The Rise of ‘Welfare Chauvinism’
DEC. 16, 2014
Contrary to many of the other comments, I found this to be a interesting and well written article.
I agree that the US political system has (at least) one major disadvantage compared to European parilamentary systems: our two party system offers little in the way of new ideas to enter the politican process - any "new ideas" are quickly subsumed by one of the the two major parties and then quickly become irrelevant and invisible in the actual legislative process, or serves only to further throttle any real legislative action, as in the case of the Tea Party.
Globalization and technologigal change are, indeed, difficult problems for stricly national governments to deal with, as by definition these issues are "global". The ability for multiple new parties to gain visibility and power in Europe allows for issues to become focused and new ideas to be tried out. These new political parties, like UKIP in Britain and AfD in Germany, also serve as a safty valve for resentments by agrieved population groups - they thus feel visibly represented in the political process and are less likely to seek extra-democratic routes to power.
The EU is another effort in Europe to deal with the "global", trans-national nature of many of todays pressing problems, at least on a large regional scale. Although a work in progress, the EU is at least a step in the right direction to reduce national emnities and social conflicts among nation-states.
I agree that the US political system has (at least) one major disadvantage compared to European parilamentary systems: our two party system offers little in the way of new ideas to enter the politican process - any "new ideas" are quickly subsumed by one of the the two major parties and then quickly become irrelevant and invisible in the actual legislative process, or serves only to further throttle any real legislative action, as in the case of the Tea Party.
Globalization and technologigal change are, indeed, difficult problems for stricly national governments to deal with, as by definition these issues are "global". The ability for multiple new parties to gain visibility and power in Europe allows for issues to become focused and new ideas to be tried out. These new political parties, like UKIP in Britain and AfD in Germany, also serve as a safty valve for resentments by agrieved population groups - they thus feel visibly represented in the political process and are less likely to seek extra-democratic routes to power.
The EU is another effort in Europe to deal with the "global", trans-national nature of many of todays pressing problems, at least on a large regional scale. Although a work in progress, the EU is at least a step in the right direction to reduce national emnities and social conflicts among nation-states.
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