American Trumpism is disturbingly magnetic. Giving this unorthodox non-politician the responsibility of presiding over the administrative affairs of the United States of America national government marked a rejection by a large section of the American public to the direction that Washington had taken in meeting its constitutional obligations. It indicted two preceding presidents for diminishing the respect for their country on the world stage. And it condemned the self-serving millionaire political elite who sit in Congress, albeit with little effect.
One might even wonder if the grand experiment of the Constitution of the United States of America is now moribund – killed by the action of a Supreme Court that ruled that corporations are people when funding political campaigns. Such a perverse decision could only come from a body that is politically partisan rather than constitutionally protective. That one flaw shows how fragile democracy can be.
In 1892, there arose a uniquely American response to the self-serving Washington that has re-emerged in the U.S. today. At that time, the Populist Party was founded as an agrarian movement based in the American west and south. It targeted political machines and corporate monopolies that had taken control of Washington. It advocated for public control of railways, limitation to the amount of private land an individual could own and a graduated income tax. It merged into the Democratic Party four years later. The movement also joined the Republican Party in the American south.
The term ‘populism’ encompasses anti-elitist appeals against establishment governments or interests and has frequently been adopted by out-of-power political parties of all stripes. At the same time the term ‘populist’ and its political movements carry a negative connotation as it arises from frustration and always carries a negative message. Populists have been a frequent force in Latin America – such as Juan Peron, Fidel Castro and Hugo Chavez. The term ‘populist’ is also referred to in Russian politics as a member of a socio-political party advocating collectivism. Closer to home, the populist Western Canada Party and Reform Party of Canada were formed as protest movements against the governing Progressive Conservative Party of Canada because of its failure to deliver promised tax cuts and its handling of Quebec constitutional grievances. Positive or permanent outcomes are uncommon.
But most intriguing has been the Washington and New York press corps linking of populism and fascism as it applies to President Trump. Fascism has a Latin derivation denoting strength from unity when single rods are made into a bunch. Mussolini adopted this symbol when he formed the Fascist Party in response to Italy’s economic difficulties including getting trains to run on time, and with the vision of restoring the Roman Empire. The German National Socialist Party also took a populist stance as the Nazis protested the destruction of the German economy because of the Versailles Treaty – criticizing government and big business, mobilizing anti-Marxist and middle class protestors and promoting a European-wide master race. Populism can pave the way for evil totalitarian governments.
And now that the Supreme Court has ruled that every American has the constitutional right to own a gun will Trumpist populists raise a militia to take over Congress by force of arms? Absolutely not. But American democracy will remain unhealthy until the appointment process to the Supreme Court is sorted out.
Alan Murdock is a local pediatrician.
