To think that the outcome of the recent presidential election turned solely, or close to solely, on economic matters fails to appreciate the role of cultural backlash in motivating voters and their choices.
“Before the establishment of a fascist dictatorship, bourgeois governments usually pass through a number of preliminary stages and adopt a number of reactionary measures which directly facilitate the accession to power of fascism. Whoever does not fight the reactionary measures of the bourgeoisie and the growth of fascism at these preparatory stages is not in a position to prevent the victory of fascism, but, on the contrary, facilitates that victory.” (Georgi Dimitrov, United Front against War and Fascism)
Contrary to what some think, Trump’s victory in the recent election isn’t tantamount to the election of a fascist or fascist like government. It may well evolve in that direction, but as Dimitrov makes clear, the establishment of such a government isn’t a foregone conclusion. Indeed, it will be a contested process between competing and unstable cross class political coalitions with the advantage in the near term lying with the coalition headed by Trump and MAGA.
Judging only by the names and resumes of Trump’s proposals to fill top government positions, this isn’t a normal transition of power from one democratic government to another. The incoming administration doesn’t fit on the same bourgeois democratic continuum of its predecessors. To put it another way, it’s a different political species, precisely what kind we can’t say at this moment, but that will come into view in the early going, I suspect.
What we can say, generally speaking, is that the new administration comfortably takes up space on another continuum that is right wing extremist, racist, misogynist, homo and transphobic, xenophobic, authoritarian, christian nationalist and led by a strongman. Will it be in the mold of Orban’s Hungry or Putin’s Russia? Or Mussolini’s Italy? Is Trump a fascist? He has many of the markings. In any case, brace for an assault of unprecedented scope and depth, the likes of which we have never seen.If I’m wrong, I will be so happily!
As I see it, Trump and his administration will largely set the agenda and shape the terrain of struggle as we move into the new year. The popular movements and coalitions will find themselves in a defensive posture, protecting rights and victories secured in earlier times from a right wing extremist authoritarian onslaught. At the top of the Trump administration to-do-list is his much promised assault on the immigrant community, the scale of which we haven’t seen in modern times, probably never. At the same time, I would be surprised if the administration doesn’t move quickly on other fronts as well — legislative, executive actions, trade wars, and the pruning of (or should I say taking a sledgehammer to) the federal government.
What isn’t clear to me is the degree to which the authoritarian, fascist minded strongman will use the state apparatus to exact retribution against his opponents in the state and society. Internationally, it is also hard to see anything good happening on Trump’s watch. In the current two war zones, both the Palestinians’ and Ukrainians’ battles for national rights and justice got more uphill, to say the least. The confrontation with China will likely grow worse as will the political and economic tensions with Canada and Western Europe. Trade wars will break out. The further ascendancy and aggressiveness of right wing authoritarian rule at a global level will gain new momentum and confidence. Any hope of minimizing the worst effects of climate change will be lost. Finally, collective efforts to address global poverty and the proliferation and control of nuclear weapons will flounder.
Against this congealing storm of vengeance, retribution, economic contradictions, war, and counterrevolution, the challenge, it seems evident, is to reassemble at the local, state, and national level the far flung coalition — including Never Trumpers — that took shape in the course of the just completed election. Such a reassembly should include people who sat out the election and Trump voters who hopefully become disaffected by the policies of the incoming administration. In other words, the resistance/opposition to Trump and his underlings in the early going won’t be the singular property of the left or progressives, even broadly understood.
The field, instead, will be crowded and the forms of struggle will be many. And the Democratic Party will be in the middle of the mix. Only a big ship with more than one captain can navigate the country to a safe harbor and a just future in current circumstances. And while we don’t have either Lincoln or Douglass or Tubman onboard this time, we have a rainbow of able, astute, and democratic minded leaders to steer the ship through stormy seas to a safe harbor where freedom bells, we hope, will once again begin to ring!
As I see it, Trump and his administration will largely set the agenda and shape the terrain of struggle as we move into the new year. The popular movements and coalitions will find themselves in a defensive posture, protecting rights and victories secured in earlier times from a right wing extremist authoritarian onslaught.
At the top of the Trump administration to-do-list is his much promised assault on the immigrant community, the scale of which we haven’t seen in modern times, probably never. At the same time, I would be surprised if the administration doesn’t move quickly on other fronts as well — legislative, executive actions, trade wars, and the pruning of (or should I say taking a sledgehammer to) the federal government.
What isn’t clear to me is the degree to which the authoritarian strongman will use the state apparatus to exact retribution against his opponents in the state and society.
Internationally, it is also hard to see anything good happening on Trump’s watch. In the current two war zones, both the Palestinians’ and Ukrainians’ battles for national rights and justice got more uphill, to say the least. The confrontation with China will likely grow worse as will the political and economic tensions with Canada and Western Europe. Trade wars will break out. The further ascendancy and aggressiveness of right wing authoritarian rule at a global level will gain new momentum and confidence. Any hope of minimizing the worst effects of climate change will be lost. Finally, collective efforts to address global poverty and the proliferation and control of nuclear weapons will flounder further.
Against this fast forming storm of vengeance, retribution, economic contradictions, war, and counterrevolution, the challenge, it seems evident, is to reassemble at the local, state, and national level the far flung coalition — including Never Trumpers — that took shape in the course of the election. Such a reassembly should include people who sat it out and Trump voters who hopefully become disaffected by the actions of the incoming administration.
In other words, the resistance/opposition to Trump and his underlings in the early going won’t be the singular property of the left or progressives, even broadly understood. The field, instead, will be crowded. And the Democratic Party will be in the middle of the mix. Only a big ship with more than one captain can navigate the country to a safe harbor and a just future in current circumstances. And while we don’t have either Lincoln or Douglass or Tubman onboard this time, we have a rainbow of able, astute, and democratic minded leaders to steer the ship through stormy seas to a safe harbor where freedom bells, we hope, will once again begin to ring!
