thedisunitedstates

[thedisunitedstates]

The Leopard Changed His Spots: Ethnic Nationalism and Nazism in the Modern World

The past decade has bore alarming witness to a marked rise in ethnic nationalism, authoritarianism, and right wing conservatism. This trend has been perilously combined with a world currently transitioning into a period of global terrorism, increased entangling international and regional conflicts, and a pervasive sense of uncertainty frothing on a world-wide scale. The events playing upon the world’s stage have given ethnic-nationalists a platform in which to be heard and spread their message of intolerance at levels not seen since the rise of the Third Reich.

The rise of nationalism and racial conflict can undoubtedly attributed to a fading memory of the ethnic based horrors of the Second World War with a public conscience focused on what appears to be the central issue of our century; violent ethnic or religious based extremism. That is only part of the story however, as Robert J. Shiller, economist writing for The New York Times, argues the disturbing growth of ethnic nationalism can be traced to rises in inequality and a global economy that remains relatively weak.

While it is true the United States economy continues to grow after the Great Recession of the 2000s, both at home and abroad the growth in most countries is a hobbled one at best. While both President Obama and President Trump have boasted at their ability to create jobs and keep the unemployment rate low, the Federal Reserve has kept interest rates at almost zero to achieve such goals. This is repeated the same or far worse in many other countries. 

The 21st century is also just beginning to partake in a gargantuan economic power shift away from the working class, as the drum beat of globalization is met by a decline of labor unions, wavering political alignments, and a rapid modernization towards a world based on information technology and convenience. Global capitalism have produced mass migration as well as mass financial crises. What is left behind is hundreds of thousands of jobs, which in turn creates new inequalities and magnifies existing ones. When this taken into account with the slowdown in economic growth and prosperity an outlook of continued rising levels of inequality, distrust, and considerable fear for the future is projected. The effects of such have created an increase in nostalgia for a more stable, homogeneous, and nation-centered past. 

In his book “The Moral Consequences of Economic Growth”, Benjamin M. Friedman of Harvard, discusses that people come to deeply personal conclusions and judgments based upon the economic progress of their lifetimes when compared to the progress of their parents and previous generations. As more and more people find it harder to live up to the achievements and economic gains of their ancestors, the feeling of doing less than their fore-bearers makes them become anxious of their own self-worth and quality of existence. Without the sense of self or racial identified economic progress over a lifetime, social interactions become more volatile, resentful, and conspiratorial. One needs not to look further to find such potent mixing of emotions than what was tragically displayed across all forms of media during the 2016 Presidential Campaign.

As citizens begin to question their own self-worth, and quality of existence on a collective level, the vast degree of emotional angst generated can lead to a rise in ethnic nationalism, as is occurring today. Ethnic nationalism presents itself as a manner for which those that feel harmed in some way on an identity level can create an ego-preserving excuse for their own self-perceived failures. A classic example of such behavior can be infamously detailed by the Nazi blaming of Jews for Germany’s issues after the First World War and the following Nuremberg Laws and Final Solution to correct what was seen as past wrongs to the German people. 

Ethnic nationalism doesn’t just allow but promotes one group to actively blame others over what is seen as bad or conspiratorial behaviors, often associated along ethnic, racial, or religious values. Just as the Great Depression gave witness to the Holocaust, the Great Recession has given rise to a modern form of Nazism. A 2015 study by Michael Kumhof  and Pablo Winant of the Bank of England, as well as Romain Ranciere of the International Monetary Fund was published in The American Economic Review. The study concluded that both the Great Depression of the 1930s and the Great Recession of 2007-9 derive their origins from a growing sense of inequality. 

Throughout the world Europeans or whites, have sensed a growing loss in economic power and those that haven’t already felt it are fearful they might. At home the struggle occurs between different citizens, abroad, a larger sense that a shift in political and economic power from the west to Asia is occurring. Europe has also been challenged by the significant number of refugees seeking shelter from various world conflicts. The influx of foreigners which Europeans feel they must support, and the lack of opportunities for Europeans at home gives rise to right wing politics and resurgence of dangerous and authoritarian nationalism.

According to Bart Bonikowski, a Harvard associate professor of sociology who studies populist and nationalist movements.at the Minda de Gunzburg Center for European Studies, there are two primary forms of nationalism. The first is ethnocentric, the second is primarily civic based. Ethnic nationalism promotes a shared ancestry, religion, language, and shared value systems. Bonikowski offered his opinion on the rise of Alt-Right movements:

“I think what’s changed is the salience of these ideas given the … contextual factors: economic crises, persistent inequality stemming out of neo-liberalism, demographic change, anxieties associated with terrorism, along with political developments like obstructionism in Washington, [and the] perceived corruption or non-representatives of the EU governance system…“All of these things have generated some level of anxiety among particularly white, native-born populations and a perceived status loss at the group level among these folks, which then makes both nationalist and populist claims — and, especially, nationalist-populist claims — more resonant and more salient than they had been in the past.” 

The Harvard Gazette points out that Donald Trump received his first true political limelight through the utilization of an ethnic nationalist agenda. Trump argued in 2011 that African American President Barack Obama had actually been born in Kenya, and could not legally be President of the United States. Almost overnight white nationalists and the Ku Klux Klan rallied behind his message and once he had become President, he was slow to distance himself from their support. Supporters of Trump’s presidency are not at all neo-Nazis according to Bonikowski who claims:

“There’s a good portion of the population that does … define the nation in ethno-cultural terms. They’re not all members of neo-Nazi groups, by any stretch of the imagination. They just have a particular understanding of what America is: a white, Christian America.”

Studies have shown there is a rise in white participation in right wing politics, and conservatism is seeing an increase in following among teenagers. White American’s are becoming more conservative and defensive in response to a sensed threat to their future. Bonikowski claims that due to Trump’s admirations soft stance on the Alt-Right, what would normally be fringe groups have gone mainsteam, “They’ve been allowed to be part of the conversation, which they hadn’t before, and they have, in Bannon, an advocate pretty close to power.” Once such Alt-Right extremist that has come to the forefront is Richard Spencer, American Editor of Alt-Right.com, and President of the National Policy Institute.

It was Richard Spencer who defined the modern ethnic nationalist movement as “Alt-Right”. Alt-Right proponents have successfully taken all the horrible attributes of Nazism; anti-Semitism, racism, nativism, Islamophia, anti-feminism, homophobia, and combined them with a more “whitewashed” and extremely overt form of racism. It is the Nazi message modernized for a different world. Alt-Right comes complete with their own symbol to replace the Nazi Swastika, and have been recorded giving the Nazi salute at various speeches and meetings around the United States. The Alt-Right finds a loose association and ally in President Trump and his war against mainstream politics and media. Other ideals shared is a sense of nationalism, and a focus on identity.

Alt-Right supporters like Richard Spencer have learned to tap into the angst of white Americans of all ages without the outright hateful rhetoric witnessed prior in the country’s history with other neo-Nazi and white supremacist organizations. Spencer argues a new form of political conservatism that does not worry itself with economic or policy based ideology as must current conservative republicans in office today practice. Alt-Right conservatism looks to the definitive root of the ideology; to conserve something you value. To Alt-Right conservatives like Spencer, conservatism means the continued promotion security, and dominance of European culture. 

Spencer’s argument is based around the theory going as far back to the founding of the nation to as recent as the baby boomer generation, white Americans assumed the United States was going to remain a white country. He claims it was the previous white generation’s moral task to attempt to integrate non-white people into the country, who were always meant to remain a distinct minority. Spencer believes the current white generations are living in a world built against them. As almost every public and private institution wants to promote multiculturalism and diversity, public schools, university system, businesses, and even Hollywood are geared against white males through a means of employment. Alt-Right conservatives argue that if organizations continue to celebrate diversity number improvements - the truth is they are really claiming “we hired fewer white males this year.” Spencer states that as long as,

“Hollywood continues to celebrate its trend of casting more female and non-white actors… [and as long as] Apple releases its diversity numbers…announcing to everyone ‘we hired less white males this year... is that really great?’ Is that really something we [whites] should be celebrating or excited about?...”

Spencer then goes on to claim:

“We’re moving towards a United States that is not influenced by European assumptions and norms, and not influenced by European People... I do not see that as a good thing, I see that as a loss of power and prestige for my people…If Africa were to take major steps forward and have a great company come up in Africa selling all these things... Some great piece of art is produced in India or something and the whole world loves it. That’s great. I’d celebrate that. That’s fine, but in terms of my own country, the country of my grandparents and great grandparents and so on, I can’t celebrate our transformation, because it’s not good for me, it’s not good for my grandchildren…If this is allowed to continue… whites will become the minority and lose their cultural power.  Celebrating greater diversity is at the end of the day, celebrating the loss and power of influence of the founding population of this country.”

Spencer’s university background, well dressed presentation, professional demeanor, and excellent debater have made him sought after to speak at universities around the country, earning him both more fame and followers. His message of heritage and identity not only appeal to nationalist and ethnocentrism ideals, but his energy and freedom on market and socialist ideas could also attract young scorn democrats after the loss of Hillary Clinton.

Similar to Spencer’s wish to keep intact American heritage and identity, President Trump ran his campaign on the slogan “Make America Great Again.” His entire campaign was based around the thought that the America we have today is not as good as the America of yesteryear. Essentially, the entire campaign in which Donald Trump was elected president over had at its core a central urgency to reconnect with America’s heritage and identity. Around the world, similar versions of Trump’s victory echoed. 

While Trump’s administration has made numerous references to the feeling that the wealth and power of the United States was dwindling, the launching platform for his own nationalistic agenda, white Americans and Europeans are not alone in their recent wave of ethnic nationalism.  Areas in Asia and the Middle East have turned to more ethno-based rhetoric, all under the guise of hearkening back to a previous time in heritage, identity, and greatness that had too long been eclipsed by western imperialism.

Chinese President Xi Jinping vowed to his people that he would lead a “great rejuvenation of the Chinese people.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2012 embarked on a similar “Make Russia Great Again” program. He later launched the Russian invasion of Ukraine in order to reclaim historically Russian lands.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Edrogan looks to further nationalist interests by calling back to Turkey’s time as the center of the Ottoman Empire.

Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is currently undertaking a national revival campaign in which he has referenced the Meiji Restoration ( which during the 19th century made Japan the leading power in Asia) as a source of his inspiration.

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi currently leads a Hindu nationalist movement which goals are to modernize India, while also nurturing Hindu pride and a glorious past.

Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban is an ardent nationalist who is still longing over territories Hungary lost during the First World War.

The people of Britain have decided to leave the European Union. At the height of the movement was a growing sense of nationalism and memories of when the Britain was the empire on which the sun never sets, to now have only become effectively a member of a group of 28 European nations.

In all of the countries mentioned above, a central focus can be gleamed of wanting to restore national greatness and protect from any outside forces or those inside deemed anti-national. While speaking at the Brookings Institution in Washington, President Clinton mentioned the move towards nationalism as “a global deal. It is like we are all having an identity crisis at once.”

As mentioned in the Financial Times, the successful nationalist revolutions occurring around the world give encouragement for more elsewhere. On numerous occasions President Trump has given applause to both the Brexit decision and to Vladimir Putin’s leadership. Since President Trump’s election, more far right candidates have reached higher levels of popularity and success; especially in the Netherlands, France, and Germany. France’s Marine Le Pen, who currently leads the National Front party, is running for president. Her policies include an anti-globalization and anti-immigration agenda. Le Pen, like President Trump, promises to “take back” France and follow Great Britain by removing itself from the European Union. The effect of losing both countries from the EU would deal considerable damage to European stability.

The Trump administration has fully aligned itself to form a new far-right coalition between American and Europe. The now media made infamous chief White House strategist, Stephen Bannon, has been accused of running a pro-Trump online news outlet that serves as a harbor for the right-wing, Neo-Nazis, and other various white nationalist organizations. Bannon himself once referred to his website as the “home of the alt-right.” Upon Donald Trump’s presidential victory, Bannon made several references to a new political “movement” and that the administration’s “economic nationalist agenda” will help create “a new political order.”

While Nazism has a range of ideologies and beliefs, at its center are several key features, all of which are also tenants of ethnic nationalism:

Nazism subscribed to theories of racial hierarchy and Social Darwinism.

It aims to put an end to social divisions by developing a homogeneous society, unified under racial purity (Volksgemeinschaft)

Nazism emphasizes nationalism, irredentism (reparations for wrongful doing), and expansionism.

Nazism and ethnic nationalism go hand and hand. Both mindsets hold high levels of intolerance of even contempt for non-citizens or any deemed not of the respectable class. The belief transcends globally as it gives credence to the idea that our present governments have subordinated their own countries in order to appease others. In turn a belief begins to appear that each individual country should do what’s best for their sovereignty, and leave to the dust world peace keeping organizations like NATO. President Trump has already passed trade deals seen as unfair or not of economic benefit to the homeland. As blame turns outward for many American citizens, Hispanics and Arabic Muslims have been a focal point in which to unleash frustration on those deemed outsiders. As a result the closing of America’s southern border has been made a priority of the current administration. Additionally, as is being discussed throughout much of Europe, with Executive Order 13769, President Trump has attempted to initiate a nationwide ban on seven Muslim countries; Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen.

In Germany anti-immigrant platforms of the far right neo-Nazi Party and the Nationalist Alternate for Germany Party have gained increasing voice.  In England, the Brexit withdrawal from the EU occurred because of a similar surge of nationalistic senses. At the same time, many European nations are currently building massive camps to house the refugee populations and looking to Turkey to take in the refugees arriving by way of Greece.  Turkey, once a strong partner with the UN is becoming increasingly less under President Erdogan who has initiated a process of transitioning Turkey into a more authoritarian state. The political climate of Turkey has begun to embrace a more nationalistic vision.

The media often portrays the greatest threat to modern democracy as religious extremism or terrorism, in truth, it is what countries do to themselves after such an event; the erosion of democratic laws and a shared commonwealth between citizens. If France leaves the European Union alongside Great Britain, the EU will be crippled and Germany will secure itself as the economic powerhouse of Europe.  The world is at a critical place between the disunity of Europe, and an ever increasing struggle for power between Russia, China, and the United States. Refugees from ISIS, the war in Ukraine, and the Syrian civil war continue to flood into a Europe that is attempting to run on survival mode. While such pressure occur both in Europe and America, both places will remain breeding grounds for radical right wing parties.

Two theories of thought are currently being tested amongst many nations. Are we one human race with one singular identity and goal of helping one another out, or are we different, is race a form of inter-human categorization and the source of one’s identity? How deep does heritage, cultural differences, and love for one’s own people go? Ethnic nationalism makes international cooperation difficult and as history has shown us led to devastating wars. One does not need to look at race to understand what Abraham Lincoln famously pointed out during America’s bloody civil war which decided the course of race relations for the unforeseeable future, “A house divided cannot stand.” Separation is not an option, nationalism has been proven dangerous time and time again. We as a singular humanity must come together or we will not succeed as a whole. There is only one civilization, the human civilization.

-Storey