Putin reveals secret Crimea plot

As an avowed geek, and a fan of tabletop role-playing, I have often thought about where world powers fall in terms of character alignment. I think it really does depend on personal interpretation. On the "lawful/chaotic" axis, I would personally place both the USA and Russia on the chaotic side of the spectrum, with the EU and China on the lawful side of the spectrum. As for the "good/evil" axis, there is no objective way to make such an assessment. Speaking entirely for myself, and completely accepting that other points of view are equally valid, I am now going to try to define states in terms of character alignment and briefly explain why I've placed them there.

The USA would be "Chaotic Good" - they have a set of ideals which are broadly humanist and progressive, but they struggle to stick to them at home, and struggle to apply them abroad without causing harm. They act impulsively and without much consideration for the mess they might be causing, as long as they feel like they are doing "good". Russia's would be "Chaotic Neutral" for me because their actions abroad are almost always based around destabilising their opponents while strengthening their own position - they don't much care for morality when making decisions, and they certainly aren't interested in participating meaningfully in any legal framework which might limit their scope for action. China would be "Lawful Evil" - they want a system of international law that works to their benefit, and they want the most power they possibly can within that framework. They won't go against the existing system of international law, because it is within that system that they see their peaceful rise to prominence. However, they will happily expand their power to the detriment of other nations, and have absolutely no regard for human rights at home or abroad. Clearly I am biased against autocratic regimes.

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