A short THREAD which attempts to summarize the interesting & informative paper: 'MORBID SYMPTOM: IMMIGRATION AND THE RISE OF FAR -RIGHT POPULISM IN WESTERN EUROPE', by Ayaz Rzayev.
It contains pragmatic suggestions for stemming the rise of the Far Right, which deserve a hearing.
ALL Far-Right parties across Europe:
▶️Emphasise 'nativism' rooted in myths about an idealised past, & hostility towards immigration
▶️Have programs directed toward making the nation more ethnically homogeneous & returning to 'traditional values' of Western civilization.
ALL Far-Right parties across Europe:
▶️Accuse the establishment of favoring their own narrow self-interests over the interests of the people
▶️Try to avoid explicit #racism by emphasising 'the Muslim threat' & welfare costs of immigration.
ALL Far-Right parties across Europe:
▶️Have a distinct identity sharing a unique perception of reality based on a fear of an invading foreign culture destroying Western civilization from within
▶️Try to turn back the clock to a more ethnoculturally homogenous & familiar time.
However, there are core features that many on the far right & the 'far left' share.
They both:
▶️Feel that established institutions that traditionally provided & sustained collective identities are (from different perspectives) becoming eroded, or are being destroyed.
The far right AND far left:
▶️Oppose many economic & social changes brought about by globalization, which have 'left them behind'
▶️Believe the political establishment serves global corporatist interests, is dishonest & corrupt, & doesn't care about the opinions of the majority
To defeat the far right & prevent history repeating, it isn't enough to simply demonize them & expose the often awful & polarising things they say & do, including their use of inflammatory rhetoric - we urgently need to find ways of decreasing the demand for far-right populism.
Mainstream parties should consider abandoning the dismissive elitist discourse of constantly questioning the moral-intellectual competence of indigenous populations, which only marginalizes them further, & instead engage non-extremist natives on the merits & flaws of their views.
Such an engagement could decrease the perception of political elites as being aloof & unaccountable, & weaken the appeal of far-right populists in the long run.
Many elites hesitate - sometimes understandably - to address valid concerns about immigration & national identity.
Too often when political elites do take up these concerns, they brand them as motivated *solely* by racism or Islamophobia, which may sometimes be true, but is counterproductive.
Elites should adopt a nuanced approach on immigration, & take positions more grounded in pragmatism.
As well as any economic effects of immigration, the Left should not be scared to acknowledge the cultural impact of mass immigration, & directly address the issue of how we talk about class, ethnicity & integration, as well as suggesting concrete measure to reduce polarization.
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A handful of selfish sociopathic billionaires and the populist politicians and media they fund have deliberately divided and radicalised millions of people across the world, solely to protect their wealth and power.
They claim to want to help “save children” while spreading distrust of experts, reputable journalism, climate science, and vaccines — which have saved over 100 million children since 1974.
By dividing the public, they protect their wealth and power.
Rather than justify how their wealth was earned, these elites cultivate scepticism of their critics and of expertise itself.
This deliberate erosion of trust shields their interests while undermining the science that saves lives and protects our planet.
Robert Jenrick closed his Conference speech with: “Let’s build this NEW ORDER. Let’s TAKE our country back.” Hitler's “New Order” was a vision for an Aryan-led Europe which involved exterminating or enslaving “undesirable” minorities.
In Britain, a group of prominent MPs—including Nigel Farage, Lee Anderson, Rupert Lowe, Robert Jenrick and Suella Braverman—are normalising far-right discourse through three recurring frames/themes: invasion, scapegoating for cultural destruction, and demographic replacement.
Let's talk about chainsaw enthusiast, Musk buddy, and darling of the global free-market right, Javier Milei.
Let’s look at which UK politicians and news media have been most effusive in their praise for him, and at whats happened to Argentina since he was elected in 2023.
Milei’s election as President of Argentina in November 2023 was met with enthusiasm from right-wing news media and populist politicians who praised his libertarian, anti-establishment platform as a model for radical economic reform.
Support was often framed in the context of Thatcherite principles, with Milei seen as a disruptor against "socialism".
1. Kemi Badenoch celebrated Milei as a "template" for her own potential Government, aspiring to be "Britain’s version of Javier Milei".
A global evangelical Christian ARMY linked to TPUSA/TPUK, "fighting for the Britain whose church missioned & colonised the dark, demonic, heathen world with light, truth & salvation", founded by a former British boy band member addicted to cocaine until he found God?
WTAF!🤯
'The King's Army' is a non-denominational Christian evangelism and discipleship movement launched in the UK mid-2024 - a "spiritual army" of believers enlisted to combat sin, cultural decay, and "darkness" through aggressive street outreach, prayer marches and public protests. 🤪
Drawing on biblical military metaphors, it emphasises "virtue and valor" among Christians, urging them to "stop living like civilians and start fighting like soldiers!"
It targets young men for recruitment, standing against issues like secularism and "immoral culture"!
Two people have died and three are in a serious condition following a suspected terror attack on a Manchester synagogue. Muslim leaders have condemned the attack. The suspect was shot dead by Police.
Some @X accounts are blaming Starmer. What's this got to do with @elonmusk?
Since Musk bought Twitter in October 2022 and rebranded it as @X, the platform has transformed from a space for news and debate into a megaphone for hate, disinformation, and extremist ideology.
The consequences are now spilling into the streets.
Musk’s first act as owner was to gut @X’s safety and moderation teams, firing around 80% of staff responsible for enforcing hate-speech and misinformation policies.
Ellison (~$390bn), Musk (~£385bn), and Zuckerberg (~$260): the three richest men on earth.
Ellison is buying TikTok. He controls nearly 50% of Paramount Skydance and wants Warner Bros Discovery. Carrie Symonds's dad is a director of his Foundation.
For more than a century, some of the richest people on earth have bought up various media in order to shape politics and public opinion in a way that protects their wealth and power from democracy.
Musk, Zuckerberg and Ellison are doing precisely this on steroids.
These billionaires are reshaping the world into a dystopia that makes The Handmaids Tale look quaint.
Ellison owns 98% of one of the largest Hawaiian Islands, rolls out his total global surveillance system called 'The Oracle' to ensure 'good behaviour'.