For once, I decided to do just that. This was my first contribution: In the first place, we need to define what is "far right". At present there is a tendency for any party that is opposed to political integration in Europe and greater power passing on to the European Commission and European Parliament, neither of which are accountable to the various peoples of Europe, to be labelled as far right and extremist. That is not so, obviously. So, first a definition.We can also have a discussion on the blog.
Next we need to know why the "far right" are more of a danger to anyone than the "far left", whose democratic credentials are just as doubtful. This is the old argument about why Nazism should excoriated but Communism accepted. So if we have a problem with the "far right" do we have a problem with the "far left" or is that the "far left" has no popular support.
And thirdly, we do need to ask ourselves why is it that after all these years of European political integration and endless framework directives, directives, regulations against racism and xenophobia there is a growth in the "far right" parties. Could this be a reaction by the people to the situation in which they feel that so many powers have passed from their own more or less accountable politicians and civil servants to the ones in Brussels, who are completely unaccountable?
Friday, January 31, 2014
European Voice debate
European Voice is running an on-line debate on the subject of the far right parties, something that seems to excite the europhiliacs to a far greater extent than is warranted by any real threat. However, anyone can register and take part. Here is the link.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
The "definition" is the nub of the entire debate. The Left always manages to take control of the venues of communications and in doing so, rework words to their liking and purpose. Communism, fascism, national socialism, Marxism are all pathologies of the extreme Left. Each goes about remaking society in its own way: Communists-Marxists-Socialists use the income and economic status route, while fascists and national socialists seem to start with the racial and ethnicity route. All of them eventually cover each other's bases and arrive at the same goal--State control over all aspects of life up to and including what a citizen can write say or think.
ReplyDeleteIf any movement forms in opposition to the political elites who run things, then the corrupted language allows these elites to brand it as "far right" which draws on 20th century history to dredge up old fears. An American example currently is the rise of the Tea Party movement which is immediately branded as extremist and far right. Elitist fear.
I tend to view something "extreme right" as maybe the opposite of the Left's state control which may be described as "anarchism". That would be the polar opposite I would think.
Following that other debate, I am just awe struck at how eaten alive with political correctness the western societies have become. It is group think, speak and write. PC uber alles. PC demands, in the end, conformity or else. Hardly democratic or elevation of the individual. Whither Liberty?
ReplyDeleteI never saw the nazis as far right! socialism is far left just not as far as communism but well on the way! So already the trap is sprung! I doubt this is accidental as to realise Hitler is left wing gives rise to all sorts of PR nightmares!
ReplyDeleteO/T to this post I know but I think I've just discovered why this blog has the name it does.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/10617528/Natalya-Gorbanevskaya-obituary.html
For several days after Red Army tanks rolled into Prague on August 21 1968 there were no outward signs in Moscow of unrest. Workers in Soviet factories were made to gather at meetings to show their “support” for the invasion. The first sign the Soviet authorities had that not all their citizens were prepared to endorse the invasion came on August 25 when eight protesters unfurled banners in Red Square. Leading the way was Natalya Gorbanevskaya, pushing her three-month-old son in a pram. At noon precisely she reached into the pram and pulled out a Czechoslovak flag and banners reading “For Your Freedom and Ours” and “Hands Off Czechoslovakia”.
A brave woman indeed.
It actually goes back further and Gorbanevskaya (a very brave woman, indeed) was quoting an earlier slogan, used by Herzen in the nineteenth century about the Polish rebellions against Russian rule. Some Russian radicals thought it was of no importance to them or were actually great Russian nationalists but Herzen proclaimed that the Poles' freedom was Russia's freedom as well.
DeleteIt's the "extreme centre" which gives me the heebie jeebies. The label actually covers a fairl widespread range of original philosophies but they all herd together on that mythic "centre ground" where, they believe, the power is to be had.
ReplyDelete