How anti-liberalism went global

[Zaybay]

I will go against the grain and bash this take on geopolitics. It is one that is too grounded in the current political order to realize that this is not whats occurring.

1. There is no uniform rise of far rightism in the world- Those who believe this idea will point to Trump, LePen, and Italy to say that this is true. But its important to note what these parties actually stand for, and what is actually occurring. Trump won a squeaker election and is historically unpopular. LePen was only in the election due to a split field. And The far right only won about 20%, it was just that the biggest party decided to pair up with them.

What does seem to be rising, however, is a hatred of the old world order. A hatred of neoliberalism. In the French election, the far-left candidate almost made it into 2nd, but lost by 1%, in Italy, the party that won the most, M5S, ran on many socialist policies, and in the USA, it seem that the Democratic Party is starting to flirt more and more with DS ideals. It seems that its the center that has died, not birth of the far right.

2. Its not always right wingers that rise- In many European countries, it has been the right that has risen. France, Germany, Italy, Poland, The Netherlands, all have seen a rise in the right. But many have seen a rise in the Left. In Spain, the Conservative party has fallen, and the Social Democratic Party, that has taken a rather left turn, has been gaining more and more. In The UK, the Tories are collapsing as Corbyn stands, waiting to take the reigns from May. In the USA, The Democrats, in 2020 or 2024, will be pushing left wing policies unheard of in American Politics. Australia has seen a resurgent Labor, with a much larger Left Wing, challenge the dominant Conservatives. As I stated before, it seems like a hatred of the status quo, of neoliberalism, that is actually occurring.

3. This is not permanent and there will be no WW3- What is going on is a change in the overtures of politics. The center is being deserted, and thirdwayism is dying. But this does not mean its forever. Remember, many countries used to be Communist just 40 years back, and the monarchies of old are gone. And Far rightism has mostly come from the dissatisfaction of the refugee crisis, and the lack of economic growth after 2008. Now that its over, and economic growth is back on track, its very possible that the ideology will not get off the ground. Its also possible that it will become the new political order. We just cant see yet.