I’ve recently noticed a trend in my Facebook feed among conservative friends who desperately try to defend Trump against the onslaught of negative news surrounding his campaign and administration. It’s all a “globalist conspiracy” and Trump is apparently the hero they think will put an end to it.
They even mention specific families or groups who are behind this vast “left-wing” conspiracy. Those of the Rothschild family, the Trilateral commission, and the Illuminati, are usually pointed to as proof.
However, there is a “thing” that is behind the troubles we are experiencing these days. That thing is what many call neoliberalism. Neoliberalism is not a conspiracy theory, it’s a term used by intellectuals like Noam Chomsky to describe an ideology that has given rise to a systemic problem. The problem at its heart is one in which more and more power (government and economic) is concentrated in the hands of the wealthiest individuals and corporations, while being taken from society at large.
That might at first blush sound very much like the globalist conspiracy that I’m debunking. Here’s the difference. I am not seeking to blame anyone in particular for this. It seems that the right-wing conservatives who lifted Trump to power constantly want to cast blame…on immigrants, or muslims, and lately, these so-called “globalists.” However, the problem is not any particular group…the problem lies with an ideological and systemic change that took place about 40 years ago.
In the aftermath of the Great Depression and World War II, society gained power. In the U.S. that happened, for instance, under Roosevelt and the policies of his “New Deal.” That ushered in a period of prosperity. Then the 60’s came around and certain groups who’d been largely left behind, or exploited, began to rise up and cry foul. This frightened those at the top of the economic pyramid. This power struggle continued until the election of two important world leaders, Ronald Reagan in the U.S. and Margaret Thatcher in Great Britain. Those two are in large part responsible for setting in motion a new political philosophy of privatization as the path to prosperity. This trend has continued unabated until now. It accelerated greatly during the democratic administration of Bill Clinton, as well as the republican administration of George Bush. And to be honest, the administration of Barack Obama did very little to reverse the trend. And neither will Donald Trump.
Donald Trump rose to power using populist rhetoric. However, since actually taking hold of the reigns of power in Washington, he has moved in a decisively neoliberal direction. First by appointing very wealthy corporatists to his cabinet. Second by seeking to funnel more taxpayer funds to corporate seats of power, like the military-industrial complex and big oil, and away from programs that benefit society as a whole, especially the more vulnerable aspects of it.
And therein lies an ideological bent that has helped perpetuate neoliberalism. The idea that government is the problem and that the solution is more individual power and less societal power. What’s amazing is that people who are hurt by that ideology will seemingly fight to the death to defend it. They claim that government action that benefits society is socialistic. That the government is supposed to protect the ideals of capitalism and free enterprise, nothing more, and nothing less. However, the ideals of capitalism and free enterprise have at their heart more concentrated power in the hands of an economic elite…i.e., their so-called “globalists.”
Taking power away from society and giving it to the likes of Donald Trump and his corporatist friends is not the answer. Donald Trump will not take action against a fictitious “globalist conspiracy.” He will use the notion of such a conspiracy to cement his control over its adherents, while doing the same thing neoliberals have been doing successively for 4 decades now…increasing the power of the few at the direct expense of the many.
Donald Trump is just not the guy to make that happen…
believe me.