G. B.Gaffari

Despite the predictions of most pundits and polls in USA and Britain(1), Donald Trump and the Leave campaign in United Kingdom won the recent elections and the “Brexit” referendum respectively. These two important events have sent a strong shock wave throughout the word, and have compelled many pollsters, pundits, and political commentators to re- evaluate their understanding of social and political changes that had escaped their eyes previously. These, stealth but real, changes are generally caused by globalization and particularly eventuated from Obama's weak policies, which has created suitable ground for the rise of Islamic terrorism, has made many social groups, predominantly working and middle class whites, who are losing their privileges and feeling left behind, unsatisfied and angry. Even though the causes of rise of populist far-right groups and politicians in these two countries and other European countries differ slightly, It is obvious that there are some common reasons for both. These include economic problems, a sense of insecurity, the rise of nationalism, xenophobia, and anti-immigration sentiments that have lured a considerable portion of the population into the arms of the radical ideas in several western countries. To sum up, it appears that globalization and the reactions to its negative consequences are the most important cause of the rise of radical right in the West. This phenomena has multiple aspects that could be simplified into three main categories, reactions to global economy, global culture, and global terrorism.

Reactions to Global Economy

The global economy and subsequent international trade agreements and open border policies, have formed a universal interdependent economic system which has undermined the sovereignty of national governments and has allowed the multinational companies permission to search for cheaper labour markets overseas. As a result, many factories in industrial countries are closed, and the jobs have been exported to the other countries. For instance, the closure of factories in industrial midwest USA has left many communities without jobs nor futures.These ex-factory workers need extra training in order to work in the other sectors of the economy, and since they do not have that, they can not find decent jobs(2). Furthermore, they have to compete with immigrants, both documented and undocumented, for what lower-paying jobs remain. In reaction to this situation, these workers are very angry at the establishment that has given away their jobs under the trade agreement treaties, and also at emigrants and refugees, who in their eyes, have taken their jobs away. This is one of the main causes for the rise of xenophobia and anti-immigration sentiment in USA that is exploited by Trump. Another example is Britain, where millions of people from mainland Europe are working. Of course, those English citizens who have to compete for the same jobs with the people who they consider foreign and unwelcome, are unhappy. They are the ones who voted for the Leave campaign, the “Brexit”, in past summer’s referendum. Therefore, it is clear that reactions to globalization have created a convenient environment for the growth of “nativist populism(1)” and radical right in many western democracies.

Reactions to Global Culture

Because of the advancement of technologies such as computers, smart phones, the internet, and satellite communications, our planet is indeed in the path of becoming a real global village.This evolution in turn has created a global culture. Eventually, all national cultures and identities will be integrated to a new culture that will represent the whole humanity as one. In reaction to the emergence of this new cultural era, the more traditional elements of societies, fear that they might lose their identities and way of life. This fear in Islamic world has become a hotbed for the rise of Islamic fundamentalism and terrorism, and in western democracies, people who “feel culturally under threat from ethnic change”(1) are turning to extreme nationalism, anti establishment, anti refugee and in general anti-foreigner sentiments. Even though younger generations, who are more connected to each other by social media, have become more tolerant to the diverse ethnicity, older generations, who are nostalgic to sense of greatness and of white cultural privileges, have become less tolerant to diversity. In the US election most white people over forty-five voted for Trump(3). There is a similar voting demographic pattern in Brexit, with an absolute majority of white people over fifty-three voting for the Leave campaign(1). As the above examples indicate, the reaction to the global culture, and sentiments aroused from it, is another reason for the rise of far right political parties success in the West.

Global Terrorism

On one hand, reactions to globalization in the Islamic world have resulted in the rise of fundamentalism and war in the Middle East, which subsequently has created a refugee crises in Europe(4). On the other hand, the weak policies of Obama and the rise of Iranian regime in the Middle East have created ISIS. ISIS terrorist attacks in USA and EU countries, to some extent have damaged the sense of public security. Since these attacks have been done under the name of Islam, the reaction of religious sectors of these societies has resulted in the rise of bigotry, and in particular Islamophobia. Also, because most of the refugees are coming from Islamic countries, fear of terrorist attacks and Islamophobia have turned a significant part of these societies against refugees. Furthermore, these crises have reinforced existing xenophobic and racist sentiments among some voters. In the USA, these negative sentiments have been exploited by politicians like Trump. These strong feelings have helped Trump to mobilize the “alt right”, and must republican behind himself. In Britain and mainland Europe, the anti-refugee sentiments are also very high among voters. Far right parties in France, Italy, Austria, Hungary, Sweden(4)… etc are fostering and exploiting these sentiments to utilize their elevation in public opinion and maximize their vote share. Thus, global terrorism, and the refugee crisis arising from it, are another reason for the rise of far right in the West.

The rise of far right in western democracies, which Trump and Brexit supporters owe their victory to, is mostly rooted in the weak Obama foreign policies, and negative reaction of considerable portion of the white population in these countries toward globalization. These people see themselves at the losing end of drastic changes that had been eventuated by globalization. They see that the new interdependent global economy is taking away their jobs and is undermining the sovereignty of their national governments, that relatively open border policies changing the demography of their societies, that global culture is taking away their sense of cultural “greatness” and their way of life that they consider to be superior, and their sense of security has been diminished by global terrorism. They feel that they are losing control over their countries. As a result, anti immigrant sentiments and extreme nationalism are on the rise. These sentiments are fostered and exploited by far right politicians, and they have successfully positioned themselves as an alternative to the status quo and establishment. That is why they are able to mobilize these discontented voters behind themselves.

1) Goodwin, Matthew. “Why Trump could still pull off a surprise?”.

Politico Magazine, October 16, 2016

http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/10/trump-win-election-brexit-right-wing-214359

(2) Korybko, Andrew. ”Here’s Why Donald Trump Won In America’s Midwestern “Rust Belt”.

Global Research, 11 November,2016

http://www.globalresearch.ca/heres-why-donald-trump-won-in-americas-midwestern-rust-belt/5556528