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ArishMell · 70-79, M
They feed on each other. The more hard-line one lot speaks or acts, the more the other lot do.
I think what is feeding both is a widespread feeling of disillusionment and despair as the world's probmens seem worsening but the solutions not keeping up. That may be more perception than reality, but many people tend to be driven more by perception than reality so they become attracted to manipulators appearing to listen to their concerns and offer "real" answers.
Whether such people trun Left or Right is more difficult to determine.
At one time the Left liked everyone to think they were speaking up for the poor, the dispossessed, the so-called "working class" which it limited to purely manual, semi- or low- skilled work.
Whereas the Right originally favoured the idea of becoming rich by one's own (or better, one's employees') efforts, and fostered a notion that anyone can "succeed" if they only try. Success of course being at the very least a well-paid occupation and a comfortable life in leafy suburbia. Though that form of success does come only from one's efforts, often considerable such as gaining a Degree and a lot of specialist training.
Nothing wrong with that of course, but it can lead to rather heartless "If I can do it so can you" -ist thinking.
Now though?
It is very much harder to distinguish between L & R; and anyway the ideological spectrum seems specific to country. That of the USA is broadly to starboard of its wider European equivalent, whilst a Communist country like China probably regards the Scandinavian nations as hard-Right despite their comprehensive welfare-states an American Republican would likely call "Communist".
Also, in the UK and at least some other European countries, the "mainstream" Left and Right have sort of enmeshed rather than merged or agglomerated; with governments of either persuasion sharing many principles even the respective parties don't like to admit it. This seems to lead to rather wooly coalition governments, which unfortunately might be seen as continuing a cosy status quo rather than really addressing deep concerns held by their electorates.
The UK still has an adversarial rather than cosy semicircle Parliament, but even here, and with five UK-wide Parties plus independence ones; the ideological differences are not what they were. (Nostalgia was once nationalised, but has been sold off abroad...)
.
So disenchanted voters want to hear not, "We are committed to..." but to see, "We are doing..."
Not "We are reviewing the situation" but "We are putting it right". Well, trying to. (I can "review" a football match - doesn't mean I can play the game, or am playing it.)
Not "We are consulting / taking legal advice..." Well, sack the barristers and employ people who know how to do it then.
If then, some shiny new Party from the further- Left or Right comes along and talks to people properly, robustly highlights the common worries, fears and questions rather than issuing platitudinous statements; promises to get hold of the thing by the scruff of the neck and give it a good shaking... is it surprising it attracts votes?
I think what is feeding both is a widespread feeling of disillusionment and despair as the world's probmens seem worsening but the solutions not keeping up. That may be more perception than reality, but many people tend to be driven more by perception than reality so they become attracted to manipulators appearing to listen to their concerns and offer "real" answers.
Whether such people trun Left or Right is more difficult to determine.
At one time the Left liked everyone to think they were speaking up for the poor, the dispossessed, the so-called "working class" which it limited to purely manual, semi- or low- skilled work.
Whereas the Right originally favoured the idea of becoming rich by one's own (or better, one's employees') efforts, and fostered a notion that anyone can "succeed" if they only try. Success of course being at the very least a well-paid occupation and a comfortable life in leafy suburbia. Though that form of success does come only from one's efforts, often considerable such as gaining a Degree and a lot of specialist training.
Nothing wrong with that of course, but it can lead to rather heartless "If I can do it so can you" -ist thinking.
Now though?
It is very much harder to distinguish between L & R; and anyway the ideological spectrum seems specific to country. That of the USA is broadly to starboard of its wider European equivalent, whilst a Communist country like China probably regards the Scandinavian nations as hard-Right despite their comprehensive welfare-states an American Republican would likely call "Communist".
Also, in the UK and at least some other European countries, the "mainstream" Left and Right have sort of enmeshed rather than merged or agglomerated; with governments of either persuasion sharing many principles even the respective parties don't like to admit it. This seems to lead to rather wooly coalition governments, which unfortunately might be seen as continuing a cosy status quo rather than really addressing deep concerns held by their electorates.
The UK still has an adversarial rather than cosy semicircle Parliament, but even here, and with five UK-wide Parties plus independence ones; the ideological differences are not what they were. (Nostalgia was once nationalised, but has been sold off abroad...)
.
So disenchanted voters want to hear not, "We are committed to..." but to see, "We are doing..."
Not "We are reviewing the situation" but "We are putting it right". Well, trying to. (I can "review" a football match - doesn't mean I can play the game, or am playing it.)
Not "We are consulting / taking legal advice..." Well, sack the barristers and employ people who know how to do it then.
If then, some shiny new Party from the further- Left or Right comes along and talks to people properly, robustly highlights the common worries, fears and questions rather than issuing platitudinous statements; promises to get hold of the thing by the scruff of the neck and give it a good shaking... is it surprising it attracts votes?