EXCERPT
Whether in Europe's ultra-nationalistic parties (a portion possessing either explicit neo-Nazi or neo-Fascist roots), or in the United States' most reactionary political groups, the West is seeing a rise of the far right not witnessed since the 1930s. At that time, the 1930's Great Depression had fueled far-right
popular movements, and today's so-called Great Recession appears to be doing something similar.
"You can say that there is something between the emergence of a radical right populist party and economic downturns," observed Cristian Norocel, a political scientist at both Sweden's Stockholm University and Finland's University of Helsinki. Speaking on the rise of Sweden's far-right Swedish Democrats (SD), a party with neo-Nazi roots that recently won 20 seats in parliament, Norocel saw similarities to aspects of "very early National Socialism [Nazism]".
Policies recalling German National Socialism "at the end of the 1920s, the beginning of the 1930s" were what Norocel specifically referred to, although today's SD has renounced violence. Underscoring reason for concern, Norocel told Asia Times Online in a quietly determined voice that "the thing that is worrisome is that the SD party platform appears to be very successful".
In the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Italy, France, Austria, Sweden, Hungary, Serbia, Romania, Switzerland, and more, the far right is on the rise, making it to national legislatures and prominence in a number of countries. On November 2, a CNN headline announced: "UK far-right group boasts Tea Party links".
The twin 1930s nightmares of Nazism and Fascism descended from the European social and economic turmoil following World War One, their development accelerating with the economic pain and uncertainty the Great Depression amply provided. Widespread popular anger and frustration with the systemic failures of that period's political and economic establishment was channeled against societal outgroups, such unfortunates then providing convenient scapegoats for these movements to rise upon.
Hi,
ReplyDeleteEarlier you posted something regarding an Asia Times piece of mine, 'Rise of the far right an ominous echo' ( http://churchwarnings.blogspot.com/2010/11/rise-of-far-right-ominous-echo.html ). I just did another piece reflecting the deteriorating circumstances in Scandinavia, particularly Sweden. It coincidentally refers to an op-ed piece done by a British visitor to Sweden, one of Indian heritage - sadly, and unlike his and his wife's first visit some years ago, no Swede would speak with his family.
As I said, the new piece I did refers to deteriorating circumstances...I think you and your readers would find it of interest. While the first version of this piece went to Asia Times, as the op-ed I mentioned wasn't published until later it was the last version that cites it, as well as noting a UPI article on swastikas being distributed with childrens' meals here (that piece broke the date of AToL's publication).
My article's link ... http://www.opednews.com/articles/Sweden-Living-with-the-fa-by-Ritt-Goldstein-110813-897.html
If what I've just described sounds beyond imagination, I only wish it were beyond reality, but it's not. Read the piece, Google the titles I cite in it, and you'll understand better. But yes, what's ongoing does defy belief.
Regards,
Ritt Goldstein