This series of newspaper columns by Olavo de Carvalho was collected in this order in the book “The Minimum You Need To Know So As Not To Be An Idiot”.
The first article, “The Owners of the World”, outlines three competing global power projects: the Russian-Chinese (Eurasian), Western (often mislabeled Anglo-American), and Islamic. He argues that each bloc is shaped by distinct geopolitical, economic, or religious ambitions, and while competition between them exists, there are areas of collaboration. Olavo highlights that most analyses fail to recognize the intertwined nature of these forces, leading to skewed perspectives.
In “What is Happening”, Olavo criticizes the popular narrative that the Cold War was solely a conflict between socialism and capitalism. He reveals that powerful Western elites, including the Morgans and Rockefellers, have historically supported various socialist movements, including Marxism, Fabianism, and even National Socialism, to further their global agenda. He suggests that while Western elites played both sides, the real conflict between East and West is only now beginning, with Russia under Putin emerging as a true adversary.
Finally, in “Who Rules the World?”, Olavo explores the complex question of global leadership, noting that behind governments lie powerful elites who truly control world affairs. He references the work of sociologist Charles Wright Mills to explain the intricate web of power in the United States, dominated by the Fabian globalist elite. In contrast, the power structures of Russia, China, and the Islamic world remain opaque, complicating accurate global power analyses.
