There has been a
tremendous amount of media attention on the American Republican contest, and
more specifically on the candidacy of Donald Trump. Trump has received a great
deal of scrutiny from international press for his promise to forbid Muslim
immigration and suggestion that Muslims should be identified. Some have
questioned whether or not Trump is a fascist which has caused me to ponder the
place of the New Right in America.
Editor: "I dare you to do
it."
Picture Desk: "I can't, people will
notice."
Editor: "Pay you
$20?"
Picture Desk: pic.twitter.com/VLrK2384Ba
—
Carl Anka (@Ankaman616) December
8, 2015
The New Right is a term
that is used to describe the growth of far-right wing political parties in
Europe. Disturbingly many of these parties have been making advancements in
elections in recent years. Some examples include the Front Nationale in France,
the British National Party in the UK, or Golden Dawn in Greece. Some common
features are hyper-nationalism, emphasis of historical grievances, promise of
the restoration of greatness, anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim.
The New Right movement has
been largely seen in European countries and not the so-called immigrant nations
of the United States, Australia, New Zealand and Canada. It has been assumed
that this was because these countries had a more flexible sense of national
identity and more tolerant. I think this view whitewashes the racist history of
these respective countries, but it is likely a decent overall explanation.
However, there is no reason to assume that this level of tolerance need to
continue perpetually. Faced with a declining economic situation, ongoing
international conflicts in the Middle East (ISIS), perceived threat of domestic
terrorism, and the Syrian refugee crisis it is unsurprising that there has been
a growth of more radical ideologies and acceptance of reactionary positions.
It is definitely possible
to frame Donald Trump within other American traditions, such as Nativism or the
Know Nothing Party. However I think his candidacy might be better framed within
the New/Far Right. Of course the disturbing thing isn't that Trump is a
candidate, but that he is a popular candidate. National polls have him at 41%. This would be a resounding defeat, but given his well documented extremism it
is jarring.
As Trump's extreme
positions gain popularity it compels other candidates to move further to the
right and legitimizes these ideas. Unlike in Europe the New Right in America
will not spawn a new political party but a faction with the Republican Party.
The question is how much sway these types of candidates and this faction will
hold when ballots begin to be cast in February in the Iowa Caucuses.
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