Janan Ganesh he is probably my favorite news commentator. In a recent column, he debunks the widespread belief that the rise of the hard right around the world is a reaction to neoliberalism:
Rightwing populism is on the rise in France, perhaps the most economically liberal country in the rich world. Government spending there reaches more than half of the national product. The share that goes on in social protection – cash benefits and so on – is similarly OECD-topping. On the other side of the Alps, the country of Italy is not far behind in general or social spending. The hard right just doesn’t win there. With power in the country. Meanwhile, in Australia, where the government is small, mainstream political parties have stagnated. The centre-left is in power.
Ganesh also discusses the idea that the problem is the loss of manufacturing jobs. He points out that the extreme right has recently gained more in Germany, where manufacturing is a much higher share of GDP than in other western countries. He then added:
And if that sounds strange, consider neighboring Austria, which may be the most confusing story in the west. It has a very high level of public spending and a manufacturing sector almost on par with Germany’s and the prevailing hard right.
Ganesh then raises some interesting questions about the politics of neoliberalism in the US:
What makes the Democrats think that America wants or needs economic reform? The slogan “Build Back Better” refers to the widespread unhappiness with the pre-Covid world that didn’t exist. On the eve of the pandemic, economic confidence was at an all-time high.
There is much to admire. Read everything.
PS. He is not discussing the developing world, but the political shift to the right in India and China is also consistent with his view. It seems too far-fetched to view the rise of Modi and Xi as a reaction to “neoliberalism” in India and China.
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