BY THE INSIDER
Political developments in recent times have reminded Insider of the quote from G.K. Chesterton, (also sometimes credited to Emile Cammaerts, the Belgian playright ) ‘When men choose not to believe in God, they do not thereafter believe in nothing, they then become capable of believing in anything.’
The level of cynicism regarding political life, at home and abroad, and the beneficiaries of this cynicism, has Insider scratching his head, and wondering where, and how, it is all going to end?
‘Populism’ is proving such a winner, particularly in the minds of the young, that there scarcely seems to be space for reasoned and informed political debate, for which Insider believes society will ultimately pay a heavy price. All opinions may count, but all are not equally valid. Is my ignorance as important as your knowledge, or vice versa?
Look at some of the political success stories of the last few years from the US to the UK, to our own election in February of last year. One common theme of the populists in these recent elections is to refer to their opponents as ‘an elite’ and ‘insiders’ who must be brought down and removed from office by the populists and their supporters who represent real people: ‘families and workers’, ‘ordinary people’ as they are continuously referred to, as if ‘ordinary people’ do not vote for every political party. And boy, has it proven successful.
Strange bedfellows
Have a read of the selection of quotes below: can you identify the source?
“It is time to reject a failed political elite”. “The ruling elites control everything inside of our lives.” “Our opponent has always stood with the elites.” “I want you to imagine how much better our future can be if we declare independence from the elites.” ”Our opponents run a country where the elite get one standard of treatment and everybody else gets second-class treatment.” “Big business, elite media and major donors are lining up behind the campaign of my opponent.” “The elites ignore the concerns of the voters.”
”Our opponents promote the ideological hegemony of the European elites – and their allies who share the same view”. “A corrupt political elite in a flawed system has caused the economic crisis.” “The economy is in crisis because political choices were made by a deeply corrupt political elite operating within a flawed political system.” “Those political choices favoured the elites, not the citizens. We want to change that.” “We seek to mobilise in support of a New Republic in which popular sovereignty is restored and political and economic power returned to where it rightly belongs, in the hands of the people”. “It was a vote for a different government — a government that would have the courage, the imagination and the energy actually to do things differently, a government that would put the citizen and families and communities front and centre, not big corporates, not the elites, not the well-networked.”
The ‘elites of Europe’ want Britain to remain in the EU so they can hang on to power. We call on voters to sack ‘unelected, unaccountable elites.” “You’re on the side of the elites, I’m on the side of the people.” “I’m asking the public to take back control from those organisations that are distant, unaccountable and elites.” “Elites, I’m afraid it’s time to say ‘You’re fired. We are going to take back control.”
Well, what do you think? Do you think they are interchangeable? Would you also agree that those promoting the ‘anti elites’ message are all singing from the same hymn sheet? It may surprise you to discover that the first block of quotes above are from Donald Trump, the second block from leading members of Sinn Fein and the third from leading Brexiteers.
Strange bedfellows indeed, and who would have thought they all had so much in common. Whether it is Trump, descending from his private plane to make common cause with some of America’s least well off voters or the Eton educated Johnson railing against European elites, or Sinn Fein, the wealthiest political party on this island, attacking the two parties who have been elected by the people of this State for a century, all have succeeded in convincing some that they are motivated by higher ideals than their opponents, when this is clearly at odds with the truth.
Is the US a better place than prior to Trump’s election as the 45th president in 2016? Is the UK, under the merry control of Boris and his Brexiteer friends, in a better place as a result of the outcome of the 2016 referendum to leave the E.U? And how have Sinn Fein performed in Government in Northern Ireland?
