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| Written By: Sensei Larson-Scott Program Intern, World Affairs Council of Atlanta Student, Agnes Scott College Published: 7/20/2017 |
The left appears to be in retreat in many countries. In the United States, for example, we have seen a surge of right-wing populism. The election of Donald Trump indicated a trend toward this form of conservative nationalism, and has initiated widespread debate about party and ideology. Another example of the increase in right-wing populism is Brexit. Author Jedediah Purdy asserts that “Britain's surprise vote to leave the European Union … was a recent example of this growing insurgency against the political mainstream.”1 This helps illustrate that a resistance to mainstream politics (and media) is growing, not only in the United States but across Europe as well.
However, we have already seen a
pushback against right-wing populism. Take the hotly observed French election, where
until shortly before the election it was assumed that far-right candidate
Marine Le Pen would win. To the surprise of many, centrist candidate Emmanuel
Macron won by quite a margin, indicating a trend away from right-wing
populism in France. Another illustration of this pushback can be observed in
Theresa May’s recent setback in Parliament. In a bid to gain more power in the
Brexit negotiations, and future dealings with Europe after Brexit, May
confidently called for a snap election. To the surprise of many, May in fact
lost the Conservative majority in Parliament. This was quite a setback for May
and her party’s negotiating power in terms of Brexit.
These events may indicate the beginning
of a trend away from right-wing populism, likely because it has been long
enough to begin to see the political consequences of Brexit, the election of
Donald Trump, and other right-leaning populist trends. Author Lane Kenworthy
puts it well when explaining that the U.S. has come very far, and while it
still has further to go, “its history and the experiences of other rich nations
show the way forward. One reason the United States is a much better country
today than it was a century ago is that the federal government does more to
ensure economic security, equal opportunity, and shared prosperity. In the
future, it will do more still, and the country will be better for it.”2
Perhaps the beginning of the resistance to right-wing populism in parts of
Europe will spread to the United States sooner than we may think.
1. Purdy, Jedediah. “Populism’s Two Paths.” The Nation, 13 Oct. 2016,
https://www.thenation.com/article/the-two-populisms/.
2. Kenworthy, Lane. “America’s Social Democratic Future: The Arc of Policy Is Long
But It Bends Toward Justice.” Foreign Affairs, January/February 2014 Issue, https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/united-states/2013-12-06/americas-social-democratic-future.
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