Toby on Tuesday

 

'Emotional Roots' 

 

 

                                                  photo:Daily Mail

Speaking in the House of Commons on Armistice Day – 11th November – 1947 Winston Churchill declared, “Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all the others!”   And last week in the same chamber the process began for Britain to regain her democracy.   Negotiations with the EU and its allies in our own country will not be easy, but thanks to the courage and integrity of countless ordinary British men and women our democracy will prevail.   The beauty of nation state democracy is that every four or five years, when our rulers make a hash of things, we can kick them out.   Yet in all those supranational institutions, of which the EU is the most egregious, the corrupt and incompetent simply cannot be dismissed.   Of course in so doing they sow the seeds of their own downfall, which is what is now happening across Europe.   First in Britain, then in America and this year across the Continent, nation state democracy is reasserting its strength and the self-serving supranational manipulators are in retreat.   What they seek to discredit as ‘populism’ is simply democracy at work.   And in regaining our democracy we must learn to regain control of the language of political discourse from those who have colonised it, always subjecting evidence and experience to the tyranny of political correctness.   After Brexit, that will be the great prize.

 

Now last week I wrote about what H.G. Wells called “Liberal Fascism” or “Enlightened Nazism”, with its call for global government, the end of national borders and supranational institutions.   And I mentioned Jonah Goldberg’s 2008 American publication, “Liberal Fascism:  The Secret History of the American Left, From Mussolini to the Politics of Meaning.”   You only have to see last week’s riots at the University of California, Berkeley against the presence there of a supporter of President Trump to understand just what Jonah Goldberg means.   In essence, his argument is that “liberals” today have their emotional and doctrinal roots in 20th century European fascism and he presents his case with wit and authority,   Evidence, language, thought is only tolerated by the new Left when it supports the “progressive” narrative.  Yet the tide is turning and, with Brexit, views which were taboo last June can at last be openly expressed.   For example Germany has become the dominant force within the EU, prepared to break all the rules to assert that dominance, yet any criticism of German policy has until now been a no-go area.   

 

The truth is that Germany with its current account surplus of 8.8% of GDP distorts the whole world economy.   Indeed under EU law persistent surpluses for three years in a row above 6.0% of GDP are illegal, but Berlin has always treated EU rules with total impunity.   One benefit of Brexit will be to end the myth of “European solidarity” and expose the whole rotten edifice for what it is.   And this year the voters of Europe will follow Britain and reclaim their own nation state democracy, something that will underscore our own EU negotiations in the years ahead.

 

So for UKIP the challenge now is to develop a whole raft of new policies based on clear evidence and the practical consequences of what is proposed, rather than some politically correct fantasy.   And to return to President Trump, the truth is that in November the great majority of the American people were simply not prepared to risk seeing any member of the Clinton or Mezvinski families anywhere near the White House.   To understand why, you only have to google The Clinton Foundation, Bill and Hillary Clinton or Chelsea Clinton Mezvinski.   Instead the U.S. electorate either abstained, voted for a fringe candidate or put their trust in Donald Trump.   The coming years will see whether that trust was deserved.   But the real point is that towards the end of 2020 the Democratic Party will have another chance to field a credible candidate for the Presidency.   It’s called democracy and, in Winston Churchill’s words, it’s the worst form of government, except for all the others!

 

Until next Tuesday!

Toby