Right Wing Populism and Former Warsaw Pact Countries.

[Kephalos]

With the exceptiob¡n of the USA, Britain and Brazil, it looks like right wing populism is most common in former Communist countries. Poland, Russia, Hungary, Czech Republic (?), Belarus, &etc. Why is this? One could say that anti-Communism would play a role there, but why would they want to exchange one form of authoritarian politics with another? Do East European members have an insight into why this would be the case?

 

[Red Herring]

I recommend reading the threat (Global Turmoil) that [MENTION=4347]Virtual ghost[/MENTION] started as this comes up there again and again. Basically, they are and always have been socially conservative but in favor of "big government" programms. Rightwing populism of the European persuasion offers that combination. They also tend to mistrust internationalism and favor national solutions and national pride (especially vis a vis larger political and economic powers) is another factor. I have often heard it said about East Germany that the socialist experience has made them cynical and mistrusting of appeals to global solidarity and cooperation or even just the good in people in general. That might very well apply to Eastern Europe as well as they have a lot in common (including a weakness for rightwing populism).

Liberal democracy takes time to take roots and has little tradition in certain parts.

I am saying that as a bleedingheart liberal globalist progressive from (West) Germany.

 

[Virtual ghost]

With the exceptiob¡n of the USA, Britain and Brazil, it looks like right wing populism is most common in former Communist countries. Poland, Russia, Hungary, Czech Republic (?), Belarus, &etc. Why is this? One could say that anti-Communism would play a role there, but why would they want to exchange one form of authoritarian politics with another? Do East European members have an insight into why this would be the case?

As someone that is from this "post communism" world first I have to rewrite the narrative a little bit. You presume that right wing populism and communism are some kind of opposites. While in this part of the world that simply isn't the case. Since in this part of the world there was never colonialism and therefore Capitalism was never established in a sense that the rest of the world knows it. What then changes the nature of the right wing, my local right is actually pretty left wing when it comes to economic issues. Since our history revolves around wars instead of trade. What then creates "one for all and all for one narrative".


In other words at this day in time our so called right wing populists are generally the people that were actually communists a few decades ago or they were simply risen in that system. For example take the obvious example, Putin. He is considered right wing but he is still organizing parades across the red square under hammer and sickle with plenty of red stars in the mix. Therefore he doesn't pass really as a right winger in classic western sense. Hungary is similar case. Pretty good relations with Russia and Orban provides free collage, and socialized healthcare. Plus he also takes money from China for various local projects. I mean he was trained as a lawyer during the Communist era (if I am not mistaken) and therefore by profession he is into Communist mindset. The current Czech president was in the Communist party back in a day. Current Czech PM was supposedly a part of the system as a youngster and now he uses the local communist party as a coalition partner. The Polish far right rides on providing financial benefits to the people. Current Serbian president is considered to be right wing icon but he was active in the communist party back in a day and he is basically the continuation of that "political line". The Romanian social democrats that are basically reformed Communists made a number of moves to ban gay marriage (what shocked the EUs left) .... etc.


So the problem is that left and right don't mean the same thing in different parts of the world. Especially since Communism as Stalin defined it is more of far right that doesn't believe in God or the stock market than what is in western world today known as "the left". Communists used plenty of left wing iconography but in social issues they were always pretty right in most issues. However since the "globalists" got to set the narrative they defined that everyone that stands against them is far right. What may not be the case if you take a closer look since people who firmly believe in left wing economy can use nationalism to challenge globalist world order. What eventually even spilled into US, since Trump's base is full of ex union members and working class people that got tired of global free market (due to obvious reasons). Also just yesterday in my own parliament I had a serious exchanges between far left and far right on one side vs. the forces that are more to the capitalism/globalism side of things (topic: immigration).




I mean take a look at this.
What is this ? Far right or far left ? (if you can sort out all the details)