In the age of trumpism and western regression, the acceptance of injustice is often presented as realism. We live in times when authoritarian tendencies and the enforcement of "might makes right" are baptized as the only truth in international relations, politics, and everyday life. Retreat in the face of the arbitrary power of the strong is considered by some a survival reflex rather than moral decay. Yet "this logic is not realism. It is the core of political cynicism," which we must combat.
The proponents of political cynicism claim they are merely describing reality. They say "things have always been this way," that power determines everything, and use historical examples to justify abandoning every axiological principle. This approach, however, conceals a deadly trap: "it transforms description into prescription." From "this is how things are" it moves to "this is how things should be." "The simple acknowledgment of reality becomes acceptance and legitimization of injustice."
When a society accepts the imposition of the stronger as a "natural" law, the social contract itself collapses. The idea of justice is abandoned. The citizen becomes a subject, the subject becomes a victim. Society transforms into a jungle where the strong tramples the weak, leading to ultimate destruction. This condition is not an abstract philosophical observation, but the reality we experience when we accept authoritarian logic in any of its forms: in international relations, labor relations, even in our personal interactions.
History has taught us that resistance to cynicism is not utopia, but choice. What is politics, after all, if not the hierarchization of moral priorities and conflict between ethical social agendas? When principles and values come under question, when justice retreats before raw power, then societies are called to choose: will they surrender to cynicism or defend the idea of justice?
Those who choose to stand morally upright and fight for their principles leave their example as a "possession for all time." They become beacons for future generations, proving that humanity can resist fatalism. Politics has the primary responsibility to restore the axiological element to the front lines. It must resist raw cynicism and prioritize the idea of justice against authoritarianism and the arbitrariness of the powerful. This does not mean naivety or denial of reality. It means that "reality must not determine our principles. On the contrary, our principles must shape reality."
The acceptance of the imposition of the stronger as a "natural" law constitutes a proposal to abdicate from civilization. "It is not realism, but a dangerous retreat from the fundamental principles that determine human progress." This logic is destructive for three basic reasons:
First, it destroys justice. Justice is not an abstract concept, but the social foundation upon which organized societies are built, protecting the weak from the arbitrariness of the strong. Accepting the "law of the stronger" legitimizes injustice, transforming relations between people and states into a simple struggle for power. When power is the only criterion, the concepts of ethics, rights, and equality cease to have meaning.
Second, it erodes social cohesion. A society that accepts that the strong are always right loses trust in its institutions. The social contract—the informal agreement that all citizens have equal rights and obligations—dissolves. Each individual, knowing they can become a victim of violence from anyone stronger, ceases to actively participate in collective life and is led to isolation or, even worse, to seeking their own personal power. Society transforms into a collection of competing interests, instead of a community cooperating for the common good.
Third, it tacitly legitimizes barbarism. The logic of cynicism is the first step toward the complete abolition of moral barriers. When we justify injustice in the name of "realism," we open the path to accepting even more extreme acts. History is full of examples where retreat in the face of violence and authoritarianism led to barbarities that once seemed unthinkable.
Resistance to the "law of the stronger" is not merely an ideological position; "it is a defense of human civilization against the return to chaos." It is the choice to remain human and not succumb to the logic of the law of the jungle.
The future of our societies depends on this choice: on our ability to resist the temptation of cynicism and keep alive the idea of justice. As Professor Antonis Karambatzos astutely noted, "The acceptance of the achievements of authoritarianism puts the idea of justice in jeopardy. And we cannot allow this to happen."
Without justice, there is no progress. Without values, there is no civilization. Without resistance to cynicism, there is no future.
