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James D. HeiserJames D. Heiser
"The American Empire Should Be Destroyed": Alexander Dugin and the Perils of Immanentized Eschatology Paperback – 27 May 2014
by James D. Heiser (Author)
3.8 3.8 out of 5 stars (86)
Over two decades have passed since the “Cold War” between the Soviet Union and the West ended. Many citizens of the former Soviet republics and Warsaw Pact nations have embraced the opportunities which come with expanded civil liberties and economic growth, but extremists exploit nostalgia for the days of empire. In the words of Vladimir Putin, “the collapse of the Soviet Union was a major geopolitical disaster of the century.”
A new ideology—Eurasianism—is being advanced by those who dream of a new empire and revenge on the Western powers which brought about the collapse of the Soviet empire. Aleksandr Dugin, the father of Eurasianism, was recently described by Foreign Affairs as “Putin’s Brain.” For Dugin, the battle between Russia and the West is an epic struggle to fulfill ancient myths: a battle between the mystical forces of the mythical land of ‘Arctogaia’ and a decadent, materialistic America. “The American Empire should be destroyed,” Dugin declares, “And at one point, it will be.”
America needs to understand the nature of the Eurasianist ideology, and the fanaticism which wages war against the people of Ukraine today, and against the West tomorrow.
“All too often, history is driven by the mad passions and ambitions of tyrants—and by warped visions of “progress” crafted in the shadows behind their thrones. James Heiser’s brilliant new book drags one of today’s most dangerous “gray eminences” into the light. His careful, intricate analysis reveals Aleksandr Dugin, whose twisted ideology shapes Vladimir Putin’s brutal and aggressive effort to build a Eurasian empire centered on Russia. This is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand the perilous and irrational motivations of those who now rule in Moscow.” —Patrick Larkin, co-author of Red Phoenix, The Enemy Within, and other best-selling thrillers, and author of The Tribune
“James Heiser has written a profoundly fascinating book on an important and troubling man. Anyone concerned about the future of Russia—indeed international affairs in general—should read this book.”—Peter Schweizer, President, Government Accountability Institute, William J. Casey Fellow at the Hoover Institution, author, Extortion, Victory, and Reagan’s War
“A penetrating analysis of the dangerous totalitarian dogma of the man who has become Putin’s Rasputin. If you want to understand the new threat to Western civilization, you need to read this book.”—Dr. Robert Zubrin, President, Mars Society,President, Pioneer Astronautics and Pioneer Energy, author, Merchants of Despair—Radical Environmentalists, Criminal Pseudo-Scientists, and the Fatal Cult of Antihumanism
“As his views reported by Heiser make clear, Dugin believes these are literally the forces of the anti-Christ, and to combat them he calls for the mobilisation of the peoples of Eurasia led by Russia, and including the former Soviet republics, Germany, Central and Eastern Europe, Turkey and Iran, thus forging a ‘natural’ alliance with Islam while also ensuring Russian access to warm-water ports.”
--Mervyn F. Bendle, “Putin's Rasputin,” for Quadrant Online
"Alexander Dugin is little known in Western countries. In this book, James Heiser convincingly advances the case that this Russian philosopher and occultist should be better known and helps us to get to know him.
"... ‘The American Empire Should be Destroyed’ provides a well-written history of the rise of Dugin and his influence on Russian politics. Likewise, it convincingly makes the case that the West needs to wake up to the threat which Dugin’s philosophy poses when it is advocated, in part, by the Russian elite."
--Ed Dutton, Quarterly Review
128 pages
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Product description
About the Author
James D. Heiser is the Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Diocese of North America (ELDoNA) and Pastor of Salem Lutheran Church (Malone, Texas). He also serves as Dean of Missions for The Augustana Ministerium and as a member both of the Board of Directors and Steering Committee of The Mars Society.
Heiser earned his B.A.-Political Science at George Washington University (Washington, D.C.) and his M.Div. and S.T.M. from Concordia Theological Seminary (Fort Wayne, Indiana).
Heiser is the author of six books: one recounting the course of the Hermetic Reformation (Prisci Theologi and the Hermetic Reformation in the Fifteenth Century), a collection of essays concerning the Office of the Holy Ministry (Stewards of the Mysteries of God), two books of essays pertaining to space exploration and theology (A Shining City on a Higher Hill and Civilization and the New Frontier) and two books on the crises of the Modern age (A Time for Every Purpose Under Heaven and The One True God, the Two Estates and the Three Kingdoms). He is also the author of hundreds of published articles.
Product details
Publisher : Repristination Press
Publication date : 27 May 2014
Language : English
Print length : 128 pages
ISBN-10 : 1891469436
ISBN-13 : 978-1891469435
Item weight : 159 g
Dimensions : 13.97 x 0.74 x 21.59 cm
Best Sellers Rank: 489,198 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
322 in Russian & Soviet Politics
Customer Reviews: 3.8 3.8 out of 5 stars (86)
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MyExperience41
5.0 out of 5 stars This is a must read for both liberals and conservatives.
Reviewed in the United States on 21 February 2017
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Wow. Read this book if you really want to understand the ultimate agenda of Putin and Russia and how a deeply disturbed key adviser is influencing him. The author takes great care in establishing credibility in his expert historical account of ideologies that have formed the beliefs of this neo-Eurasian "prophet." If Putin continues to follow his beliefs look for the Ukraine and several other former Soviet States to rejoin Russia as part of the new Eurasian Economic Community. The question is just how far will Putin go. Alexandr Dugin will achieve his telos when he has brought upon the end of time; immanentized eschaton, the end of mankind. This book was published in 2014. Since its publication the Eurasian Economic Community has been formed with Belarus, Armenia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan making up its membership. This is essentially Russia's response to NATO. What happens next to Ukraine? Read this book if you think its a good idea to build a relationship with Russia, if you believe in the dismantling of NATO or if you believe in homogenized nationalism. "Making America Great Again" might be exactly playing into the hands of Dugin and Putin.
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Adriana Matzeit
5.0 out of 5 stars I like Dugan ,heiser is a democrat l
Reviewed in Canada on 7 August 2017
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The American empire must be destroyed and resurrect a bi polar system
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Rob (UK)
1.0 out of 5 stars If the reader is genuinely interested in Dugin's thought (and not just the catharsis of a pamphlet rant by a US patriot) they wo
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 1 December 2014
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This isn't a serious book, but then arguably it doesn't pretend to be. It surprised me in its old fashioned USA tub-thumping approach, but then the author is some kind of protestant pastor whose command of Russian is even doubtful to me. If the reader is genuinely interested in Dugin's thought (and not just the catharsis of a pamphlet rant by a US patriot) they would do better to read Dugin himself, but first read his forebears - Ivan Ilyn, Christos Yannaras and Danilevsky. The author seems to ignore the fact (surely it is a fact now) that the world is approaching an ecological and cultural catastrophe and that this is as a result of the overwhelming success of western ideas.Dominance does not always equal right.
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Books and moore
1.0 out of 5 stars double-faced
Reviewed in Germany on 7 December 2023
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Dugin is a supporter of the most devastating totalitarianism of the 20th century, although he attempts to disguise this with his “Fourth Political Theory.” Dugin advocates a planned economy and believes that individuals have to sacrifice themselves for the community.
That is the wood of which every totalitarian ideology is carved. Anyone who warns against totalitarianism must warn against Dugin, not against liberalism.
What Dugin calls liberalism has nothing to do with liberalism at all.
In his book “The Great Awakening,” which I also ordered from Amazon, he writes:
“IF you are liberal, you are a sub-human. You are less than a human being, you are a sick creature, a perverted creature.
By now, anyone who can still think clearly should notice what a totalitarian and ultimately barbaric view of the world is being conveyed here.
In any case, his hatred of people in western countries is huge.
It can be proven that he does not deviate from the course of the National Bolsheviks, who are ultimately Bolsheviks.
Unfortunately, Internet censorship is also becoming more and more effective here in the West.
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Igors Balodis
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in Canada on 14 April 2015
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very good
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Dalakouras
2.0 out of 5 stars Misleading
Reviewed in Germany on 28 June 2014
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Let me start by stating that i strongly disagree with most of Dugin's ideas. However, this small book is a very superficial polemical analysis of this admittedly dangerous political philosopher. The author (Bishop Heiser) discloses his illusions in almost each page, but reaches a climax at the end of the book, when he states that 'The West has been built upon the foundations of Athens and Jerusalem - the history of the West has been one of a quest to seek and uphold the truth'. (Chomsky would laugh to death with this childish statement). I am sure that this superficial and unsophisticated Wikipedia-like polemical introduction to Dugin will appeal to the typical (that is braindead) American, but to noone else, and it will be irrelevant in some years, when more serious books on Dugin and his corpus of thought will be published. Dugin is a very dangerous man to be confronted by amateurs.
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Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Chilling...
Reviewed in the United States on 31 May 2014
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Just received my copy and stayed up last night reading it for much longer than I should have.
After the fall of the USSR, many Americans presumed that the Cold War would truly conclude and that, at last, East and West could live in harmony.
Not so.
This book details the unlikely rise of a Russian "nobody" (whose views are rabidly anti-Western) to a position of power in the Russian government. The quotes from Aleksandr Dugin which I have so far read in this book are in context (I've gone and read them on his own site), nor are they merely the mad, incoherent rants of some American neo-Nazi who no one will ever take seriously. He is a Traditionalist of the Evolian bent (Julius Evola, a Fascist-oriented Traditionalist), as this book clearly demonstrates, and Dugin is not content to shout into the nothingness of internet space. He has an audience among the Russian leadership who are actively seeking to fulfill his goals (the Eurasian Union, which is slated to begin January 1, 2015, according to Putin) through the conquest of Ukraine and other countries, and in the Nouvelle Droite which exists throughout Europe. I haven't finished the book yet, but the chapter which explains the genetic link between modern Traditionalism and the teachings of Marsilio Ficino is very helpful in understanding the origins of Dugin's Traditionalist thought. I can't wait to finish it!
Okay! Second part here! I've finished the book and it's absolutely horrifying. I've seen the Foreign Affairs article (which the author cites) which points to Aleksandr Dugin as Putin's "brain." Heiser very thoroughly cites his sources to prove again and again throughout this book, yes, Aleksandr Dugin is driving Russia's foreign policy and his completely insane rants about the "ancient fight between Hyperborea and Atlantis" is being taken seriously by the "new right" and by the powerful in Russia. Heiser demonstrates that Dugin's political position is one which does not allow for any compromise with the West. Not even a dialogue is possible when the enemy (America) is labeled the "Anti-Christ." There is so much to learn from this book-so much which the West cannot afford to ignore. The Eurasians want us to die. Why? Many reasons, not least of which is a myth which they believe fanatically. The American Empire Must Be Destroyed is chilling and frightening. Eurasianism is on the move already and we cannot afford to ignore this author's warning.
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Anthony O.
4.0 out of 5 stars The religion of Russia's political ambitions?
Reviewed in the United States on 3 July 2014
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A very interesting analysis of the religious ideas that seem to be influencing world events. Heiser does a thorough job of showing that Dugin is not just a political idealist, but also a religious zealot of the dangerous sort. This book is highly academic and provides a valuable perspective that is far more insightful than crass anti-Russia reactionism, while also considering religious aspects in a reasonable light (as reasonable as possible, considering Dugin's occult worldview).
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Kerb
1.0 out of 5 stars Hatchet job
Reviewed in the United States on 12 September 2015
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Very biased, dull writing.
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stone
5.0 out of 5 stars Must read to understand Putin's Russia
Reviewed in the United States on 10 April 2022
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Expertly chosen quotes, with a well researched philosophical progression of the ideas that would eventually come out of Putin's own mouth. Really a great book
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Popejoy
2.0 out of 5 stars Does the author read his own quotations?
Reviewed in the United States on 9 January 2017
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This book provides a thorough background of Dugin's life and ideology. However, it is hopelessly biased and obviously originates from the stagnant swampwater of Western intelligentsia. Nowhere does the author treat Dugin's Eurasianism fairly or try to express the rational basis of his hatred of America (which, consequently, he has retracted upon Trump's victory). But here's what truly drove me up the wall: in the last chapter, the author quotes Dugin as saying "To make an appeal to chaos is the only way to save Logos. Logos needs a savior". Here, Dugin is obviously expressing that Logos has become corrupted and needs chaos to cleanse and uplift it to its rightful stature in human thought and action. However, from here on for the rest of the book, the author repeatedly asserts that Dugin ADVOCTATES THE ABANDONMENT OF LOGOS FOR CHAOS. Hello? Did you read the quote that you, yourself, used in your book? In no way does Dugin suggest that we ABANDON Logos, he incites us to SAVE IT! All in all, shoddy, biased critique of a man deserving of a better critic.
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Nathan Hines
3.0 out of 5 stars Biased and weirdly Religious to say the least . . .
Reviewed in the United States on 3 November 2016
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The Author focuses far too much on the Occult stuff surrounding Dugin and his raise to power in Russia. I presume it's because the Author is a Clergyman or maybe he's just looking for an easy hatchet to strike at Dugin with. I was expecting something Political and professional and I did not get it. Maybe it's because I'm not a christian . . . or maybe it's just not for me. I don't regret reading it but I wouldn't much recommend it either. . .
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MerryLynne
5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent read.
Reviewed in the United States on 13 April 2017
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For anyone who desires to understand what makes Putin and Russia tick, this is a must read. As for what Dugin claims, that the USA is the headquarters for the globalist one-world government/Antichrist snake, I'm afraid he is correct. I'm also afraid that Russia will indeed end up trying to cut off the snake's head.
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Adriana Matzeit
4.0 out of 5 stars America the evil empire..??
Reviewed in the United States on 12 August 2014
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A must read if you want to know what,s coming down the pipe line Dugin is on the right track to create a bipolar political world , modernism is not Working traditionalism is . This is book is not an easy read but I must say I am with Dugin America looks to me like the true "evil empire" I think
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V Cut Duck
3.0 out of 5 stars The new Rasputin
Reviewed in the United States on 14 January 2017
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If you want to learn about what Putin's inner circle is like, this is the book to give you a preview. If you think Trump is the anti-Christ you'll come away with a whole new perspective after reading this book. Dugin is just bat crazy, plain and simple. And to think a lot of people take this guy seriously in Russia. Well, we should take this guy seriously and proceed with American foreign policy with caution.
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RP Reviews
1.0 out of 5 stars Disappointed and would like to return
Reviewed in the United States on 16 April 2022
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When I ordered this book I was pretty sure that I read I could return it within 30 days. I even set my calendar for it. But now it says 7 days. Pretty disappointed because the book spent so much time on trying to describe Dugans interests and background that I didn't have the patience to wade through all that to find out about his influence on Putin. Amazon, I would really like to have my money back on this one. Especially since I am now a Kindle Unlimited subscriber and I could have read it there for free. Very disappointed.
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chris stok
4.0 out of 5 stars Good perspective on world events involving Russia
Reviewed in the United States on 14 March 2015
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Good perspective on world events involving Russia, Crimea, the Ukraine, and Putin. Let's one understand why Russia is able to work with extreme groups like ISIS and countries like Iran.
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ZWXXYZ
1.0 out of 5 stars A whole lot of nothing.
Reviewed in the United States on 26 November 2016
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Alexander Dugin is a patriotic Russian with some wacky political-religious ideas. What are we to be worried about? There is no shortage of patriotic Americans with wacky political-religious ideas. (Gog and Magog, Christian-Zionism, dispensationalism, rapture, left behind ect.). The Russians might have similar books about American politicians.
America should be a republic, not an empire.
NATO, instead of disbanding after the Cold War, is bigger than ever. (Russia wants war, look how close they put their country to our military bases ! LOL)
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DesertDave
5.0 out of 5 stars A must-read and a clear description of the threat to America!
Reviewed in the United States on 11 June 2014
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What a revealing description of the threat that Alexander Dugin, the philosophical "brain" behind Putin, presents to the rather "flat-footed & disinterested" West!! The threat to America is real & well-explained in sufficient detail to allow anyone to visualize the threat engendered by Eurasianism.
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DANIEL J.
2.0 out of 5 stars Two Stars
Reviewed in the United States on 28 April 2016
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Being an admirer of Alexandr Dugin's work, Heiser's hit piece doesn't dissuade me.
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Kindle Customer
1.0 out of 5 stars Do not waste your time has nothing to do with ALEXANDER DUGIN or RUSSIAN politics.
Reviewed in the United States on 29 October 2022
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Misrepresented with picture of DUGIN like a bait.
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G. Ellis Sandoz
1.0 out of 5 stars warmly recommended.
Reviewed in the United States on 29 July 2014
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this is an important little book, well researched and well written. warmly recommended. es
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Harold Crist
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on 4 September 2014
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Excellent book!
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