In response to an FT article by Gideon Rachman on 16th May 2016, entitled ‘Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin and the lure of the strongman’
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/1c6ff2ce-1939-11e6-b197-a4af20d5575e.html#ixzz48q2JjZ69
“The Trump phenomenon is better understood as part of a global trend: the return of the “strongman” leader in international politics”
Wrong...again.
Last week the rise of Trump was: 'a relentless assault on the “elite”, including Washington, Wall Street and the universities. A populist distrust of elites has been a perennial theme in US politics for decades'
A few weeks ago Philip Stephens reckoned it was the media pandering to his entertainment value: “Sadly…the media half-conspired in the process by treating him for much of the time as lucrative box office entertainment”
This week it's: “But the Trump phenomenon is better understood as part of a global trend: the return of the “strongman” leader in international politics”
Your theories on the 'Trump phenomenon' are wonderfully convenient for establishment politicians around the globe Mr. Rachman. Indeed they fulfill a marvellous function for those people - they seek to get them off the hook for any responsibility for the dissatisfaction of millions of people who are sick to the back teeth with them – folks like Hillary Clinton, Jeb Bush, and their cronies in Washington and Wall Street. People are disgusted Mr. Rachman, and it is a disgust that those folks so richly deserve.
The Americans are so sick and tired of it they are voting for the 'strongman' Donald Trump. But they are also voting for an eccentric old guy that looks more like your old uncle Joe - someone who, no disrespect intended, looks like he could barely lift his grandkids let alone rule with an iron fist.
The Italians are so sick and tired of it they're turning out in droves for Beppe Grillo…a comedian…oooh scary guy...maybe he'll tell a few tough man jokes.
In short Mr. Rachman, your theory is misdirection. Very convenient bunkum that covers the backsides of people who would accept almost any theory that let them off the hook. Anything rather than look in the mirror.
I’m beginning to think Ed Luce is the only journalist at the FT remotely interested in understanding what the rise of Trump is all about. The rest of you read like establishment apologists. If you are genuinely interested, here’s a topic I challenge you to write about:
“The rise of Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders in the US; the upsurge of populist and fringe parties around the globe, says something about how the establishment elites have mismanaged national and global affairs - what does it say, and how should the ruling elites respond?”
Go on - I dare you