Reform UK follows Putin's nationalism playbook by promoting authoritarian patriotism over organic national identity
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/profile/rafaelbehr. "From Trump’s Maga to Farage’s Reform, they’re all following Putin’s nationalism playbook | Rafael Behr | The Guardian." February 25, 2026. www.theguardian.com
The Gist
The author argues that Reform UK is copying Putin's playbook by trying to control how patriotism is taught in schools. Instead of letting people naturally love their country, they want to force a specific version of patriotism that ultimately makes people submit to their leader, just like Putin does in Russia.
Conclusion
Reform UK, like other nationalist movements, follows Putin's playbook by promoting state-mandated patriotism that ultimately serves authoritarian ends and benefits Russia's geopolitical interests
Premises
- Authoritarian regimes like Putin's Russia impose compulsory patriotism lessons because they don't trust organic national identity, which contains stories of dissent and cultural variety
- Reform UK's proposed 'patriotic curriculum' mirrors Putin's approach by seeking to control how national history is taught in schools
- Farage has historically expressed admiration for Putin and shared Russian talking points about Ukraine, despite recent public criticism
- Reform UK's politics objectively benefit Russia by weakening European unity, as evidenced by Brexit's strategic harm to Britain and the EU
- Reform UK is part of an international network of nationalist movements that reject liberal democratic norms and receive support from Trump-aligned organizations
- All contradictions in nationalist movements are resolved through submission to the leader, as patriotism becomes defined as whatever the leader declares it to be
Assumptions
- Organic, spontaneous patriotism is healthier for democracy than state-mandated patriotism
- There is a meaningful distinction between genuine love of country and authoritarian nationalism
- Putin's Russia represents a clear model of how authoritarian nationalism operates
- International networks of nationalist movements coordinate strategies and support
- British voters will ultimately reject movements that demand submission to a single leader