"invariably" leads to populism? i think that sort of linear, teleological narrative is stupid and naive. there's no 'invariable' about it. populism – like fascism – is a recurring phenomenon waiting in the wings for whenever conditions are ripe for them to appear. there's no arcing narrative from 'democracy' to 'populist demagoguery'. this is something that has to be confronted and managed with each new situation and in response to ever-changing conditions. a well-functioning democracy is a bit like a garden of the ancients, an epicurean affair of moderation and constant tending. if you stop caring for the parterres and walkways, the weeds of populism flourish. there's nothing 'inevitable' about it, any more than there was an assurance of a 1000-year reich.
the material conditions which created nazi germany in the 1930s may have some similarities and parallels to now, but they are ultimately the conditions of 1933 and not 2023. the great depression may have something of the same looming importance as the 2008 GFC, but we live in extremely different times when you consider the technology, the geopolitical environment, the party-political system, etc. comparing bojo or trump to hitler is only of extremely limited, and mostly rhetorical, utility.
e: an on-cue piece of toozeianism on this topic.
Last edited by uziq (2025-06-04 05:16:20)
