Australia and Populism By Bruce Bennett

     Ok, now we know why we are such losers: poor leadership:
  https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/nov/18/far-rights-poor-leadership-saved-australia-from-outbreak-of-populism-nationhood-inquiry-told

“The major parties have been urged to put populist parties last on their how-to-vote cards and reject the myth of a “homogenous national identity” in submissions to the Senate nationhood inquiry. Two academic experts, Glenn Kefford and Duncan McDonnell, have warned the inquiry that Australia may have avoided outbreaks of populism only because of poor leadership on the extreme right. Major universities have called for transparent and independent decision-making in government as a cure for voter disillusionment. The inquiry – spearheaded by Labor’s Kim Carr and Liberal Amanda Stoker – was criticised by the Greens for its “bizarre grab-bag of issues” after it solicited submissions on all forms of extremism – from ecofundamentalism and postmodernism on the left to conservative nationalism on the right. But despite initial misgivings that it could be hijacked by those with extremist views, the submissions published so far canvas a range of mainstream reforms including an Indigenous voice to parliament, allowing dual citizens to run for parliament and democratic reforms including term limits. Kefford and McDonnell submitted that “radical right populism” had been a “marginal force” in Australia – with One Nation absent from the commonwealth parliament between 2000 and 2016 – while radical left and rightwing parties had increasingly become parties of government in countries such as Austria, Finland, Greece and Italy. The pair noted that “the degree of dissatisfaction with mainstream parties and the functioning of democracy is similar in both Australia and major Western European nations”.

     Well, Australia is not the sharpest tool in the global shed, and even our elites are second rate, and we are always way behind on most things, but my guess is that by the year 30,000, there will be the emergence of the same type of nationalist forces seem in Europe now. Just give us time mate! Rome was not destroyed in a day! Black swan events like global nuclear war could also stir things up, in a direction Leftism will not like.

     Or maybe there is another reason, that populism has not been radical enough? But neo-Nietzscheanism is not my cup of tea, even with a crumpet, so this debate will pass me by. I am not an intellectual leader:
  https://www.claremont.org/crb/article/are-the-kids-altright/

 

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Friday, 29 March 2024

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