It may
seem absurd to speak of Trumpism when Trump himself does not speak of
Trumpism. Indeed, Trump's surprising popularity is perhaps most
surprising insofar
as it appears to have been attained in the absence of anything
approximating a
Trumpian intellectual persuasion or conventionally partisan
organization.
Yet, Trump's unique charisma notwithstanding, it is simply impossible
for
a candidate to have motivated such a passionate following for so long by
dint
of sheer personality or media antics alone.
Whatever
might be said of the media’s treatment of Trump, it has been remarkable in at
least one respect: Michael Brendan Dougherty of The Week, along with Rush Limbaugh, actually uncovered the closest
thing to what could be described as the source of Trumpian thought in the
writings of Sam Francis. This discovery
is most importantly a rediscovery of themes quite prevalent in both academic
and political discourse not many decades ago, specifically a critique of the
managerial economy and global bureaucratic elite. Despite their conspicuous absence from
political discussion in recent years, these ideas, especially in Francis’
writing, not only clarify the significance of Trump’s popularity but provide
the best explanation and justification for the broader disaffection underlying
politics today.
Trumpism is easy to define. It is the exact opposite of socialism.
ReplyDeleteWell said.
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