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The election of Donald Trump as US President should not lead one to believe that similar changes are imminent in Europe. The local aristocracy will certainly stick to their course.
After the re-election of Donald Trump, hope is spreading among those who wanted to defeat Harris and Trump’s victory. They now happily announce: “The age of wakefulness and censorship is finally over. Europe, inspired by the American example, will be able to breathe freely again.” But this view is not as certain as the certain view of the fairy tale.
Instead of retreating, authoritarian movements are likely to rise on this side of the Atlantic. Trump’s shadow provides the perfect excuse for Europe’s technocratic elites to tighten their grip – under the noble guise of “protecting democracy,” of course. We are all too familiar with such developments. Let’s remember the last great predictions of awakening – be it during the Covid pandemic, after Brexit or Trump’s first election victory. But Europe remains stagnant: every crisis is used as an opportunity to implement censorship and control even more precisely.
European elites, shaken by Trump’s victory, overcome a moral high ground. How else could they convince themselves that they are on the side of the angels? By portraying Trump’s America as a wasteland of vice and cruelty, European governments push their “enlightened” agendas with greater enthusiasm. And freedom of expression? It is further restricted under the guise of measures against the alleged threat of populist extremism and hate speech. Critics of the green agenda or climate policy? They want to silence them, indeed for the common good, so that their doubts do not spread like nihilism à la Trump.
The irony is that Trump’s critics often embody the very authoritarian tendencies they accuse him of. Like the clergy of earlier times who burned heretics to preserve the purity of the church, European elites see it as their sacred duty to secure their orthodoxies – in the name of democracy, of course. The result is democracy through a divisive mirror: freedom is preserved by somehow suppressing all dissenting voices. But their earnestness reveals an uncomfortable truth: they sense that the public’s patience with their somatic statements is beginning to erode dangerously.
The Woke crusade continues unabated
Some now even claim: “The left is learning! She has discovered that Wokeism is costing her a lot. ”This naive hope sees a small crack in the armory of Woke teachings as a sign of a fall in the whole Woke ideology or movement. Some voices on the left complain that identity politics and de-culture could alienate voters. But, as Oscar Wilde said, truth is rarely pure and never simple. Most of these critics – and they are often not the most important – see awakening and resistance as a strange temptation. They are barely able to define “woke” and cannot come up with a sensible alternative to it.
This cognitive dissonance guarantees that the Woke crusade will continue unabated – protected by those who do not understand the nature or excess of this phenomenon. The louder the alarm bells ring, the more the cultural elite of Europe try to ‘educate’ the people into the obedience they want. The Woken are like the Bourbons, they learn nothing and forget nothing.
Consider these sacred cows: the green agenda, the fight against hate speech, the war against disinformation. With a veneer of moral necessity, these concerns are immunized against all criticism. Anyone who wants to question climate policy or suddenly delete it on social media runs the risk of being labeled a heretic. Trump’s resurrection is likely to reinforce these taboos further. For European elites, censorship is becoming not only an instrument of control, but an act of survival – “to protect the planet,” “to preserve social cohesion,” and indeed “to put the -against the influence of republican creep. “
Trump’s victory is not a deus ex machina
Behind such justification is a great trust in citizens. Europe’s ruling class sees its electorate as a group of climate-denying xenophobic troublemakers who are barely controlled by Brussels. So their motto could be: “Freedom, but not for you.” European elites have established their identity on being the opposite of everything Trump represents: cosmopolitan, “progressive” and morally superior. For them, his victory is not a time for self-criticism, but a call to prove their own virtue by eliminating the “dangerous influences” they associate with his name and its people. vote.
The removal of the British Guardian newspaper and its friends from the X/Twitter platform is less a laughing matter than a lesson in elitist self-isolation. Their escape reinforces the walls of their echo chamber, further separating them from the concerns of ordinary people. From the outside, they can monitor X more effectively, while they style themselves as victims who, apparently, have been silent. Or even bolder: they claim that, where censorship doesn’t affect them, it doesn’t exist at all. And hypocrisy should not be lost either. Just look at Robert Habeck, the German Vice Chancellor, who left X a few years ago – only to return pathetically now.
So Trump’s victory, however upsetting, is not a deus ex machina that will save us from ourselves. To ignore that would be criminal. What is involved? Nothing less is the sum of our freedom. The fight for freedom and democracy is still, as always, a rocky climb, a climb full of difficulties. This is not a land for the naive, but for the watcher who knows that victory in battle does not guarantee victory in war. The battlefield has been prepared, and the defenders of democracy still have a long fight ahead of them.
This post first appeared at New Arguments.
Andrew Seaman is a Swiss author and president Free Swiss Union. He writes for the British magazine, among others “Spirit”.
2024-11-22 11:31:00
#Trumps #victory #defiant #response #European #elites
**How might the cultural and political contexts in different European countries influence the reception and impact of the “Woke crusade” as described by Andrew Seaman?**
## Interview: Trump’s Triumph and the Response of European Elites
**Host:** Welcome to World Today News. Today, we delve into the implications of Donald Trump’s recent re-election victory and its potential impact on Europe. Joining us are two esteemed guests:
* **Andrew Seaman,** Swiss author and president of the Free Swiss Union, and contributing writer for magazines like ”Spiked.”
* **[Guest 2 Name],** [Guest 2 Expertise/Affiliation].
**Andrew, your recent article in Novo Argumente argues that Trump’s victory shouldn’t be seen as a harbinger of similar shifts in Europe. Can you elaborate on this viewpoint?**
**Andrew Seaman:** Absolutely. While Trump’s victory is undeniably significant, European political landscapes are distinct. Our elites are deeply entrenched and less susceptible to populist shifts compared to the American context. They have fortified their positions through technocratic control and will likely use Trump’s victory as a justification for tightening their grip under the guise of protecting democracy.
**[Guest 2 Name], do you agree with Andrew’s assessment? Will we see a rise in authoritarian tendencies in Europe following Trump’s win? What potential counterforces might emerge?**
**[Guest 2 Response]**
**(Transition to Thematic Section 1: The “Woke” Crusade)**
**Host:** The article highlights what you term the “Woke crusade.” Could you unpack this concept and explain its relevance to the current political climate, both in the US and Europe?
**Andrew Seaman:** The “Woke crusade” refers to the pervasive ideology that prioritizes identity politics, de-culturalization, and the silencing of dissenting voices in the name of social justice. This movement has gained significant traction in both the US and Europe, often stifling debate and resorting to censorship to enforce its orthodoxy.
**[Guest 2 Name], do you share Andrew’s perspective on the “Woke crusade?” What are the potential effects of this ideology on democratic discourse and individual freedoms? How might differing cultural contexts influence its reception and impact in Europe compared to the US?**
**[Guest 2 Response]**
**(Transition to Thematic Section 2: European Elites and Democracy)**
**Host:** The article argues that European elites see Trump’s victory as a threat to their worldview and a justification for consolidating their power. Andrew, can you elaborate on this dynamic and its potential implications for democracy in Europe?
**Andrew Seaman:**
European elites perceive Trump as the antithesis of their values, representing a threat to their cosmopolitan and progressive agenda. They will likely double down on their control mechanisms, invoking the need to protect democracy from populist forces. This poses a significant challenge to genuine democratic principles, as dissenting voices are silenced under the banner of protecting the status quo.
**[Guest 2 Name], how would you characterize the relationship between European elites and democratic principles? Do you believe there is a genuine commitment to democratic values, or are they selectively applied based on ideological alignment? Could Trump’s victory force a re-evaluation of this dynamic?**
**[Guest 2 Response]**
**(Transition to Thematic Section 3: The Future of Free Speech and Dissent)**
**Host:** A key theme in the article is the concern for free speech and dissent. Andrew, you argue that Trump’s victory might ironically embolden censorship efforts in Europe. Can you explain this paradox?
**Andrew Seaman:** While Trump’s victory might be seen as a win for free speech by some, it also provides European elites with ammunition to justify further restrictions on dissent. They will frame these actions as necessary measures to protect democracy from the perceived dangers of Trumpism. This creates a dangerous precedent where opposing viewpoints are suppressed under the guise of safeguarding societal values.
**[Guest 2 Name], how do you envision the future of free speech and dissent in the context of this evolving political landscape? What steps can be taken to ensure that diverse perspectives are freely expressed and debated?**
**[Guest 2 Response]**
**Host:** Thank you, Andrew and [Guest 2 Name], for sharing your valuable insights. This has been a truly illuminating discussion on the complex interplay between Trump’s victory and the European political landscape. It’s clear that the coming years will be crucial in shaping the future of democracy and individual freedoms in both continents.
