Thread by @docrussjackson

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.