In response to an FT article by Martin Wolf on 20th December 2016, entitled ‘Democrats, demagogues and despots’
https://www.ft.com/content/9310dcea-c5d2-11e6-8f29-9445cac8966f
“Are the political upheavals of 2016 — Brexit and America’s election of Donald Trump — a triumph of democracy or a threat to it? Democracies must respond to legitimate grievances. Indeed, their ability to do so peacefully is among their strengths. But the demagogue’s exploitation of such grievances threatens democracy. This has happened elsewhere. It would be foolish to assume western democracies are immune…
The demagogue’s campaign leads naturally to despotism — the tyranny of the majority that is a mask on the tyranny of one. As institutions are brought under dictatorial control, the opposition is driven into rebellion or acquiescence. Despots use the former as an excuse for repression and the latter to demand absolute obedience. A host of examples of the demagogic route to power exists, in both past and present. Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler are case studies of demagogues turned into despots. It is not hard to think of recent examples, from Hugo Chávez to Viktor Orban and Vladimir Putin…
The presidency, particularly if supported by Congress and the Supreme Court, as might happen, is powerful enough to do much damage at home. Virtually on his own, the president may also start devastating wars. A rightwing demagogue in charge of the world’s most influential repository of democratic values is a devastating fact. The question still to be answered is whether the world we have known will survive it” – Martin Wolf
Toys, cot, throw…rinse, repeat.
You don’t want a tyrant causing a war, abusing power, or destroying the relative compassion of western society. Well done, gold star, join the club. I doubt if there is one single reader here who does.
And yet every day, this paper, along with most of the others, is full of blame for the backlash that you were warned of, and have helped bring about…and every day there is barely a glimpse of self-reflection or questioning. So…again…here are some questions for you Mr Wolf:
- Where was, and where is, your indignation towards the policymakers, who have run the economy into the ground over the past ten years - enriching the 0.1% at the expense of the poor and the middle class?
- Where is your analysis of how a system that is best described as ‘crony capitalism’ or ‘socialism for the rich’ has created the perfect conditions for the ‘populists’ you so despise?
- How about some reflection on the so-called ‘liberal’ media, of which you are a major player - that has apologized for every stupid move, always turning a blind eye to a corrupt system…the corrupt system that has provided the breeding ground for the establishment backlash that we are now experiencing?
- What about some reflection on how the media has consistently demonized the supporters of Donald Trump as ‘racists’ and ‘xenophobes’…boosting the popularity of their ‘champion’ in the process….whilst ignoring the totally valid frustrations that underpin their dissatisfaction with the status quo.
- Where is your condemnation of the, accepted and proven, rigging of the Democratic Primary process in favour of Hillary Clinton?
It is increasingly obvious that a significant section of the media will turn a blind eye to corrupt and damaging policies, if they are policies proposed by the ‘right’ people…and now you, and they, constantly whinge and whine about a result that you undoubtedly helped to create…anything but look in the mirror.
The next time you’re at Davos or Bilderberg have a good look around the room Mr Wolf – count how many people in that room would stand a very good chance of being in jail if they were not ‘elites’…you know the kind of thing…people who run a Wall Street Bank, or maybe an international financial institution with a history of screwing up the finances of small countries…those sort of people.
Or, you could just do the decent thing, and…mea culpa.