In the Romanian presidential elections we just had, we have a fascist extreme right-wing candidate who got 1st place (note that we have a 2 round election system and this was only the first round). He appeared out of nowhere with a TikTok campaign, he didn’t have a traditional ad campaign, he didn’t participate in any debates, a lot of people who don’t use TikTok haven’t even heard about him. We will know in 2 weeks if we become fascist or not.
There are 2 problems. First is the hybrid war going on. The western world needs to do better. Ban TikTok and take drastic measures to limit the spread of misinformation and propaganda on social media.
The second big problem is that western leaders are ignoring the real problems affecting average people. The out of control immigration (the problem isn’t with the people immigrating, but with a system unable to integrate them into the rest of the society), rising costs, unaffordable housing, huge tax burden are real problems that aren’t being addressed. People are rightfully angry with the current leaders and are looking for alternatives. But most people aren’t very smart or care enough about politics, so they are easy prey to propaganda and extremist groups that are calling out these problems.
In my opinion, what stresses people is not rising costs etc…it is the eroding of quality of life that they are used to.
Rising costs are only a problem if wages are stagnant or as is often the case, falling in real terms.
Unaffordable housing is a major systemic issue, mainly being caused by inadequate supply. We have major issues in NZ with crazy house prices. The problem of high housing costs can’t be solved quickly.
Huge tax burden is again not a problem if the social contract is being upheld. But as is often the case, the social contract is being eroded. We are paying the same tax as we were last year, but suddenly the services we receive for that money are reduced or removed.
For example in New Zealand, the previous government removed the co-payment on prescriptions from the pharmacy. The current government has brought it back, services have gotten worse over the time also…
A hopeful/sustainable country can tolerate immigration. Higher birth rates requires affordability of having children, and immigration fills the lower ranks of the power/labour hierarchy while permitting more affordability to natives who might have better access to education.
Societies that corruptly subjugate themselves to a hedgemon that inflicts war and climate destruction against people it teaches you to hate, but who also emigrate to your society, creates conflict that will deflect from the hate your hegemon wants your natives to internalize.
When a society does not feel being on the verge of collapse, investing in education and immigration is worth it. Future benefits of growth and prosperity will result. Right, center, left governments everywhere are corruptly managing collapse. The only countries doing well economically are those who are not subjecting themselves to US hegemony, and pursuing independence. Most of these countries get labeled as fascist by the deeply subjugated and their hedgemon.
The propaganda of hate is global, even if targeted domestically. The propaganda of hedgemonic subjugation is also global, but the collapsing corruption that is supported, helps hate win.
When your society has chosen total subjugated marriage/alliance to the US, Trump comes along to tell you what a worthless undevoted parasite you are, and the likely response from your leaders will be to destroy your country further, and enable fascism to gain traction, even if the fascist wing can distract from the collapsing subjugation to continue the subjugation.
In the Romanian presidential elections we just had, we have a fascist extreme right-wing candidate who got 1st place (note that we have a 2 round election system and this was only the first round). He appeared out of nowhere with a TikTok campaign, he didn’t have a traditional ad campaign, he didn’t participate in any debates, a lot of people who don’t use TikTok haven’t even heard about him. We will know in 2 weeks if we become fascist or not.
There are 2 problems. First is the hybrid war going on. The western world needs to do better. Ban TikTok and take drastic measures to limit the spread of misinformation and propaganda on social media.
The second big problem is that western leaders are ignoring the real problems affecting average people. The out of control immigration (the problem isn’t with the people immigrating, but with a system unable to integrate them into the rest of the society), rising costs, unaffordable housing, huge tax burden are real problems that aren’t being addressed. People are rightfully angry with the current leaders and are looking for alternatives. But most people aren’t very smart or care enough about politics, so they are easy prey to propaganda and extremist groups that are calling out these problems.
In my opinion, what stresses people is not rising costs etc…it is the eroding of quality of life that they are used to.
For example in New Zealand, the previous government removed the co-payment on prescriptions from the pharmacy. The current government has brought it back, services have gotten worse over the time also…
A hopeful/sustainable country can tolerate immigration. Higher birth rates requires affordability of having children, and immigration fills the lower ranks of the power/labour hierarchy while permitting more affordability to natives who might have better access to education.
Societies that corruptly subjugate themselves to a hedgemon that inflicts war and climate destruction against people it teaches you to hate, but who also emigrate to your society, creates conflict that will deflect from the hate your hegemon wants your natives to internalize.
When a society does not feel being on the verge of collapse, investing in education and immigration is worth it. Future benefits of growth and prosperity will result. Right, center, left governments everywhere are corruptly managing collapse. The only countries doing well economically are those who are not subjecting themselves to US hegemony, and pursuing independence. Most of these countries get labeled as fascist by the deeply subjugated and their hedgemon.
The propaganda of hate is global, even if targeted domestically. The propaganda of hedgemonic subjugation is also global, but the collapsing corruption that is supported, helps hate win.
When your society has chosen total subjugated marriage/alliance to the US, Trump comes along to tell you what a worthless undevoted parasite you are, and the likely response from your leaders will be to destroy your country further, and enable fascism to gain traction, even if the fascist wing can distract from the collapsing subjugation to continue the subjugation.