the many developments that could be discussed, I will mention only a few.

First, there was the complete failure of negotiations with Russia—a failure that, in my view, was entirely predictable, yet one that Trump stubbornly refused to acknowledge. Second, a new generation of ayatollahs has effectively consolidated power in Iran. Alongside their radical Shiite ideology, they now increasingly view China as their principal strategic ally. And finally, Americans are once again paying around $4 per gallon for gasoline.

Against this backdrop, New York elected an openly left-wing politician, Zohran Mamdani, as its mayor. More recently, all three Democratic candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives whom he endorsed—Brad Lander, Claire Valdez, and Darializa Avilés Chevalier—won their respective Democratic primaries. Their political views, and what the upcoming midterm elections this November may bring for the country as a whole, are not difficult to anticipate.

Collectivism is steadily gaining ground over individualism.

Modern China offers a glimpse of the kind of society that awaits us if collectivism ultimately prevails. Modern Russia, in turn, illustrates the stages that societies not yet fully "collectivized" may be forced to pass through before arriving at that same so-called "bright future."

In my opinion, this should give all of us serious reason to reflect.

Especially in the United States.

Dmitrii Ershov

Political Scientist

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