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IOW, the perfect ground for a Right Wing Populist political party to take control of the government.

Shit.

HOW MANY times does this have to happen before the Left wakes the ^@#$^! up?

She believed in nothing; only her skepticism kept her from being an atheist. -- Jean-Paul Sartre

by ATinNM on Thu May 19th, 2011 at 01:46:27 PM EST
[ Parent ]
In fact 48% of respondents believe that the ground is fertile for an extreme right wing party (vs 27% for an extreme let wing party)...

The powers that be are using immigration and the fear of immigrants as a barrier to a shift towards the left. Thus they are fanning the flames of fascism. And it seems that the elites are not completely uncomfortable with that...

The road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom - William Blake

by talos (mihalis at gmail dot com) on Thu May 19th, 2011 at 01:52:26 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Historic evidence suggests the monied interests do rather well under Fascism.  

She believed in nothing; only her skepticism kept her from being an atheist. -- Jean-Paul Sartre
by ATinNM on Thu May 19th, 2011 at 02:01:12 PM EST
[ Parent ]
I have quoted Michal Kalecki before: Political Aspects of Full Employment (1943)
One of the important functions of fascism, as typified by the Nazi system, was to remove capitalist objections to full employment.

The dislike of government spending policy as such is overcome under fascism by the fact that the state machinery is under the direct control of a partnership of big business with fascism.  The necessity for the myth of 'sound finance', which served to prevent the government from offsetting a confidence crisis by spending, is removed.  In a democracy, one does not know what the next government will be like.  Under fascism there is no next government.

The dislike of government spending, whether on public investment or consumption, is overcome by concentrating government expenditure on armaments.  Finally, 'discipline in the factories' and 'political stability' under full employment are maintained by the 'new order', which ranges from suppression of the trade unions to the concentration camp.  Political pressure replaces the economic pressure of unemployment.



Economics is politics by other means
by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Fri May 20th, 2011 at 05:04:23 AM EST
[ Parent ]
That is probably a difference with us.

The anti-immigrant narrative is mostly absent. Mainly for 4 reasons:

  1. African immigrants are a thing of the past. They are here for many decades.
  2. East Europeans are normally highly praised (e.g. learning Portuguese in months)
  3. Brazilians. Brazil is seen as the proud part of the Portuguese speaking work. In fact now and then people start talking about our "tropical vocation" (as opposed to "European vocation")
  4. Retired Northern Europeans. Treated as superior race.

On the other hand, some nostalgia of the old times (no debt, no austerity, everybody knew its place, ...) can play well into the hands of the hard-right.

Around here the fascists pool around 0.1% . But if there were, in a couple of years, a military coup - it might easily be received with apathy.

by cagatacos on Thu May 19th, 2011 at 02:11:56 PM EST
[ Parent ]
No other traditionally weak group to pour hatred and blame at - ethnic, religious or sexual minorities?

Sweden's finest (and perhaps only) collaborative, leftist e-newspaper Synapze.se
by A swedish kind of death on Thu May 19th, 2011 at 05:00:22 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Nope.

There is blame, alright.

Politicians, unemployed drawing on benefits, civil servants...

by cagatacos on Thu May 19th, 2011 at 06:32:06 PM EST
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