Discover the extraordinary journey of Alexander Lukashenko, who rose from humble beginnings as a pig farmer to become Europe's last dictator. Explore the political turmoil in Belarus, including the controversial elections and rampant public dissent. Hear insights from opposition leaders and experts on the challenges facing the nation. The tension between Lukashenko's authoritarian rule and the desire for democracy in Belarus paints a vivid picture of resistance and repression.
14:45
forum Ask episode
web_stories AI Snips
view_agenda Chapters
menu_book Books
auto_awesome Transcript
info_circle Episode notes
question_answer ANECDOTE
Dancing Tractors
Rosemary Thomas describes Lukashenko presiding over parades with dancing tractors.
These tractors, a source of national pride for Belarus, perform maneuvers with painted faces.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Migrant Crisis
Lukashenko orchestrated a migrant crisis, luring people from Iraq with false promises.
He then attempted to force them across the border into Poland and Lithuania.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Early Life and Farm Management
Lukashenko's rise from milkmaid's son to collective farm manager is noted.
A story circulates about him assaulting a tractor driver and using his council position to avoid charges.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
Published in 1945, 'Animal Farm' is a novella that allegorically represents the Russian Revolution and the subsequent rise of Stalinism. The story begins with Old Major, a boar, inspiring the animals of Manor Farm to rebel against their human oppressor, Mr. Jones. After the rebellion, the animals rename the farm 'Animal Farm' and establish a utopian society based on the principles of equality and solidarity, known as Animalism. However, as time passes, the pigs, led by Napoleon and Snowball, consolidate power and gradually corrupt the original ideals, leading to a dystopian regime that mirrors the oppressive human rule they initially rebelled against. The novel critiques totalitarianism and the corrupting nature of power, reflecting Orwell's experiences and views on the Soviet Union under Stalin's rule.
Despite just winning a seventh consecutive presidential term, a look at Alexander Lukashenko’s early life reveals rather humbler origins.
Brought up by a single mother in a poor village in eastern Belarus, he first made his mark as the manager of a farm in the late 1980s.
After moving into politics at the end of that decade, he quickly established his reputation as a man with authoritarian instincts – and by 1994, he was elected president of Belarus for the first time.
Ever since, he has managed a balancing act between Russia, his closest economic and political partner, and overtures to the West. But, the country’s faced sanctions following its role in the invasion of Ukraine, while many Western governments have labelled this latest election as a sham.
Stephen Smith takes a closer look at the man often referred to as Europe's last dictator.
Production Team
Presenter: Stephen Smith
Producers: Sally Abrahams, Charlotte McDonald and Nathan Gower
Editor: Ben Mundy
Sound: James Beard
Production Co-ordinators: Maria Ogundele and Jack Young
Credits
Animal Farm by George Orwell, recording produced by Ciaran Bermingham
Narrated by Roger Ringrose
Profile 