Going through old family documents.

On July 20, we marked the 32nd anniversary of Lukashenka's rise to power.

He became president in a democratic election (just like one well-known Austrian painter) in 1994. The longevity of his rule can be compared to that of:

• Francisco Franco, Spain (39 years)
• António de Oliveira Salazar, Portugal (~36 years)
• Josip Broz Tito, Yugoslavia (~35 years)
• Nicolae Ceaușescu, Romania (~24 years)

Many people link the longevity of Lukashenka's rule to some special “tolerance” and “apathy” of Belarusians, who supposedly do not want to be politically active and tend to be submissive. In my opinion, this is not true. In fact, it is a discriminatory myth pushed by the authorities themselves to ease their rule.

The main factor behind Lukashenka's stable position is constant and long-lasting Russian support: financial, diplomatic, and now even military.

Few people know that Russian Rosgvardiya (National Guard) forces were concentrated near the Belarusian border during the 2020 protests, ready to aid the Belarusian security forces in suppressing the unrest. This aid was ultimately not needed, but it shows that, most likely, as long as Putin's regime stands, Lukashenka will stand as well.

For over a year i didn't throw away the wine bottles because i saw birds come to the trash I don't want to hurt them is there any place to recycle them

Concept art i saw on tiktok, credits to ⚚☮🟨🟩🟥‡𝑳𝑰𝑻𝑩𝑬𝑳꥟⬜🟥⬜ᛉᛟ

As you can probably guess, every dictatorship needs at least some coherent system of political ideas to justify itself: its violent rule, repression, deprivation of freedom, and potential military campaigns.

Lukashenka - himself a devoted Soviet-style communist - launched a campaign to “create” the “Ideology of the Belarusian State” in 2003. That same year, his “specialists” produced a handbook on the subject that became mandatory at Belarusian universities.

Also in 2003, Lukashenka ordered the creation of an “ideological vertical,” with more than 300 employees officially designated as “ideologists” across state-run enterprises, institutions, and organizations.

By 2025, as part of the broader strengthening of the autocratic system, even private enterprises were required to have “ideologists” within their workforce.

And yet, I would argue that there is no such thing as a coherent “ideology of Belarus.”

I’ve read the handbook. What does it actually say about how the Belarusian nation should see itself? How does it position Belarus in the world? What values does it stand for?

It is surprisingly difficult to say. Most of its formulas are so vague and generalised that they can essentially be reduced to: “for everything good and against everything bad.”

The one thing that can be identified with some confidence is a strong inclination toward conservative and paternalistic values: a “strong presidency,” the traditional family, and so on. There are also numerous references to the importance of social security and the welfare state.

There is another problem: even state propagandists, and especially the so-called ideologists, have virtually no authority to develop and deepen this Frankenstein-style ideology themselves. Their role is essentially to interpret Lukashenko’s words and try to guess what his position happens to be at any given moment.

Simultaneously, we have to acknowledge that since the suppression of the 2020 protests. and especially since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, in which Belarus has acted as a co-aggressor. the state discourse has hardened considerably around several themes:

• Anti-Westernism. The West is almost bad, while Slavs are always good (unless, apparently, those Slavs happen to be Polish.)
• Contempt for human rights. Yes, detainees are beaten; yes, suspects are tortured - so what?
• Anti-LGBT rhetoric and “traditional family values.” The ironic part is that Lukashenka himself has lived separately from his wife for more than 30 years and regularly appears in public accompanied by young women.

Under these circumstances, I would describe Belarusian state ideology as highly syncretic, contradictory, and dependent on the dictator’s immediate political needs.

With a considerable degree of generalization, it could be described in several different ways:

• A local variation of Russian nationalism and the “Russkiy Mir” (“Russian World”) concept.
• Authoritarian state socialism, with strong elements of a mafia state.
• Social Conservatism combined with state capitalism, alongside substantial elements of the welfare state.

None of these definitions is entirely satisfactory. That is why I have a question for foreigners: How does Belarusian state ideology look from the outside?

And to my fellow Belarusians: How do you understand it from the inside?

Thank you for your attention to this matter :)

During my short trip to Grodno and Brest I didn’t encounter any other foreign tourists from EU. I was wondering how it is in Minsk? How often do to see tourists there?

Я живу в Вене, в славянских магазинах могу найти только лиский квас, один раз видел в турецком белорусские кукурузные палочки.

Так вот, где можно найти хоть что-то ещё кроме кваса? Может есть какой-то интернет магазин с доставкой по европе?

Upd. Окак

Привет, я из России, планирую приехать в Беларусь, насколько у вас схожа ситуация с тем что происходит у нас в России? Блокировка чего-либо есть? Работают ли карты Мастеркард? Есть ли перебои интернета или отсутствие зарубежных сервисов, и в целом какие подводные? Ищу что-то близкое по культуре, но с ситуацией лучше в отношении санкций.

Чыноўнікі падумалі і вырашілі сцярэць янота каб ён не псаваў вочы народу.

А калі сур'ёзна то прыбыраюць не з-за цэнзуры або дрэнага стана фарбы, а па камунальна-бытавым прычынам.

1. Жыхары тарцовых кватэр гэтага дома масава скардзіліся на моцнае прамярзанне сцен у зімовы перыяд. Унутры жылых памяшканняў з-за вільготнасці пачала разрастацца небяспечная цвіль і грыбок.

2. З-за нанесенага малюнка сцяну шмат гадоў не маглі поўнасцю ўцяпліць звонку. У выніку камунальныя службы («Служба заказчыка ЖКП») прынялі рашэнне правесці капітальны рамонт будынка.

3. Зараз тарцовы фасад цалкам пакрываюць слоем спецыяльнай цеплаізаляцыйнай тынкоўкі, якая абароніць кватэры ад холаду і вільгаці. Пасля гэтага сцяну пафарбуюць у стандартны колер астатняга фасада дома.

Назад янота можа вярнуць калі тынкоўка высахне, пакрыць сцяну спецыяльнымі матэрыяламі і прайці праз юрыдычныя патрабаванні.

Всем привет. Мне 22 и в сентябре прохожу ВВК в Беларуси.
По МРТ: грыжа/протрузия L5-S1, стеноз позвоночного канала, анатомически узкий канал, сколиоз и остеохондроз. Невролог также указал радикулопатию L5-S1 слева, сейчас прохожу лечение в дневном стационаре.
Плюс с детства состою на учёте в КВД, недавно была выписка: хроническая экзема кистей в стадии обострения.
Кто проходил белорусскую ВВК с похожими диагнозами? Какую категорию вам поставили и какие документы реально учитывали?
Особенно интересует, насколько в Беларуси учитывают радикулопатию + стеноз при грыже L5-S1.

Объясняю свой простой короткий вопрос. Передо мною выбор куда уезжать: Беларусь, Сербия или Армения. В последние две страны нас уже точно много понаехало, а вот как у вас - не знаю. Вот и спрашиваю, лично вы будете против, нейтрально или рады приезду еще одного русского? Хочу выбрать страну, где я не буду вызывать негативных чувств.

Hey guys! Thank you for the ardent discussion under my previous post.

Today I want to raise another topic.

Belarusian state propaganda embraces the idea that Belarusians are very tolerant people who treat all nationalities, people of all skin colours, and religions equally. We Belarusians (they say) have always been hospitable and have never ever discriminated against Jews, Poles, people from the Caucasus, or anyone else. And in our country, if your are a foreigner, you are totally safe.

Let me offer some counterpoints to this idyllic narrative.

1. During the 38 years of my life, I've encountered numerous people who were antisemitic. From everyday, non-ideological antisemitism to ideological antisemitism, with a strong belief in a "Judeo-Masonic conspiracy." On my opinion, being anti-semitic in 21th century requires enormous level of bigotry and narrow-mindness.
2. Most Belarusians, whom you privately ask about their attitude towards Caucasian nations (Azerbaijanis, Georgians, Chechens) or Central Asian ones (Tajiks, Uzbeks) will express a slightly negative attitude towards them. And the overwhelming majority will express a strongly negative attitude towards gypsies.
3. Belarusian security structures (namely, the cops) have a long record of persecuting national minorities. GUBOPiK, first and foremost, employs the tactic of unofficially recruiting ethnic diaspora leaders and severely suppressing them if they refuse to collaborate (see the case of Seimur Mamedhuseinov), which means snitching on their fellow countrymen. Cops are doing multiple raids against gypsy people. Remember year 2019? When at least one women died as a result of it. This is a state policy. In this case, it totally reflects the common institutional prejudices existing in society.

Thus, the "tolerance" of Belarusians is nothing but a patrimonial myth. My opinion is that the relative "tolerance" of our fellow citizens towards their neighbours is explained by the fact that, historically, we were surrounded by nations whose people:

a) have the same skin colour as we do;

b) have the same or a very similar religion (various forms of Christianity);

c) spoke languages relatively similar to ours.

In such conditions, it is easy to be tolerant, right?

But when Belarus is finally free and becomes an organic part of the global labour market, and there are ten times more people of colour on our streets, you will see that most Belarusians are actually xenophobic. So let us not make too much fun of Polish chauvinists attacking people of colour or Ukrainians. We are not that different. Unfortunately.

Please correct me if I am wrong.

p.s. dear Russians, please leave your opinion for yourselves, we do not need you telling us who we are and who se should be.

I am on a mission now to ask each country subreddit what people think about beans (my favorite meal), just to see how people like or dislike them all around the world out of curiosity and for fun. If you like beans, hate them, they a big part of the culture, anything else, just share your thoughts 🫘

Hello Belarusians!! You're the first slavs of this bean journey and the 16th in alphabet order :)

(Я апублікаваў каментар з гэтым паведамленнем, перакладзеным на беларускую мову, для ўсіх, каму гэта патрэбна)

Hi! I’m an Indian student who’s studying medicine in Grodno. I just wanna know if anyone who’s a fellow Niyo user has tips on ways to save the huge ATM withdrawal charges as some places’ merchant outlet requires you to have cash or coins.

Hello :)

I’ll be in Minsk from tomorrow and I’m traveling mostly solo :)

If you’re around and feel like meeting up, grabbing a drink, exploring the city, or showing me some cool local spots, feel free to DM me! Would be great to meet some people and have a good time together.

19M, from Switzerland 😄