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Conversations with Bill Kristol: Christopher Caldwell on Populism in Europe and the Future of the European Union
Christopher Caldwell is a Senior Editor at The Weekly Standard and a leading commentator on European politics. In this Conversation, Caldwell shares his perspective on recent developments in Europe, particularly the surging populist movements that have upended politics in many countries. Caldwell focuses particularly on populist parties and movements in Britain, France, Germany, Italy, and Hungary—and also analyzes the ramifications for Europe as a whole. Highlighting the effects of mass migration, weak economies, and mounting debt, Caldwell anticipates greater turmoil and significant threats to the European Union in the years ahead.
Published in Politics
Bill loves centralization, which is proven unmanageable now. The whole planet.
Look at this. Two tweets.
Kristol’s ignorance about the problems of Western and Central Europe – the wellsprings of our civilization and heritage – in the 21st century is just astounding.
He’s dumbfounded that people in Denmark and Hungary, for instance, might not be in love with the “democrats” of Brussels and joys of globalization. “Can we expect them to just keep lashing out?” he asks.
Here’s a little primer on Danish immigration politics.
And here is The Most Important Graph in the World:
The trouble with populism is all those damn people!
Eds,
Crystal is, of course, looking for a financial crisis that will drive the populists back into subservient order. He doesn’t really have any feel for the average citizen of Europe. Nor do the people running the EU.
Italy Demands Migrant NGO Boats Leave Mediterranean, Mocks Leftist Crew Members
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Perhaps the crisis won’t be financial but political. Merkel can retain power and drop the unlimited migrant stance or she can keep the unlimited migrant stance and have her government collapse from beneath her. The frozen EU ideology may ultimately be her downfall.
Someone must be given the job of waking Mr. Crystal up from his afternoon nap and telling him Merkel is no more. It just wouldn’t be fair not to tell him.
Regards,
Jim
Yes, @franco but as Victor Davis Hanson writes, with the wonderful ancient world examples he is so good at, there are good populists and there are bad populists.
Here’s the money quote:
That last line is very “Eastwoodian, don’t you think?
The fault line of the 21st Century will be race, not economics.
Make all the snarky comments you like about Madison Grant, Lothrup Stoddard and “illusions from 100 years ago;” they will change nothing.
The so-called “social construct” is gaining self-awareness and re-discovering its instinct for self-preservation. It’s only a matter of time before offensive operations commence.
My guess is that just before then there will be some major housekeeping done.
You’ve been warned.
From Unforgiven, possibly my favorite movie, certainly in the top five. But the line from Clint (William Munny) is, “We all have it coming, kid”
VDH has lost friends over this.
These people are stupid. They are making enemies. With every public statement they make themselves increasingly irrelevant, and it didn’t have to be this way. But I guess for them, it did. They hate us. They have complete contempt and they don’t care who sees it. That’s where they are stupid.
From the start of their working lives “these people” have been enthralled by abstractions – principles, propositions and ideals – which have enabled them to service the interests of wealthy businessmen and entrepreneurs. From being go-fers on media production crews and itinerant French horn players, they’ve parlayed their facility with those abstractions into comfortable careers in and around Washington, DC. The one thing they had no need to do was to be one with the people of this country, sharing their hopes and fears.
When the people discarded their counsel and went off in a completely opposite and unacceptable direction, “these people” lectured and hectored from platforms and think tanks the wealthy businessmen had established and endowed. Then they were offended when some of those media platforms asked them to leave because they were hurting business.”What sacrifices for principle we make!” they sobbed.
The wives of “these people,” who were virtually all connected to various state enterprises, agreed with their husbands; but, strangely enough, their parents, friends and old neighbors back home tended overwhelmingly to agree with the folks they were hectoring.
Over time some of “these people” moderated their condescension. They accepted that ideals and propositions, no matter how lovely, need to show results in the world or they will get relegated only to special places and special occasions, usually when a band is playing and flags are flying. But others simply could not give up the hate.
In spite of everything, nevertheless, they persisted.
Did you guys actually watch the video?
I found it quite informative and hopeful for the future.
I watched it and didn’t come away with hopeful, but it was extremely interesting and informative – the posts generated just from this story should be many – there was a lot said.