Tigran Hayrapetyan: The Pioneer of Armenian Political Thought Would Have Turned 61
03/18/2025
March 18 marks the birthday of Tigran Hayrapetyan, the renowned political scientist and publicist. His articles have been regularly featured in the international press since 1991, published under the literary pseudonym “Arthur Ovi.” He authored nearly 400 publications, offering sharp political analyses and foresight. Tragically, Hayrapetyan lost his life at the age of 35 after being struck by a car.
Even in the 1990s, Hayrapetyan had diagnosed Armenia’s internal and external threats with astonishing accuracy, warning of possible disasters. His four books remain highly relevant today, especially in these challenging times. Below are key insights from one of his most memorable press conferences.
1999: A Prediction
"For those who are interested, I have already written about what will happen in 1999 and why this atmosphere will arise. I fear that a series of tragedies will continue unless serious and concrete conclusions are drawn."
"A part of the government believes there is no game against us. But there is always a game, because we are a small state caught in regional power struggles. If the government fails to recognize this, we will face major problems."
Democracy Is Inevitable
"Armenia will become an island of democracy. This is a matter of political logic. The countries surrounding us are not democratic, but according to the logic of the late 20th century, the role of redrawing geopolitical maps has always been assigned to democratic nations."
Turning the Last Intelligence of an Armenian into the First
"American democracy differs significantly from the democracy of France or Germany. Institutions like the World Bank, supposedly created to support democracy, have often brought death and destruction to the countries they enter. Money is a powerful temptation. And yet, as Christians, we are taught not to give in to temptation."
"In the Soviet army, they used to say: ‘If you can't, we will teach you; if you won’t, we will force you.’ The same logic applies to politics. We have a historical homeland to protect. We must build a democratic system and a national army. History has shown that only democratic nations have gained and retained their land."
A Warning Against Pessimism
"There is little reason for optimism today. It is alarming that some from the liberal-democratic wing are calling for an election boycott. Belarus has alternative parliaments and can afford such political gestures because it is larger, geographically closer to Europe, and has Russia at its side. But we cannot afford such extravagance, we must be rational. A boycott is not the answer."
"The authorities must realize that no one wants sham elections. If we fail to find a way forward, others will decide our fate for us."
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Tigran Hayrapetyan
6800 ֏
Description
The fourth volume of Tigran Hayrapetyan's political science analyzes includes articles in which the author diagnosed the internal and external threats to Armenia and predicted possible disasters with amazing accuracy back in the 1990s. In this volume, Tigran Hayrapetyan raises many worrisome questions related to the foundations of newly independent Armenia, from the state administration system formed in the early 1990s to the importance of a proportional perception of freedom and responsibility.
Tigran Hayrapetyan
6800 ֏
Description
The third volume of Tigran Hayrapetyan's book contains the answers to his questions raised in the first two volumes. In the first two volumes, the author accurately, almost prophetically, diagnoses the problems facing Armenia and the region today. He discusses the ambitions of the West and the East and the role of Armenia in their plans. In this volume, the author's articles are collected, in which he seeks answers and gives the answer to the question "What should be done to get the country out of a difficult situation?" In this volume, Tigran Hayrapetyan presented 5 options for settling the Artsakh problem, analyzed all the details, juxtaposed the facts, examples of world history and historical experience, and came up with the best solution for Armenia. In the book, more than 25 years before the 44-day war, the author predicted in which direction the enemy would attack Armenia, and what should be done to resist.
Tigran Hayrapetyan
6800 ֏
Description
The ideological core of the 2nd volume of Tigran Hayrapetyan's works is the revolution of the world with the specter of a possible new, great war. Tigran wrote about Russia, the West and the Middle East which are the most important test for the Armenian state. In the 1st part called "Russian Rebellion or the Ghost of the Returning Empire", the political scientist analyzes Russia's past and present, predicts future realities: the new interstate union, the role of Armenia, expectations and global risks. In the 2nd part called "The Geopolitical Trap", the author reflects on the direction of the American political course since the collapse of the USSR, the end of European unity, the logic of inter-ethnic conflicts and the marked boundaries of the new world order, the borderline between war and peace.
Tigran Hayrapetyan
6800 ֏
Description
Tigran Hayrapetyan's political analysis and reviews are published for the first time in a form of a collection. Even after his death his articles and publications are still relevant. In his articles, he had predicted the resignation of Levon Ter-Petrosyan and the murder of Vazgen Sargsyan.
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