I've been trying to understand the essence of the political split in several western democracies... as philosophers do trying to reduce everything to its essence — ChatteringMonkey
Jake, that is I think going to far in reducing everything to its essence — ChatteringMonkey
I don't think the split is only or even mostly simply due to a division in ideas, it think it's more a question of economical and social position, and in-groups vs.out-groups. Ideologies are mixed in there, sure, but I think your are missing a vital element if you just gloss over social and economic realities. — ChatteringMonkey
With the balance of power in the world shifting, liberal capitalist democracies are coming under stress as excess wealth is diminishing. And so more and more people are left behind, and the story is becoming harder and harder to sell. — ChatteringMonkey
"The top 20 percent of households actually own a whopping 90 percent of the stuff in America"
The wealthiest 1 percent of American households own 40 percent of the country's wealth
So in the end, if we want to reduce this polarisation, it would seem necessary to come up with a societal project where more people can believe to be a part of. — ChatteringMonkey
Defending the planet against an alien (the ultimate immigrants) invasion? ;-) — rachMiel
I think it's more a question of economical and social position, and in-groups vs.out-groups. — ChatteringMonkey
In countries like the United States (and others) a great deal of effort has been poured into hiding the fact that the economic interests of the rich are quite opposed to the economic interests of the worekers — Bitter Crank
This all seems a little too abstract to me. What split are you talking about? What are the examples? — angslan
A somewhat biased and simplistic view, I have to say.Populism and extrimist parties vs establishment parties generally.
As examples, Trump vs Hillary and the rise of populist parties all over Europe. — ChatteringMonkey
Well, the immigration crisis of 2015 had a profound effect on politics in Europe.And sure there are differences in Europe, they all have their particular history. But the similarities are striking, it's all about immigration, they are reactionary (they all want to return to some time and values gone), they are nationalist and want to fall back on their borders etc... — ChatteringMonkey
Are they? You see "populist" parties are quite different.The difference with the left/right split is that populist don't really engage with current existing order and institutions. It's not just some policy changes left and right, they are advocating going beyond it, sanctioned directly by the people. — ChatteringMonkey
The EU has responded with a trying establish “control centres” across the bloc – at locations still to be decided, and only in countries that volunteered to have them. Then it has decided to tighten border controls and give money to Morocco and Turkey, which have to deal with the immigrants. Billions of euros.- Changes to migration-policies : This is presumably only going to get worse with population growth in Afrika and climate change, so how will the EU handle this? — ChatteringMonkey
What I think is notable that after all the tweets, tantrums and excesses of Donald Trump,- Changes to foreign policies : What's going to be the impact of the shift in geopolitical balance of power on the foreign-policy of the US. Will the US become more isolationist again? And will the EU finally devellop a foreign policy of it's own (unlike the last 50 years or so), and start faring a seperate course? — "ChatteringMonkey
I think that could happen if in the US a post-Trump administration turns to the left. The popularity of Bernie Sanders tells that is a possibility. That would have big consequences.Changes to economic policies : Will free-market capitalism be limited by protectionism again? And will policies be put into place that limit multinationals floating their money between and over nation states to avoid taxation, or how will be dealt with that? — ChatteringMonkey
EU's problem is that it is inherently a confederacy of independent states that is desperately trying to become a federation... as if the process would be possible to be done just by bureaucrats in Brussells. You can make a confederation act like a federation up to a point. But just up to a point.Institutional changes : In which direction will the EU go? The people seem to oppose further integration, yet geopolitics and a host of other issues seem to point in the direction of a more integrated EU. — ChatteringMonkey
The EU has responded with a trying establish “control centres” across the bloc – at locations still to be decided, and only in countries that volunteered to have them. Then it has decided to tighten border controls and give money to Morocco and Turkey, which have to deal with the immigrants. Billions of euros. — ssu
What I think is notable that after all the tweets, tantrums and excesses of Donald Trump,
you can notice the Trump administration still having quite similar foreign policy in the end compared to past administrations. From this one can see that there is this consensus in many things about US foreign policy which isn't changed by one populist President, but favored by both political parties and government institions. It's not a conspiracy or actions of a deep state, it's simply a consensus. Hence isolationism as it was known isn't coming back any time soon. — SSU
I think that could happen if in the US a post-Trump administration turns to the left. The popularity of Bernie Sanders tells that is a possibility. That would have big consequences. — SSU
EU's problem is that it is inherently a confederacy of independent states that is desperately trying to become a federation... as if the process would be possible to be done just by bureaucrats in Brussells. You can make a confederation act like a federation up to a point. But just up to a point. — SSU
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