Trump and Trumpism: How did we get here and what are the lessons for all of us?
Trump and Trumpism: How did we get here and what are the lessons for all of us? Sunday National, 26 January 2025 Gerry Hassan There has only been one international political story this week - the return of Donald Trump as US President. Beyond the bombastic inauguration and plethora of executive orders is the story of how we got to this sorry state. Long term factors about the founding and nature of America combined with a more immediate set of reasons relevant to the UK and West provide insights about what the Trump phenomenon means for politics and leadership and
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How to defeat fascism and the far-right in Britain and elsewhere
How to defeat fascism and the far-right in Britain and elsewhere Gerry Hassan Sunday National, 27 October 2024 Twenty-five years ago, at the height of Blair, Bill Clinton and “The Third Way”, many felt that the future direction and progress of the world was safe and secure. Widespread optimism and belief in globalisation and economic freedom leading to political liberty ran from Thomas Friedman in the New York Times and Malcolm Gladwell in the New Yorker to cliché-filled PowerPoints by public agencies such as Scottish Enterprise. This was a mixture of projection, groupthink and propaganda. Fast forward to the present
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The Attack on Democracy and Breaking Out of the Empire State in the US and UK
The Attack on Democracy and Breaking Out of the Empire State in the US and UK Gerry Hassan Sunday National, January 10th 2021 Democracy is under attack. It is being challenged by the likes of Trump and his fascist supporters and by authoritarians the world over – testing its strength and legitimacy. And it is not in great shape in the UK, with academic David Runciman saying that “American democracy is stuck and British democracy is stuck.” The events of 6th January 20201 and the storming of Congress by Trump’s far right supporters has appalled most of the world. Much
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