DANGER DO NOT DIG
The populist political movement grew out of the late 19th century. Its aim was to demand that government play a larger and more proactive role in the lives of ordinary people. As formed in the U.S., it was a coalition of the grange movement of farmers along with labor unionists. They sought to expand the role of the federal government. They felt in a representative democracy, one which ostensibly drew its power and legitimacy from the population by their vote, must do more than make treaties, wage wars, control interstate commerce, and levy taxes. They believed the power of the government could and should be used as a shield of protection of the least powerful citizens. Also that minorities of all ilk, should be protected from the tyranny of the majority.
There is too, another much darker side to political movements which lay claim to populism. This is a movement, not with the plaintive cry of the oppressed, but rather one with the strident call of would be oppressors. A movement that says, on one hand, that the government must be reduced in size and scope, and ‘removed’ from the backs of its citizens, and on the other hand, that it should be empowered to seek out and punish the enemies of the people both foreign and domestic. It is the politics of of the scapegoat. It is the politics of vilification of the other. It is the politics that appeal to the very worst angels of our nature.
Democracies are strong, but inherently fragile creations. They gather their strength from a majority opinion, that both civilization and civility are worth preserving. Is there here in this world, any modern industrial democratic nation state that is further away than 1 fire in the Reichstag, from the fall into totalitarianism?
Danger, do not dig.
DANGER DO NOT DIG
The populist political movement grew out of the late 19th century. Its aim was to demand that government play a larger and more proactive role in the lives of ordinary people. As formed in the U.S., it was a coalition of the grange movement of farmers along with labor unionists. They sought to expand the role of the federal government. They felt in a representative democracy, one which ostensibly drew its power and legitimacy from the population by their vote, must do more than make treaties, wage wars, control interstate commerce, and levy taxes. They believed the power of the government could and should be used as a shield of protection of the least powerful citizens. Also that minorities of all ilk, should be protected from the tyranny of the majority.
There is too, another much darker side to political movements which lay claim to populism. This is a movement, not with the plaintive cry of the oppressed, but rather one with the strident call of would be oppressors. A movement that says, on one hand, that the government must be reduced in size and scope, and ‘removed’ from the backs of its citizens, and on the other hand, that it should be empowered to seek out and punish the enemies of the people both foreign and domestic. It is the politics of of the scapegoat. It is the politics of vilification of the other. It is the politics that appeal to the very worst angels of our nature.
Democracies are strong, but inherently fragile creations. They gather their strength from a majority opinion, that both civilization and civility are worth preserving. Is there here in this world, any modern industrial democratic nation state that is further away than 1 fire in the Reichstag, from the fall into totalitarianism?
Danger, do not dig.