Paul Krugman: How Soaring Inequality May Lead the World Down the Path of Fascism
January 2, 2015 | We live in scary times, Paul Krugman writes in his Friday New York Times column. So scary that they put the esteemed economist in mind of 1930s Europe.
The rising inequality problem, well established by Thomas Piketty’s “ Capital in the Twenty-First Century”, has concentrated so much wealth in the hands of so few, while millions of other live in what Krugman poetically calls the "Valley of the despond."
The only other group that is doing well, besides the global elite, says Krugman, is "what we might call the global middle — largely consisting of the rising middle classes of China and India." For a crystal clear view if what is going on he suggests consulting a remarkable chart of income gains around the world produced by Branko Milanovic of the City University of New York Graduate Center.
Of course, there is a huge plus side to rising incomes for those living in those developing nations where hundreds of millions of people have been lifted out of terrible poverty. But in advanced countries, there are also worrisome signs on the horizon:
Full article http://www.alternet.org/economy/paul-krugman-how-soaring-inequality-may-lead-world-down-path-fascism
And don't think for a minute we're immune.
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Doctor_J
(36,392 posts)Our media puts Hitler's propaganda apparatus to shame, for example. It's going to be a really tough century for Americans in general. I wonder how long it will take Fox Nation to realize it's not Al Sharpton's fault.
A special brand of "Republofacism" .
It's the title of my imaginary book.
polly7
(20,582 posts)They've already been through what we can only imagine.
"Worse still is the fact that no one is really speaking up for those who are left behind. Conventional parties of the so-called left are barely audible in France, Britain and the U.S. Leaders like Obama are too afraid to "challenge elite priorities, in particular the obsession with budget deficits, for fear of being considered irresponsible," Krugman writes. "And that leaves the field open for unconventional leaders — some of them seriously scary — who are willing to address the anger and despair of ordinary citizens."
Here is where Krugman sounds the alarm about the rise of some parties in Europe that bear an unpleasant resemblance to something the world has seen and suffered through before. The circumstances are ripe: this is the second time the world has experienced a global financial crisis, immediately followed by a protracted worldwide slump. If you guessed that the first time was 1930s Europe, then you might already be worrying right along with Krugman."
(From the article).
The Huffington Post / By Robert Kuttner
Inside the Troubling Rise of Fascist Parties Across Europe
History is repeating itself as Europe's political leadership puts the needs of the banks first and the people last.
In Europe, proto-fascist parties that are anti-immigrant, anti-Islam, anti-Semitic and anti-European Union are now the second or third largest parties in a belt of formerly liberal societies that runs from Norway and Finland to the Netherlands and France. In Hungary, where the nationalist Fidesz Party already governs, the more extremist Jobbik Party is making even bigger gains.
We have been here before. European fascism was nourished in a climate of high unemployment and economic orthodoxy. After World War I, the elites of that era were more concerned with propping up currency values and collecting war debts than with the real condition of the economy.
Democracies lost legitimacy with their people. When the stagnation of the 1920s worsened into the deep depression of the 1930s, people gave up on democracy.
Big banks and corporations, in places like Nazi Germany and fascist Italy, liked the collapse of democracy just fine. Classic fascism was an alliance of an autocratic state, financial elites, and fearful ordinary people who traded ultra-nationalism for the vagaries of democracy that wasn't delivering for them.
http://www.alternet.org/world/inside-troubling-rise-fascist-parties-across-europe
The independent newscast Kontext TV
With Aris Chatzistenaou, journalist and filmmaker from Athens, director of “Debtocracy”, “Catastroika” and “Fascism Inc.)
In Greece and other European countries, economic elites have been supporting fascist parties in order to enforce a radical neoliberal agenda in the crisis, says filmmaker Aris Chatzistefanou.
In his new documentary “Fascism Inc.” he shows how industrials and bankers in the 1920s and 30s supported fascists in order to destroy socialist movements and trade unions. Today – again in times of crisis – this pattern reoccurs at the periphery of Europe: In Greece, extreme right wing parties like “Golden Dawn” and “LAOS” have been supported by big ship-owners and media corporations. Meanwhile in Ukraine the EU, US and IMF support a government with the participation of the neo-Nazi party Svoboda in order to enforce their economic and geopolitical agenda.
VIDEO
In his new documentary „Fascism Inc.“, Aris Chatzistefanou shows how industrials and bankers supported fascism in the 1920s and 30s in order to destroy socialist movements and trade unions. Today – again in times of crisis – this pattern reoccurs at the periphery of Europe: In Greece extreme right wing parties like “Golden Dawn” and “LAOS” have been supported by parts of the economic elites and media corporations. “LAOS” was even welcomed by the EU and the IMF as part of the non-elected government of Lucas Papadimos. In the Ukraine as well the EU, the US and the IMF have supported a government with the participation of the Neonazi party Svoboda in order to enforce their economic and geopolitical agenda – a risky game that can easily get out of control.
http://www.kontext-tv.de/node/428
whereisjustice
(2,941 posts)are programs being supported by the rich in both parties. If there is one thing Democratic and Republican Parties agree on, it's Wall Street is our nation's capital.
Washington is just Disneyland, designed around an illusion of representative government.
blkmusclmachine
(16,149 posts)
blkmusclmachine
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Comments are my own.
blkmusclmachine
(16,149 posts)
blkmusclmachine
(16,149 posts)Comments are my own.
