“Populism” – too dangerous to ignore
Populism is a notoriously slippery political doctrine. Read what it proposes…
proposing that common people are exploited by a privileged elite. Political parties and politicians have muddied the waters of populism making it into a pejorative against their opponents proposing authoritarian or right wing tenets. Populism has entered into the realm of racism, sexism and xenophobia because of the rise of the American leader, Donald Trump.
Populism is hate and negativity
Populism in the USA has grown with the success of Donald Trump who campaigned and continues to promote the idea of returning America to a time of greatness, as existed sometime in its past, according to Trump. He attacks the ‘establishment,’ ‘the old order,’ veteran politicians, all factions who he castigates as authors of the present decline in America from its position of greatness sometime ago.
Trump populism founded on hate and racism
Trump’s criticisms have become increasingly more outlandish and ever broader in scope. His earlier targets, campaign opponents, financial institutions, and industrial corporations have grown now to include immigrated Mexicans who has labelled as drug dealers, rapists and murderers; Muslims who claimed as being violent terrorists, undocumented immigrants categorized as criminals and illegals.
Populism exported
Trump’s hate mongering and xenophobia have taken root internationally in Europe: France, Marine LePen, Netherlands, Geert Wilders, Germany, Franke Petry, Italy, Beppe Grillo and Matteo Savini. Though these populists differ in some areas, they share common positions in that they blame Europe’s on immigration of refugees and social liberalism to satisfy the demands of the new immigrants. Eschewing English as a common language of communication in Europe, these politicians urge a return to the glories of the past with a revolution against the current ‘neoliberalism’ Europe is experiencing. They see themselves as the last true defenders of national culture and promote the idea that the European Union sacrifices “France’s frenchness, Germany’s Germanness and Italy’s Italianness, all of which smacks of racism. They claim there is too much use of English in Europe, too much globalization, too many immigrants and seriously condemn Islam.
Populism victories
According to Wilder’s “the people of the West are awakening, first the USA with Trump, then Koblenz (a Populist conference was held there with right wing leaders from many European countries attending), tomorrow Europe!”
The European populists are buoyed in their enthusiasm by the success of Brexit and the election of Donald Trump. Their hope is personal political success with election victories in the upcoming months in many European countries. Though polls have proven to be unreliable prognosticators of political punditry in many elections elsewhere, the Europe polls predict political success for the populists in many European elections.
