How To Tell The Difference Between Populism And FascismTrump isn't Hitler. Obama (probably) isn't Chamberlain. But Piers Brendon’s book, 'The Dark Valley,' has valuable lessons about the rise of fascism in the 1930s that are useful today.M.G. Oprea
Picture this. Several nations, long slumbering, are stirring to take their place as global powers and assert their will over their would-be spheres of influence. Meanwhile, an economic crisis has led major powers to be more concerned with problems at home than with dangers abroad. Because of these uncertainties, many countries have turned toward populist leaders who embrace nationalism as a balm for the ailments of the people.
This could just as easily be a description of of today as it is the 1930s. A wave of nationalism is sweeping Europe and the U.S., the international order is in disarray, and a growing number of countries are rejecting economic globalism and embracing protectionism. That’s why Piers Brendon’s book, The Dark Valley: A Panorama of the 1930s, chronicling the lead-up the second world war, should be required reading. Although published nearly 17 years ago, it serves both as a reminder of our past and a warning for our future.
But I’d like to get out in front of something before proceeding. Our society has a tendency to compare anyone we don’t like with Hitler, which inevitably leads to protests over how this overstatement waters down the Nazi leader’s terrible crimes against humanity. That’s a valid point. But what goes out with the bathwater, so to speak, is the ability to talk reasonably about the parallels between the years leading up to World War II and today, including isolationism, appeasement, the economy, and populism.
Making these comparisons, even if they require referencing “Hitler” or “Mussolini,” is not the same as equating someone with either of these totalitarian leaders. Given the scale and human suffering caused by World War II, nothing could be more natural than to look for similarities between the years that preceded that war and the times we live in today. Who wouldn’t want to call attention to those similarities if there were a chance it might halt the road to war, no matter how distant? Trump is not Hitler. Obama is (probably) not Chamberlain. But that doesn’t mean the 1930s, the rise of the Nazi party, and the terrible pursuit of appeasement shouldn’t concern us today as we survey the state of the world.
more at:
http://thefederalist.com/2017/02/03/tell-difference-populism-fascism/
