The
European response to the financial crisis has produced a conglomerate of far
right parties across Europe that makes the Tea Party look like a benign
movement. The far right has wielded great power over European society and is on
the way to rise, the example of which is the far-right Front National victory
in the local by-elections in the town of Brignoles in southern France. The
European Parliamentary elections is set to take place in May 2014 and you don't
have to be a genius to expect a big boost for the right-wing populism.
The
far right parties such as the FPÖ in Austria, UKIP in the UK, Golden Dome in
Greece, FN in France and also to a certain extent 'Alternative für Deutschland'
can reach behind their traditional base of disenfranchised white groups into
traditionally labour and conservative working and middle class. The reason is
that they have become more flexible, overcome a certain cultural guilelessness,
and is making use of modern media and methods. While parties in the centre lack
clear ideology and appeal to the general public.
The
implementation of far right programmes in any Euro zone country will bring
about a collapse in the value of the currency, a huge increase in the debt
burden and higher import prices. At the same time stopping immigration would
destroy numerous industries and services. In order to be effective, both
policies presuppose sealing off borders, which would immediately lead to a
higher rate of departures, an end to exports, a rise in the cost of living and
an explosion in unemployment levels. The repercussion from the economic shock
will push these countries toward further national socialism and undermine
democracy.
There
are two things that can change the far right momentum, the first is the
political centre through heroic leadership should bring daring reforms that
would cut the budget deficit, stimulate the economy and over the long term cut
the national debt to restore market confidence in the financial management of
the state. None of this is happening and on the contrary a less responsible
fiscal policy under the auspices of national socialism is implement in Europe, link. The second point is directly linked
to the first, the political centre can only hash out the lethargy of the far
right in a thoroughgoing debate if they do not resort to the strategies common
to them. They must forswear deals with the far right, or trying to outbid it
with populist gestures. This would merely legitimise the far right. They must
be honest about the challenges facing Europe, and the need to embrace
globalisation. Their failure to do so is one of the reasons there is so little
faith in their leadership.
The
ailing of Europe is the policy of accommodation, a perennial reliance solely on
innate moderation. There is no virtue in moderation, virtue is in robustness of
ideas. The mainstream parties in order to maintain the status quo through
moderation has maintained an unsustainable welfare state, a dogmatic idea of
European Union, dysfunctional immigration policy and unwillingness to bring
radical changes to the declining institutions of the state. Unless they bring
key changes in these areas the far right will not be stopped.
