Conditions explaining the recent increase in reactionary right-wing politics?

[CAleftist]

What are the conditions that explain why, in America, the UK, and other "Western" countries, so much of the politics today is reactionary and right-wing?

My understanding is that these were probable conditions that contributed:

1. The end of the post-war economic expansion in the 1970s in capitalist economies,

2. The repression of wages in capitalist countries since the 1970s,

3. The systematic smashing of unions (also since the 1970s)

4. The decline of rural farming towns, many inner cities, the steel industry, the auto industry, and other industries in the second half of the twentieth century,

5. Backlash from the 1960s movements (civil rights, anti-war, Black Power, etc.)

6. Increased competition for jobs and resources by different ethnic and racial groups,

7. A weakened left-wing movement worldwide, from years of repression and systematic destruction,

8. The upheavals caused by the end of the Cold War, and other recent events like 9/11 and the "War on Terror."

All of this points to a rapidly dynamic, crisis-prone, and jeopardized state of capitalism. So it makes sense that anger, resentment, fear, anxiety, and despair over these conditions would find its outlet in angry right-wing politics.

It should be noted, however, that it's a very small group of people who are actively promoting the current war on the working class. It's the capitalists who are most afraid today-afraid of crisis, decline, working-class anger, and backlash. They are the ones who fund, organize, and promote the right-wing movements today.

[Skammunist]

The way I see it, reactionaries and their supporters are always loudest in times of economic distress. When things are going downhill, we start to see groups such as the Tea Party responding and spouting their bullshit. Why? Because you need someone not only to blame, but to fear.

Loss of jobs? Blame it on the Mexicans. Increased cuts in social programs? Blame it on the unions. Loss of civil liberties? It's because of the terrorists! Racism, xenophobia, and nationalism are so useful to the capitalist system when the working class suffer. Instead of people realizing what really holds them down (capitalism), their attention is diverted to anything else to divide them.

[AnonymousOne]

Largely it's because liberals failed citizens, and the only other game in town for mainstream politics are the conservative and right wing politicians.

[Nox]

A simple reason; economic hardship.

Economic hardship causes people to look for a way out. Some go down the root of crime, some go down the root of left wing politics, and others unfortunately go down the root of right wing politics.

[Weezer]

Fascism is capitalism in crisis is the simple answer.

[Nox]

A huge reason is the massive increase in freedom of speech that the internet has brought to us. It allows fascists to spread their bullcrap to millions of people with just a single website... *cough* Stormfront *cough

[Pretty Flaco]

A huge reason is the massive increase in freedom of speech that the internet has brought to us. It allows fascists to spread their bullcrap to millions of people with just a single website... *cough* Stormfront *cough

If you think that site has had any giant affect on politics than you must be kidding yourself. The same can be said for revleft. And blaming it on "freedom of speech" is idiocy.

[Nox]

If you think that site has had any giant affect on politics than you must be kidding yourself. The same can be said for revleft. And blaming it on "freedom of speech" is idiocy.

I am not just talking about one website, there are thousands if not tens of thousands of fascist-promoting websites out there; tens if not hundreds of millions of people visit them, are you really telling me that not a single one of those people will be influenced by those websites? :rolleyes:

Most fascists are teenagers/young adults; therefore just beginning to get interested in politics and being very susceptible to information they see online

I'm not saying Freedom of speech is the root cause of fascism because that wasn't the question; I'm saying that freedom of speech especially on the internet is one of the main reasons it is growing so quickly. Please re-read the OP/title of thread :lol:

[Ingraham Effingham]

Fear is the mind-killer

[Pretty Flaco]

I am not just talking about one website, there are thousands if not tens of thousands of fascist-promoting websites out there; tens if not hundreds of millions of people visit them, are you really telling me that not a single one of those people will be influenced by those websites? :rolleyes:

Most fascists are teenagers/young adults; therefore just beginning to get interested in politics and being very susceptible to information they see online

I'm not saying Freedom of speech is the root cause of fascism because that wasn't the question; I'm saying that freedom of speech especially on the internet is one of the main reasons it is growing so quickly. Please re-read the OP/title of thread :lol:

No I'm saying the affect it has had on the fascist movement has been minute.

[Nox]

No I'm saying the affect it has had on the fascist movement has been minute.

If you call recruiting hundreds of thousands of freshly brainwashed fascists a 'minute' effect on the fascist movement, then I fail to understand your logic.

[Jose Gracchus]

Care to prove any of those extreme claims? And I think it is sad we have so-called 'communists' pleading that the bourgeois state protect the workers' from its own right-wing. :rolleyes:

[Thirsty Crow]

If you call recruiting hundreds of thousands of freshly brainwashed fascists a 'minute' effect on the fascist movement, then I fail to understand your logic.
Hundreds of thousands, really?

[Morgenstern]

Economic difficulties, rising crime, just general uncertainty. While the Internet hasn't made hundred of thousands of Fascists, the Internet has made many conspiracy theorists, many of whom end up going to the right.

[glescabhoy]

A simple reason; economic hardship.

Economic hardship causes people to look for a way out. Some go down the root of crime, some go down the root of left wing politics, and others unfortunately go down the root of right wing politics.

I agree.

History shows us that in times of economic hardship political allegiences spike to the extremes. People feel that the 'mainstream' parties have failed them so they look to the alternatives.

The biggest example being the rise of Nazism in Germany imo.

[Blackburn]

What we see today is largely the product of G W Bush's Republican Administration's cowardly reaction to 9/11. It was the perfect Reactionary storm of cowardice, racism, and pro-military Bru Ha Ha. It's echoed all around the world. Fear is the primary motivator for the reactionary. That's why they worship the military, as they try to capture some of the bravery they don't have.

[Tim Cornelis]

In Europe there is no such right-wing libertarian movement. It has to do with culture largely, America was founded on classical liberal principles and fear of central authority has been integrated into society the logic outcome is right-wing libertarianism.

[Nox]

Hundreds of thousands, really?

Stormfront has converted tens of thousands, and that's just one website.