The West was moving to the right — and then Donald Trump got elected again

The West was moving to the right — and then Donald Trump got elected again

…

Something is happening among America’s allies, and it’s a tremendous relief. For some years now, we’ve seen the MAGA-infused global right gaining a foothold amongst western democracies, largely driven by the same demagogic, nationalist, pseudo-populism that has fueled Donald Trump’s dominance on the American right.

Some countries like Hungary have served as a sort of experiment for the kind of post-democratic autocracies dreamt of by the modern right wing in which government co-opts, intimidates and de-legitimizes the political opposition to create an authoritarianism that dominates the culture and the politics without a lot of overt violence.

But the rise of the far right among the Western allies seems to be stalling out.

  • shirro@aussie.zoneEnglish
    29·
    20 hours ago

    I think US commentators make far too much of Trump and US political influence on the world. It exists but we all have our own cultures, political systems etc out here and we proudly do our own thing. The arrogance of people on all sides of US politics who think an election result on the other side of a world is a reflection of their own domestic politics is incredible.

    It would be convenient if the rest of the world could fix a broken US democracy but it is a fantasy. US citizens need to address their problems through struggle and resistance. Their current problems runs very deep in their society and isn’t simply an international fashion trend.

    • floofloof@lemmy.ca
      6·
      9 hours ago

      Here in Canada the last-minute swing from Conservative to Liberal was definitely a response to Trump, particularly to his repeated threats to take over our country.

      Worldwide it may be more that what causes the rise of fascism in the USA also causes it worldwide - and sometimes this is an actual network of wealthy right-wing organizations and nation states working to promote it through propaganda and funding.

    • NIB@lemmy.world
      22·
      17 hours ago

      If you check the polls, nothing changed in Australia to justify the rapid drop of the right wing, except Trump.

      • Deceptichum@quokk.auEnglish
        6·
        15 hours ago

        Mate.

        The Liberals lost so hard 2 elections ago that they were never going to win despite what any opinion poll may have said. Dutton ran on a platform of nothing, and never had one positive public moment. The party has been running around like a headless chook and will continue to do so.

        The Libs lost because of Dutton, not because of Trump.

    • Saleh@feddit.org
      20·
      18 hours ago

      I mean the world can fix a broken US democracy by boycotting the US entirely on all fronts until a democratic country emerges.

      This will take a while though as we have seen with South Africa.

      • shawn1122@lemm.eeEnglish
        1·
        11 hours ago

        Doubt it would play out that way in the US. They’re much more likely to take military action when the world cuts them out since making weapons is what made them rich and you can’t keep making weapons without using or selling them.

    • monogram@feddit.nlEnglish
      2·
      17 hours ago

      I’m astounded that Theresa May wasn’t the calling that unrestricted liberal economics (aka trickle down) is a fairytale.

      And that economic stability is held by the safety net the lower class makes use of and the middle class falls back to. (Social economics)

    • blarghly@lemmy.worldEnglish
      1·
      17 hours ago

      And yet I keep seeing Trump’s name and picture next to German words I can’t read here… curious.