Book Update: Europe in the Age of Trump

 

screen-shot-2016-11-29-at-10-13-27The book I’m writing is still called Brave Old World. I’ve changed the subtitle, as you can see, to Europe in the Age of Trump. Because that’s really the subject — what else could it be?

For new readers: I’m crowdfunding a sequel to my first book about Europe. I’d be so grateful if you became one of my crowd.

For old readers: Coming soon, a new website for the project. There will some features just for book contributors. You can see 1.0 here for a preview. (It’s not done yet, so please ignore the typos — that’s just so you can see where it’s going.)

***

A busy week ahead. This coming Saturday, Italy and Austria go to the polls. Elections these days are a lot more exciting than they used to be, because we seem to have lost the ability to conduct reliable pre-election polls. No one knows what Western electorates are apt to do.

Italy will be voting on constitutional changes proposed by Prime Minister Matteo Renzi. If they approve, the power of the Senate — the upper house of Italy’s parliament — will be severely limited. The change, according to its proponents, is necessary if any effective action is to be taken to mitigate Italy’s banking crisis, economic stagnation, and inability effectively to respond to migration inflows. Opponents counter that the changes will concentrate too much power in the prime minister’s hands. Renzi has promised to quit if he loses, which has in effect made this a referendum on Renzi, who may be the next target of the populist wave.

On the same day, Austria will be holding a re-run presidential election. Norbert Hofer, the far-right candidate, narrowly lost to Alexander Van der Bellen, the far-left candidate, last May. But the result was overturned owing to irregularities in the vote counts. 

7432710-3x2-700x467I’ll be flying tomorrow evening to Vienna, where my guide to Austrian politics will be @Lllibellt. I’ll bring you on this trip with me as much as I can: I’ll be posting here on Ricochet all week, and sharing sound clips, photos and videos. I may do some Periscoping, so be sure to follow me. And of course, ask all your questions in the comments.

Meanwhile, Ricochet member @katebraestrup will be caring for my cats here in Paris. (Join Ricochet today: You have no idea what “social network” means until you do.)

***

You may remember that last May, with Lllibellt’s permission, I published three of our e-mail conversations about Austrian politics. They’re still a good introduction to the issues at stake. Whatever the outcome, it will be the first time Austria’s president doesn’t come from the Social Democratic or Austrian People’s Party, which have dominated the postwar political scene.

Part I: A Q&A with Lilibellt:

Claire: — You used to be a leftist who protested against having the FPÖ in government. How did the party come to speak for you?

Lilibellt: I voted FPÖ, first, for reasons of political hygiene: For a parliamentary system to work, it is vital to be able to vote a government out of office every once in awhile. But that seemed more and more unlikely in a country where the major parties have been bound together in a coalition for decades, with few interruption. Now, as they’re losing more votes from election to election, the Green Party and the Neos [The New Austria and Liberal Forum] are preparing to jump in to ensure the continuation of the status quo in exchange for one or two ministerial posts. So I went from being a protester against the government because of the participation of the FPÖ to being a supporter of the very party that I opposed years ago. The only opposition party left is the FPÖ …

Part II: Austria and Europe’s Migration Crisis:

Lilibellt:  I wanted to avoid a situation like this, where the government continues ignoring half the people after the election. On top of that, large parts of the media, the president, and the government keep referring to FPÖ voters as resentful, unsuccessful, poorly educated, misinformed xenophobes in need of their guidance and understanding. A highly dangerous mix that will fuel resentment and radicalization on the other side even more. I really worry. The first refugee camp on Austrian soil — uninhabited, they were going to arrive soon! — has already been burnt down. Until now, arson like this only happened in Germany.

Let me repeat that I would rather see stronger measures taken to send rejected asylum-seekers back home, and separate refugees from migrants in a faster, less bureaucratic way, than to limit to asylum requests. In short, it should be about the real refugees and not (yet) about the limitation of access for real refugees. But the concern I mentioned in the first part of our interview — that last summer’s failure to distinguish between migrants and refugees would harm the real refugees — has already come to pass. Germany is examining the possibility of declaring an official limit to the number of asylum applications it will process this year. Austria already declared one. Well done, EU and Frau Merkel.

Part III: “It’s Time for Europe to Take on Some Responsibility

Lillibellt: I think the main problem is that the present generation of politicians inherited a fairly good, organised Europe (from Mitterrand, Chirac, and Kohl), with clear objectives and rules (like the Maastricht treaty, which anticipated exactly the problems we are having now). But they lack the competence and gravitas of their predecessors. They have the mentality of bureaucrats, and perhaps it isn’t even their fault, because — as Kafka perfectly described it – bureaucracy is a beast of its own. Merkel even looks like some character out of his books (I know, I know you’re not supposed to make fun of people’s looks, but I couldn’t resist). Why is it that Putin, Orban, or even Erdoğan for that matter — he is not shy about declaring his objectives, you must give him that — can formulate their political goals and philosophies so much more coherently than European politicians, or worse, EU officials? (I am not talking about their actual policies.)

Read the whole exchange. Austria just sent troops to Hungary’s border with Serbia in response to Turkey’s threat to pull out of the refugee deal. It’s a symbolic gesture — they sent only 60 troops — but that’s certainly a potent symbol.

Please contribute to this book and to independent journalism: I’m grateful for every single contribution. 

I don’t yet know how the book ends. No one does. 

***

PS: A housekeeping question: Did everyone who asked for a signed copy of my books get theirs? I know one package went lost and had to be re-sent. If you haven’t received yours, it’s lost for sure. So let me know: I’ll resend them.

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  1. ctlaw Coolidge
    ctlaw
    @ctlaw

    Age of Trump?

    Isn’t Trump late to the game?

    The message is either that you are an ugly American overstating America’s importance or that you are a blame America firster.

    • #1
  2. genferei Member
    genferei
    @genferei

    ctlaw: The message is either that you are an ugly American overstating America’s importance or that you are a blame America firster.

    I don’t think referring to “The Age of Reagan” or “The Age of Obama” would be inappropriate. Is referring to the Stone Age to overstate stone’s importance – or to blame stone for the age’s ills? (:

    • #2
  3. ctlaw Coolidge
    ctlaw
    @ctlaw

    genferei:

    ctlaw: The message is either that you are an ugly American overstating America’s importance or that you are a blame America firster.

    I don’t think referring to “The Age of Reagan” or “The Age of Obama” would be inappropriate. Is referring to the Stone Age to overstate stone’s importance – or to blame stone for the age’s ills? (:

    Isn’t the subject matter and the timing relevant to the propriety of the title?

    It would seem weird to use “age of Reagan” in a book conceived in the mid-1970s and researched and written in 1979-80 by a person who dismissed Reagan’s chances of being elected and then retitled 3 weeks after the 1980 election.

    Even then, Reagan was more cause than effect of what actually happened in his age. Particularly as far as Europe is concerned, Trump is late to the party.

    • #3
  4. genferei Member
    genferei
    @genferei

    ctlaw: Isn’t the subject matter and the timing relevant to the propriety of the title?

    Propriety? In 2016? This is journalism, a subset of entertainment, and therefore titles are there to sell Sell SELL!

    Just be glad Claire didn’t subtitle it “Europe in the Age of Putin”.

    • #4
  5. cdor Member
    cdor
    @cdor

    I wouldn’t presume to speak for @ctlaw, however what he might be implying is that Trump hasn’t even begun to imprint his character on the world as POTUS and any book subtitled The Age of Trump seems a bit premature. Adding to the issue is that one could reasonably be suspicious of Claire’s assumptions considering that we all know her antipathy towards Donald Trump.

    But, that being said…Good Luck Claire. I hope you overcome your prejudices and write an intuitive and enlightening book.

    • #5
  6. James Madison Member
    James Madison
    @JamesMadison

    Claire Berlinski, Ed.: Lilibellt:  I wanted to avoid a situation like this, where the government continues ignoring half the people after the election. On top of that, large parts of the media, the president, and the government keep referring to FPÖ voters as resentful, unsuccessful, poorly educated, misinformed xenophobes in need of their guidance and understanding. A highly dangerous mix that will fuel resentment and radicalization on the other side even more. I really worry. The first refugee camp on Austrian soil — uninhabited, they were going to arrive soon! — has already been burnt down. Until now, arson like this only happened in Germany.

    Wow, when half the people are ignored after the election – hmmm, the politicians assume they must be dumb, uneducated, xenophobes, even, … homophobes and dare we say, racist, when they object.

    How about we step back a second and call them what they are, voters who disagree.   Lillebellt seems to get it.

    Note: Drop the Trump from your title.  The subtitle should refer to populism – and not as a bad thing necessarily.  Take those European glasses off.  Populism serves a good purpose in a democracy.  Trump may be egotistic, he is not a demagogue.  He saw something that most of us did not or chose not to see and we cannot expect it will go away until policies are in place that address the core problem: economic security for all of the middle class and the working poor.  That is the very definition of conservatism.

    • #6
  7. Viator Inactive
    Viator
    @Viator

    German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier told Die Welt newspaper in an interview published on November 25. “As difficult as ties to Russia may currently be, we need more dialogue, not less”.

    Steinmeier, a Social Democrat nominated to become German president next year, first called for a new arms control deal with Russia in August to avoid an escalation of tensions in Europe.

    Fifteen other members of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) – have since joined Steinmeier’s initiative: France, Italy, Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Spain, Finland, the Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Sweden, Slovakia, Bulgaria and Portugal.

    The group plans to discuss the issue on the sidelines of a December 8-9 ministerial level OSCE meeting in Hamburg. Germany.

    • #7
  8. Aaron Miller Inactive
    Aaron Miller
    @AaronMiller

    cdor: Trump hasn’t even begun to imprint his character on the world as POTUS and any book subtitled The Age of Trump seems a bit premature.

    Agreed, though I think Claire is citing Trump as a model of political leaders popping up around Europe.

    Hold onto your hats. As Steyn says, the Left is doubling down on identity politics and everything else. Trump, Fillon, Brexit, and such — the audacity of significant opposition to the status quo — will put Left and Right into starker contrast and encourage the Left to become bolder in their totalitarian, lawless impulses. The gloves are coming off.

    • #8
  9. Claire Berlinski, Ed. Member
    Claire Berlinski, Ed.
    @Claire

    Viator:German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier told Die Welt newspaper in an interview published on November 25. “As difficult as ties to Russia may currently be, we need more dialogue, not less”.

    Steinmeier, a Social Democrat nominated to become German president next year, first called for a new arms control deal with Russia in August to avoid an escalation of tensions in Europe.

    Fifteen other members of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) – have since joined Steinmeier’s initiative: France, Italy, Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Spain, Finland, the Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Sweden, Slovakia, Bulgaria and Portugal.

    The group plans to discuss the issue on the sidelines of a December 8-9 ministerial level OSCE meeting in Hamburg. Germany.

    Ack! Not Strategic Culture! That’s another Kremlin mouthpiece. But yes, that was reported in the non-Kremlin news organs.

    • #9
  10. RightAngles Member
    RightAngles
    @RightAngles

    I’m not sure how you can write about “Europe in the Age of Trump” just yet. A word of caution: I’ve seen your Twitter feed, and it looks like the Twitter account of a liberal Democrat. It’s clear you despise Donald Trump. Since he hasn’t even been sworn in yet, and since you inexplicably seem to think he’s an anti-Semite, which I don’t see at all, isn’t there a danger of your committing to print opinions which will not be borne out as Trump’s administration unfolds? I mean what if he proves to be the best president we’ve had in decades? (Disclaimer: I didn’t vote for him in the primaries)

    Also, I for one deplore this constant throwing about of the pejorative term “populist.” When a writer uses it, it reveals more about the writer than it does about Trump. There’s nothing wrong with being proud of where you come from and standing up for your country. Constantly calling Trump a populist is an implied insult to an awful lot of American voters.

    • #10
  11. Front Seat Cat Member
    Front Seat Cat
    @FrontSeatCat

    Claire – you can’t be serious on the title…….if it was Hillary who won, would that be the title? I want to go back and read your updates here – exciting! But I am wondering like others, why the Trump title? Your last book was about Europe and why it mattered to the rest of the world. Is it for selling purposes? Hope the title is a work in progress. Can’t wait to see the website –

    • #11
  12. fidelio102 Inactive
    fidelio102
    @fidelio102

    I’m currently engrossed in ‘There Is No Alternative’, particularly fascinating to me as I lived in Sweden when Margaret Thatcher came to power and was unaware of the gravity of the situation in the UK.  Great book, keep writing.

    • #12
  13. James Gawron Inactive
    James Gawron
    @JamesGawron

    Claire,

    Claire & Lilibelt in Austria. Wow! Our Mr. Hoffer shall get Royal treatment. The new book title is brilliant. One must make a strategic choice and change course due to new circumstances. Those that can do this shall succeed gloriously. Much success my lovely Dr. Berlinski you have earned it.

    Time to go for reinforcements.

    Claire, please shut down the Pariscope for a while and fire up the Viennadreammachine.

    https://youtu.be/zyesRKihKJ0

    Regards,

    Jim

    • #13
  14. Percival Thatcher
    Percival
    @Percival

    James Madison: Trump may be egotistic, he is not a demagogue.

    demagogue
    noun
    a political leader who seeks support by appealing to popular desires and prejudices rather than by using rational argument.
    synonyms: rabble-rouser, agitator, political agitator, soapbox orator, firebrand, fomenter, provocateur

    When Trump says X, his most ardent supporters howl in agreement. When Trump says ~X, his most ardent supporters howl in agreement.

    So maybe Trump isn’t a demagogue. How about “politically incontinent?”

    • #14
  15. Concretevol Thatcher
    Concretevol
    @Concretevol

    Claire Berlinski, Ed.: Meanwhile, Ricochet member @katebraestrup will be caring for my cats here in Paris

    This is so awesome.  :)

    • #15
  16. Aaron Miller Inactive
    Aaron Miller
    @AaronMiller

    Concretevol:

    Claire Berlinski, Ed.: Meanwhile, Ricochet member @katebraestrup will be caring for my cats here in Paris

    This is so awesome. ?

    I’m not sure if this is more likely to attract or to scare potential Ricochet members.

    • #16
  17. Claire Berlinski, Ed. Member
    Claire Berlinski, Ed.
    @Claire

    Concretevol: This is so awesome

    Yep!

    • #17
  18. Damocles Inactive
    Damocles
    @Damocles

    Front Seat Cat: But I am wondering like others, why the Trump title?

    Look at her twitter feed and you’ll understand.  It’s like an audition tape for HuffPo!

    • #18
  19. Front Seat Cat Member
    Front Seat Cat
    @FrontSeatCat

    fidelio102:I’m currently engrossed in ‘There Is No Alternative’, particularly fascinating to me as I lived in Sweden when Margaret Thatcher came to power and was unaware of the gravity of the situation in the UK. Great book, keep writing.

    Claire’s book on Margaret Thatcher is also excellent.

    • #19
  20. Front Seat Cat Member
    Front Seat Cat
    @FrontSeatCat

    Concretevol:

    Claire Berlinski, Ed.: Meanwhile, Ricochet member @katebraestrup will be caring for my cats here in Paris

    This is so awesome. ?

    Fantastic! I hope there will be a post with pictures Kate!! (not just the cats but your trip too – well ok…..all cats!)

    • #20
  21. Front Seat Cat Member
    Front Seat Cat
    @FrontSeatCat

    RightAngles:I’m not sure how you can write about “Europe in the Age of Trump” just yet. A word of caution: I’ve seen your Twitter feed, and it looks like the Twitter account of a liberal Democrat. It’s clear you despise Donald Trump. Since he hasn’t even been sworn in yet, and since you inexplicably seem to think he’s an anti-Semite, which I don’t see at all, isn’t there a danger of your committing to print opinions which will not be borne out as Trump’s administration unfolds? I mean what if he proves to be the best president we’ve had in decades? (Disclaimer: I didn’t vote for him in the primaries)

    Also, I for one deplore this constant throwing about of the pejorative term “populist.” When a writer uses it, it reveals more about the writer than it does about Trump. There’s nothing wrong with being proud of where you come from and standing up for your country. Constantly calling Trump a populist is an implied insult to an awful lot of American voters.

    very well said !

    • #21
  22. Front Seat Cat Member
    Front Seat Cat
    @FrontSeatCat

    I want to mention after reading comment #10 by @rightangles, that I see a picture emerging (could be wrong) on this book. It seems like Claire and all of us are witnessing a major pendulum swing across western civilization toward conservative, conventional and national views, as a counter to the swift, sweeping changes by liberalism.  Also, ineffective foreign policy has led to millions of displaced people from Middle East, North Africa, Central America, etc., not of their choosing. It’s a recipe for the possibility of extremism in the other direction. Throw in Christian persecution and ethnic cleansing and the rise of anti-Semitism, and you have a perfect storm for a repeat of WWII.  Balance and vigilance cannot be understated. I also understand many concerns regarding Trump. But like Brexit, the people rose up for a reason (many).  Good people just want balance. A lot of work needs to be done to restore confidence on both sides. Looking forward to Claire to tell the truth, inspire and educate – I believe it will be an honest assessment. I loved Menace In Europe and it is interesting to see how things have evolved based on how things were then (on all the topics).

     

    • #22
  23. Viator Inactive
    Viator
    @Viator

    “Recep Tayyip Erdogan made a dramatic diplomatic reversal and said that the Turkish Army has entered Syria to end the rule of President Bashar Assad, whom he accused of terrorism and causing the deaths of thousands.

    “We entered [Syria] to end the rule of the tyrant al-Assad who terrorizes with state terror. [We didn’t enter] for any other reason,” the Turkish president was quoted by Huyrriyet as saying at the first Inter-Parliamentary Jerusalem Platform Symposium in Istanbul. Erdogan said that Turkey has no territorial claims in Syria, but instead wants to hand over power to the Syrian population, adding that Ankara is seeking to restore “justice.”

    The first indication of the 13th Russo-Turkish War?

    • #23
  24. Zafar Member
    Zafar
    @Zafar

    I like the title. Communicates a lot in a few words.

    Trump (jmho) is a symptom, not a cause, but your title doesn’t have to be ploddingly literal minded.  It’s a bit Love in the Time of Cholera – and that’s a good thing.

    • #24
  25. Claire Berlinski, Ed. Member
    Claire Berlinski, Ed.
    @Claire

    Viator: The first indication of the 13th Russo-Turkish War?

    No, for now Russia and Turkey have sorted things out between them. Even to the point that Erdogan’s now defending Russia’s treatment of the Crimean Tatars.

    • #25
  26. Franco Member
    Franco
    @Franco

    Considering that Ms Berlinski has a demonstrated history misunderstanding Trump and the phenomenon, she cannot possibly understand the “Age of Trump ” – and it’s especially strange that this era hasn’t even started yet.

    BTW, Isn’t crowdfunding a kind of “populism” which is supposed to be so alarming?

    Charges that Trump Bannon or Breitbart are anti Semitic are utterly unfounded and despicable.

     

    • #26
  27. Instugator Thatcher
    Instugator
    @Instugator

    Franco: BTW, Isn’t crowdfunding a kind of “populism” which is supposed to be so alarming?

    Populism for me but not for thee

    • #27
  28. Zafar Member
    Zafar
    @Zafar

    Instugator:

    Franco: BTW, Isn’t crowdfunding a kind of “populism” which is supposed to be so alarming?

    Populism for me but not for thee

    Unclear on the concept :-(

    its only populism if she makes sure the book tells you exactly what you want to hear. About yourself and others.

    • #28
  29. James Gawron Inactive
    James Gawron
    @JamesGawron

    Claire Berlinski, Ed.:

    Viator: The first indication of the 13th Russo-Turkish War?

    No, for now Russia and Turkey have sorted things out between them. Even to the point that Erdogan’s now defending Russia’s treatment of the Crimean Tatars.

    Claire,

    Oddly enough, Erdogan & Putin remind me of Hitler & Stalin’s pact of steel. The two reptiles can only form an alliance of convenience for a short time before they reveal their true natures.

    Erdogan: Turkey Entered Syria to ‘End the Rule of the Tyrant Assad’

    Erdogan backtracks on Syria goals after a call with Putin, says terrorists are the only target

    How long will this state of affairs hold? Sooner or later another Russian plane is going to get shot down.

    Regards,

    Jim

    • #29
  30. Instugator Thatcher
    Instugator
    @Instugator

    Zafar:

    Instugator:

    Franco: BTW, Isn’t crowdfunding a kind of “populism” which is supposed to be so alarming?

    Populism for me but not for thee

    Unclear on the concept

    its only populism if she makes sure the book tells you exactly what you want to hear. About yourself and others.

    Nope – it is populism if she tells me the book is going to be about what I want to hear (like she did)- regardless of what the book ends up saying.

    Just like what she accuses Trump of.

    • #30
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