1/ #Brexit and Trump are instances of a primitive tribalist politics, in which the strength of the tribe is the supreme value, overriding other values such as truthfulness, reason, human rights and lawfulness.
#PeoplesVote #StopBrexit
#PeoplesVote #StopBrexit
2/ This tribalist politics has been ruthlessly whipped up by right-wing politicians and media who have exploited the natural human tendency to seek safety in a group when afraid. Their long term campaign of fear-raising has been the real project fear.
3/ A more developed tribalism would include respect for the tribe's rules, laws & institutions. The right-wing have exploited ignorance & disconnection from democratic institutions to foment a crude mob tribalism without laws and institutions, focussed only on power & security.
4/ It is this crude tribalism which explains the tolerance shown by its supporters for the deceitfulness, abusiveness and lawlessness of the Trump-Brexit right. The strength of the tribe comes first and overrides all other values.
5/ This crude tribalism is a perfect tool for kleptocrats seeking to replace democracies which tax and regulate them with kleptocracies which they control. So we see constant propaganda campaigns whipping up the fear, hate & distrust which induce a crude tribalist mentality.
6/ A tribal siege mentality has profound effects on political culture. Questioning and dissent are seen as disloyal and disruptive of tribal unity and strength. Contradictory arguments can be dismissed not on rational grounds, but because they should not have been made.
