The World Must Fathom ‘Trumpism’ – Whatever The Election Result – University of Canterbury
Even if American President Donald Trump loses this week’s election, the damage he has done to politics is something the United States – and the world – will have to reconcile in the years to come, says University of Canterbury (UC) Associate Professor of Sociology Mike Grimshaw.
He has edited a special collection about Trump for Continental Thought & Theory, which brings together thinkers from America, Brazil and Aotearoa New Zealand, (including UC colleagues Associate Professor Peter Field and Dr Cindy Zeiher) to consider ‘The Problem of Trump & Trumpism’.
“Whether a one-term or two-term president, Trump has fundamentally changed not only America, but also the world, demonstrating that no democracy is immune to the dangers of populism, for such issues lurk everywhere within modernity and capitalism,” Associate Professor Grimhaw writes in the introduction to the collection.
Aiming for a space between scholarly articles and newspaper opinion pieces, he calls the collection “a set of serious reflections on what Trump and Trumpism represent – and threaten – in the world today”.
There are many theories as how Donald Trump, a businessman with no military or public office experience, was elected to the Presidency and how he manages to maintain popularity. This is despite his well-documented incompetence – or is it because of that?
In her essay Dr Zeiher notes the President’s “scarcely articulate, trigger happy tweets” and a “huge bumbling ego, perversely more concerned with retaining power than engaging with the political welfare of the state”.
“We feel duped by this unlovely, capitalist misogynist and frustrated by his incompetence to lead a nation,” she writes. “Yet what happens in the USA has huge social, cultural and political effects on many other parts of the world.”
Associate Professor Grimshaw summaries the theories: “A constant theme arose that Trump was a symbol of a crisis in American – and perhaps Western – democracy.”
Meanwhile, Associate Professor Field compares Trump to the outsider president Andrew Jackson, elected almost 200 years earlier. “The democracy did not seek to elevate Jackson to the presidency despite his lack of elite credentials. They elected him because of it. The same for Trump in 2016. As with Old Hickory, The Donald seems a most unlikely underdog or outsider,” he writes.
Ultimately, however, the problem is bigger than Trump. Associate Professor Grimshaw explores “why the problem of Trump has arisen – and to what larger and deeper issues may it point to?”
Perhaps, as Dr Zeiher suggests, Trump is the outrageous public figure we love to hate, with ever-growing passion. “In the case of Trump, we might say that while some enjoy his authority, others enjoy expressing their outrage, both of which are over time caught in an ongoing circuit of repetition and intensification.”
Further, complementary international resource:
https://europeanforum.eu/online-2020/registration-2020/
The European Forum of Leftist, Green and Progressive forces is a unique political space: an open, plural and participatory dialogue between left-wing, green and progressive groups, from political parties to trade unions and community campaigns. The forum brings together people from around Europe, and beyond, to address the health, social, economic and environmental crises facing the continent.
The Covid-19 pandemic hit Europe full force. Tens of thousands of Europeans have died. This crisis has revealed major flaws in our public health systems undermined for years by austerity policies. Millions of workers are now facing poverty and unemployment.
Europe’s reaction to the crisis was uncoordinated and lacked solidarity. The European Union’s current model of ever-deepening competition has shown to be woefully inadequate in tackling the pandemic, its economic impact and the climate crisis. Short-term profits can no longer take priority over the future of people and planet.
The Covid-19 pandemic demands that we change course. We need a Europe committed to sustainable social and environmental development; a Europe focused on improving life for the majority, saving the climate and protecting biodiversity.
What started as a health crisis has now become a global economic downturn—underpinned by the failure of the EU to mount a radical response. That failure makes it all the more urgent for Europe’s progressives to come together and chart an alternative way forward.
Together, we will oppose the same old remedies of cuts, austerity and war. The people of Europe will not be made to pay, once again, for a crisis we did not cause. By coming together, sharing our struggles and building new alliances we can change Europe’s direction towards a fairer, greener economy and more equitable and more just society.
Although Trump is a Rude Crude and Unattractive figure , I submit that the damage that his presidency has done to democracy’s and America’s image has not been done by him but by the extraordinary efforts of the opposition and the media to get rid of him as the duly elected president of the united states . the unceasing campaign of vilification has damaged the institution of both the presidency and democracy is of far more significance than the damage to the individual. The democratic choice of the people has been derisively scorned. How differently might his presidency have evolved with support from the establishment.
Considering ” ‘The Problem of Trump & Trumpism’.” is not going to reach much enlightenment if it only looks at Trump.
D J S
Totally agree David.
One of the things that makes me as an old fashioned Leftist laugh at is Leftist academics lack of insight. The rise of “populism” that they fret about is based upon current Lefts unpopularity. If the Left was popular would it not by definition be populist?
But the Left isn’t popular, particularly with old Leftists. And the stupid academics can’t see over the ridiculous theories of Foulcaut and Derrida who when faced with the reality of the Soviet crimes jumped ship and became post Marxist, same leopard , different spots. Critical theory followed. Its now adopted in various forms for every identity group. As a Leftist concept it is vacuous, and more importantly doesn’t give work and wages to labouring people.
The genius of “stupid thick dumb populist” Trump is that he could see this whilst clever high IQ intellectuals and academic types couldn’t see what was right before their eyes.
@Nick J, surely, I like your questioning of the term ‘populist’ as it is indeed often used to discredit critical opinion, if those is shared by the masses. Naturally, too, there must be a rational link between popular opinion and democratic voting, otherwise how would minority become majority.
But I fail to see why or how the works of Michel Foucault and Jacques Derrida, or the approach of the Critical Theory, should have contributed to ‘unpopularity’ of the Left. Those philosophies are valid and necessary part of a dialogue of positions within the more intellectual Left, especially in reflection to existing ‘orthodox’ opinions.
Looking back over the past 40 years, I would support your thought that the more socioeconomic Left in western societies has been very weak to make the case of the working classes.
Yes, Donald Trump has demonstrated a good sense of the mood and conditioning of those exhausting their lives throughout US capitalism.
Hire and fire.
… I would never recommend to vote for Biden either.
Its the WWF syndrome Americans are a neanderthal society dumbed down to the point of absolute insanity and stupidity. Oh sure there are some good ones but the majority ffn idiots.