No one has a monopoly on populism

A look at the news - Nicolas Jutzet

So, like many others, I spent the night from Tuesday to Wednesday glued to CNN, watching John King’s brilliant explanations as he frantically tapped away at his touchscreen, which allowed us to see the results in detail. What a spectacle, indeed… It must be said that the scenario was thrilling. Going from a candidate whose election seemed all but certain mainstream appreciated by all media outlets—first amid the uncertainty, then during Trump’s election, and finally during his speech, which was full of common sense and wisdom. It was impossible to turn a blind eye to such a tragedy. And what can one say about what followed? So many outraged, horrified, exaggerated, and often false reactions. What a mountain of nonsense, silliness, and unbearable whining. Reading the press—particularly the French press—I discovered that a horrible populist candidate had just won, plunging us into a new era. As if populism had just been born and had suddenly taken hold.

The very same people who today are lecturing America—without knowing anything about it—after having lectured the British in the wake of Brexit, are nevertheless using the same tactics that Trump employed throughout his campaign. Please, who predicted a stock market crash following his election (the market closed at a record high the day after his election—surely because, unlike you, some people had actually read his platform)? Who else predicted a similar fate for Britain in the event of Brexit? Who else, for example, got elected in France on the slogan «My enemy is the financial sector»? Who else, in fits of almost unbelievable demagoguery, dares to propose minimum wages, rent controls, single-payer healthcare, universal basic income, or a 25-hour workweek—only to then come and explain to us that they renounce populism?

By oversimplifying all the problems life throws at us, you are paving the way for the very kind of politics whose victory you now lament. Lacking the skills or the knowledge isn’t a big deal—everyone has gaps in their understanding; no one is all-knowing. It’s your obsession with taking action, this absurd notion that you’re on a mission, fighting for the greater good, and your desire to prove that politicians are actually doing something— that’s what creates monsters like these—it’s neither people’s stupidity nor their racism; it’s your lies. After so many broken promises, people take the risk of trying another dream-seller.

«It’s not a crime to be ignorant about economics, which is, after all, a specialized field that most people consider a “dismal science.” But it is completely irresponsible to hold strong, vocal opinions on economic issues while remaining in this state of ignorance.» Murray Rothbard

Image: Donald Trump (© philippehua.com)