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Page added on December 8, 2016
Bolshiness Is Back
The Economist has a look at the slide towards deglobalisation in their “World In 2016” edition – Bolshiness Is Back. I’m not sure raising the spectre of Lenin and communism makes much sense though, given that the global left is basically dead and the threat to the liberal order is coming entirely from right wing authoritarian nationalists.
The global economy has delivered too many of its benefits to the richest: in America, the proportion of after-tax income going to the top 1% doubled from 8% in 1979 to 17% in 2007. And in many ways the future looks worse. Productivity growth has slowed. Unless this can be changed, politics will inevitably become a struggle over dividing up the pie. Tech giants such as Google and Amazon enjoy market shares not seen since the late 19th century, the era of the robber barons.How can liberals save what is left of the liberal order? Part of the solution lies in being more vigorous in its defence—for example, pointing out that globalisation has lifted millions out of poverty and that reversing it will make today’s economic woes much worse. Part of the solution lies in exposing liberalism’s enemies as the paper tigers that they are: Mr Putin, in particular, presides, by fear and fraud, over a country whose economic power is stalling and whose people are plagued by poverty and illness. Other strongmen around the world are far less tough than they claim.
But liberalism’s champions must do more than just repeat tired mantras. They need to take worries about immigration more seriously and check their instinct to ride roughshod over minorities such as evangelical Christians. They also need to redouble their efforts to fix capitalism’s most obvious problems. High levels of inequality are threatening stability. Economic concentration is allowing companies to extract record profits. Overregulation is driving businesspeople to distraction. The revival of bolshiness has already taken a terrible toll. Liberals need to think more clearly, and act more forcefully, to stop the rot.
19 Comments on "Bolshiness Is Back"
Dredd on Thu, 8th Dec 2016 6:53 am
Shapes are shifting like sand dunes in the desert, when the pressures of winds get artistic (Is A New Age Of Pressure Upon Us? – 9).
Davy on Thu, 8th Dec 2016 7:50 am
Liberalism found in its corrupted status quo form is a failure. Conservatism failed before liberalism with the Republicans and their neocon boosters. The coming surge of economic and political nationalism is a hybrid of this failure. I call it a hybrid because liberal democracy and market based capitalism cannot be walked away from. Instead we will see nationalism exert it’s influenced with trade battles and bilateral alliances. This is not conducive to globalism and it is only globalism at this point that can maintain the minimum operating levels of economic activity required to support our global system. This global system is faced with tremendous problems with a growing population. It must grow and it must grow enough to battle entropic decay and failures.
Forces of liberalism have corrupted and are destructing across the globe with reactionary political movements. The new world order of the neocons and conservatism was been dealt a blow earlier and now the failures are with liberalism. They were one in the same in many ways and were once somewhat balanced. They were locked in their own battles to transfer as much wealth as possible between each other. Now the cards are being played by a new set of actors against this liberal/conservative group.
Economic and political nationalist will not save globalism or growth. In fact they will hasten decline. There is no economic or political direction that can save globalism. Any disruptive effects of nationalism may only hasten this process of a decaying global system without good decisions. The question is will this process be hastened or will it be slowed by nationalism? Nationalism has some good points in regards to the collapse process. Nationalism is inward focusing so it points towards regionalism and more importantly localism. These are essential to survival if globalism fails. But the inward focus of nationalism will mean little if the process is destructive without alternative structures to take over. If nationalism helps regionalism and localism in this respect nationalism could be beneficial.
Anyone who thinks the old status quo will give up easily is being deceived by their own optimism. The forces of the old status quo are far too powerful to give up easily. This will turn out to be a very volatile period economically and politically. One of the few benefits I see is American and Russian détente. Yet, will this be of much help if a cold war erupts between China and the US? I would be willing to say this process will hasten the process of collapse because it is disruptive at a time when disruption is bad for stability. Capitalism used to talk about destructive change being constructive by unleashing innovation. This is no longer the case form this point on destructive change is only destructive.
paulo1 on Thu, 8th Dec 2016 9:45 am
US… surveillance police state
China…police state
Russia…police state
UK….CCTV everywhere!!! Police State.
Every European country has visible patrolling military on streets with surveillance of all kinds. Lists are being kept, and feel free to put any name you wish on those lists.
Egypt? KSA? SA? The police surveillance state is omnipresent throughout the world with very very few exceptions.
Benefits to citizens have been demonized with terms like ‘entitlements’, while ample tax revenus have already been raided by the elites. Now, those same elites are in Govt throughout the world, particulary in Trump’s new cabinet.
The only coups left for the elites to make are outright physical attacks on protestors. And in the US, these protestors may well be armed. Police are now being ambushed on a regular basis.
Hitler nailed the intelligentsia, the Press, trade unions, and political opponents. Now we see the President-Elect publicly attacking the press, unions, dissenters, while holding ‘Victory Rallies’. All we need is a different flag and a few seig heils and the picture would be complete.
This is not ending well. This is the time to make serious plans for your future in direct relationship to where you live. Think about getting your head down and getting the hell out to somewhere….anywhere.
penury on Thu, 8th Dec 2016 9:47 am
I am so pleased that they managed to mention how terrible Putin is, did I miss how Trump is going to destroy the world?
Cloggie on Thu, 8th Dec 2016 10:20 am
pointing out that globalisation has lifted millions out of poverty and that reversing it will make today’s economic woes much worse.
It isn’t globalization that lifted millions out of poverty. What really lifted millions out of poverty is the combination of technology and fossil fuel. Globalization (=global free trade + easy travelling) merely ensured that goodies produced elsewhere were delivered around the globe. But globalization is also another word for (transportation) technology + large amounts of free energy.
Nothing illustrates the new situation in a single picture better than this:
http://tinyurl.com/huamkoc
The average Westerner sits on top of a small army of 100-150 virtual energy slaves that invisibly does most of the work for him.
Stalin’s rise to power; the death of more than 20m people as a result of the collectivisation of agriculture and forced industrialisation; and, partly in reaction to communism, the rise of Hitler, Mussolini and Franco.
No, not partly, but 100% (in the case of Germany it was also in reaction to the heinous Versailles treaty), but we are not going to hear Economist=London about that one of course.
How can liberals save what is left of the liberal order? Part of the solution lies in being more vigorous in its defence—for example, pointing out that globalisation has lifted millions out of poverty and that reversing it will make today’s economic woes much worse.
You can’t save it, so please roll over and die, your liberal times are up, dear Economist (1843). The consequence of globalization and relatively easy transport are enormous flows of migrants, sold by the liberal-commie Economist types as “refugees”, who have become a huge threat for the peoples of the North, who see their collective identities melting away and their societies degrading by the newcomers (Mozart being replaced by Death Grips).
Part of the solution lies in exposing liberalism’s enemies as the paper tigers that they are: Mr Putin, in particular, presides, by fear and fraud, over a country whose economic power is stalling and whose people are plagued by poverty and illness.
Really? Vladimir the Great is enjoying consistent high approval ratings during his entire long reign, much in contrast to the hated liberal losers like Hollande, Merkel, Obama, Camoron, Renzi and the rest of the liberal rabble. The Russians are better off than ever and could even do better if it weren’t for these sanctions imposed by the liberals of this world.
They need to take worries about immigration more seriously
Like how? Halting migration altogether? Of course not. The Economist Bolshies remain what they always have been: globalists, a decent word for the largest humanitarian catastrophe in history: Bolshevism. They will never stop immigration. As we all remember, London was a loyal ally of the Bolsheviks ever since 1934, when Churchill began to plot with Soviet-Russia for the destruction of Germany. On page 55 of the book by the Soviet Jew Ivan Maisky, who happened to be the Soviet ambassador to London during the thirties and the war we can find this gem:
p55 – I do not know who was responsible for the meeting between Churchill and myself, Churchill or Vansittart: but it is a fact that on that warm July evening in 1934 the six of us were seated at table talking about various current topics. When after coffee the ladies, according to British custom, withdrew to the drawing-room, and only the three men remained at table, a more serious conversation began. During this conversation Churchill frankly explained his position to me:
‘The British Empire/ said Churchill, ‘is my be-all and end-all. What is good for the British Empire is good for me too; what is bad for the British Empire is had for me… In 1919 I considered that the greatest danger to the British Empire was your country, and therefore I was an enemy of your country. Now I consider that the greatest danger for the British Empire is Germany, and therefore now I am an enemy of Germany. At the same time I consider that Hitler is making ready to expand not only against us but also to the east, against you. Why should we not join forces to combat our common enemy? I have been an adversary of Communism, and remain its adversary, but for the sake of the integrity of the British Empire I am ready to cooperate with the Soviets.
http://tinyurl.com/hrz6jpn
(Ivan Maisky – “Who helped Hitler?”)
Also in 1934, Churchill and Roosevelt were in agreement that the US and UK would eventually be at war with Germany.
But that was 1934. The fools of the Economist are located at 25 St James’s Street, London, SW1A 1HG, that is in the middle of the Londinistan. Warning, graphic:
http://tinyurl.com/zcsulag
The new rulers of London couldn’t care less about the Economist’s liberalism, they wipe their *** with it. Sharia is next as well as efforts to secede from Britain.
We couldn’t care less about still more economic growth if the price for that is being taken over by the third world, got that?
#HappinessIsAWarmGun
Bolshevism was an uprising of the lowest Russian classes, led by… em … foreigners, against the upper layers of society who had lost the war against Germany in 1917. That won’t return. The next struggle will be between ethnic groups, all over the West.
Vladimir Lenin is mega out
Samuel Huntington is mega in
Cloggie on Thu, 8th Dec 2016 10:38 am
Vienna calling (“Old Europe”):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qy9HHn2dX74
Death Gripps (face of liberalism):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BinKCtUTWBA
Apneaman on Thu, 8th Dec 2016 11:59 am
All hail Globalism and it’s life improving promises.
US life expectancy declines for first time in 20 years
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-38247385
Anonymous on Thu, 8th Dec 2016 12:16 pm
Well, seems Putin is the worst leader alive(or ever?), oppressing his impoverish downtrodden people (who imposed all those sanctions again?). CHRISTIAN FUNDAMENTALISTS are a persecuted minority in need of special protection (ROFL).
And best of all, globalists have been transformed into ‘liberals’. At least according this bit of web-nonsense.
Mike on Thu, 8th Dec 2016 2:49 pm
Cloggie – You’re bonkers
Apneaman on Thu, 8th Dec 2016 4:16 pm
Half of Americans are “shut off from economic growth”
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/half-of-americans-are-shut-off-from-economic-growth/
Maybe they will organize one day, take over and build some guillotines (they’re eco friendly).
bug on Thu, 8th Dec 2016 4:55 pm
Ap, you know it as most do, the Americans cut off from economic growth voted it onto themselves, they pulled their own guillotine cord.
makati1 on Thu, 8th Dec 2016 7:14 pm
bug, when TPTB control the money, voting makes no difference in what happens. Voting is bullshit. It changes nothing. Your ignorance / brainwashing is showing. Guillotines are cheap to make and can be made in most any garage workshop.
Boat on Thu, 8th Dec 2016 7:49 pm
Immigration during high unemployment sparking political change is not anti globalism. Cleaning up pollution from bunker fuels (2020) is a perfect example of globalism. Who out there is well read enough to name some organizations that set global rules.
Anonymous on Thu, 8th Dec 2016 8:37 pm
Who out there is well read? Guess that disqualifies you right away boat…
Apneaman on Thu, 8th Dec 2016 9:05 pm
The bugs are back and will, within a lifetime, reclaim their throne as the rulers of the earth.
A Terrifying Superbug Just Showed Up on a US Farm for the First Time
The bacteria found in a hog operation is resistant even to some of our most powerful antibiotics.
“More than 70 percent of the antibiotics consumed in the United States go to livestock farms, one of the main triggers driving a rising crisis of antibiotic resistance in human medicine.
On Tuesday, researchers from Ohio State University published an alarming finding in a peer-reviewed journal: On a US hog farm, they found bacteria that can withstand a crucial family of antibiotics. Carbapenems, as they are known, are a “last line of defense” against bacterial pathogens that can resist other antibiotics, the paper notes. Worse still, the gene that allowed the bacteria to resist carbapenems turned up in a plasmid—small chunks of DNA found in bacterial cells. Plasmid-carried genes bounce easily from one bacterial strain to another, meaning that carbapenem resistance is highly mobile—making it more likely to find its way into bacterial pathogens that infect people.”
http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2016/12/another-novel-superbug-shows-us-hog-farm
makati1 on Thu, 8th Dec 2016 9:39 pm
Hog diseases can easily jump to humans as they are the most like humans in the animal kingdom. They are so close that their heart valves can be implanted in humans, giving them many more years of life.
Mother Nature has the most deadly weapons outside of nuclear. And they are relentless. Many of the diseases that were thought to be eradicated in the last century are coming back with a vengeance and we are running out of ways to control them.
Tens of millions of humans move around the planet everyday at 500+ mph. They carry everything to all points of the earth. No place is safe from pestilence and plague. The “war” with nature has just begun.
makati1 on Thu, 8th Dec 2016 9:43 pm
BTW: If you have traveled to foreign places lately, you will remember being asked, on the form you fill out before you enter the U$, if you have been on a farm during your visit or been exposed to farm animals. Do you really believe anyone is going to answer in the affirmative and go through interrogation and maybe quarantine? LMAO
HARM on Fri, 9th Dec 2016 2:43 am
“More than 70 percent of the antibiotics consumed in the United States go to livestock farms…”
We’ve known this for years, doctors and scientists have been speaking out about the dangers of mass use of ABs for factory-penned sickly farm animals. And yet… not a peep out of cowardly Democrats or Big Agra-suckling Republicans. Easily avoided by using other better methods to control disease (free range farming for example) and much better for the poor animal.
At this point we pretty much deserve to go extinct. We’re doing it to ourselves.
bug on Fri, 9th Dec 2016 9:31 am
Yes mak, I am brainwashed and ignorant as you say, but you are all wise and knowing? Thanks for your opinion. I didn’t even vote in the 2016 shit show , as it was meaningless.