10-11-2020, 08:07 AM
I actually do have to agree with you here Eric. Trump is very much an authoritian leader modeled on the Mussolini model. Just his own comments I have observed recently are quite frankly anti-democratic and more fitting for that of a dictatorship. The only thing preventing Trump from a total take over is Congress, the military and other aspects of American governance that still want to keep the democratic project alive.
You know, my wife the other day made an interesting comment about Trump. She said that not only is he finished but also the entire movement of populism is finished in America. The country is too attached to democracy to fully go down a populist path. Europe on the other hand is a different story and regularly flitters between democracy and populism (Liberal rulership vs strong man Conservative rulership) every so many generations. Trump would do quite well in a country such as Italy, Greece, even France or Poland. Heck, even here in Russia, they say the vast majority of Russians would vote for Trump...
Now this itself is an interesting debate. Trump himself is basically a caesar. America has had a taste of it yet still feel uncomfortable with the idea. For now. However, how long until another potential caesar comes along in America? Trump was in essence quite weak as caesar. He did not tear down Congress, do a march on Washington or try to get powerful people on his side. Yet could Trump be a test drive for future American politics?
Im not sure. As I said before, caesarism always does well in Europe after several generations. Even Britain is not alien to the caesar style of leadership as was the case with both Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher. Although they acted within democratic means, they still had policies that were very caesarish. Even Tony Blair exhibited these qualities during his Premier ship.
We will have to wait and see. My prediction for America is that the country will drop Trump but the democratic mandate is too weak and fractured to handle the future problems of the country. Too many MAGA people, too many economic problems down the line and a declining empire. Whether a caesar stops this, democracy rebounds and takes it head on or the country eventually fractured and secedes is anyone's guess.
You know, my wife the other day made an interesting comment about Trump. She said that not only is he finished but also the entire movement of populism is finished in America. The country is too attached to democracy to fully go down a populist path. Europe on the other hand is a different story and regularly flitters between democracy and populism (Liberal rulership vs strong man Conservative rulership) every so many generations. Trump would do quite well in a country such as Italy, Greece, even France or Poland. Heck, even here in Russia, they say the vast majority of Russians would vote for Trump...
Now this itself is an interesting debate. Trump himself is basically a caesar. America has had a taste of it yet still feel uncomfortable with the idea. For now. However, how long until another potential caesar comes along in America? Trump was in essence quite weak as caesar. He did not tear down Congress, do a march on Washington or try to get powerful people on his side. Yet could Trump be a test drive for future American politics?
Im not sure. As I said before, caesarism always does well in Europe after several generations. Even Britain is not alien to the caesar style of leadership as was the case with both Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher. Although they acted within democratic means, they still had policies that were very caesarish. Even Tony Blair exhibited these qualities during his Premier ship.
We will have to wait and see. My prediction for America is that the country will drop Trump but the democratic mandate is too weak and fractured to handle the future problems of the country. Too many MAGA people, too many economic problems down the line and a declining empire. Whether a caesar stops this, democracy rebounds and takes it head on or the country eventually fractured and secedes is anyone's guess.