Imposed political correctness is a form of subliminal authoritarianism that can also breed revolt

Sir, Gideon Rachman writes: “What is it that links the erosion of support for democracy in countries as diverse as Russia, the Philippines, South Africa and even the US? It is that for many voters democracy is a means to an end, not an end in itself. If a democratic system fails to deliver jobs, as in South Africa, or security, as in the Philippines, or is associated with a stagnation in living standards, as in the US, then some voters will be attracted to the authoritarian alternative”, “The stamp of authority gains in appeal” February 21.

That is true, but Rachman also follows up with: “A drift towards authoritarianism will become more likely, in the context of rising inequality, when the political and economic system seems “rigged” in favour of insiders.” And that is not necessarily the absolute truth… it is mostly the correct current convenient political truth.

As I see it much, not all, of what is going on, is a rebellion against the authoritarism of political correctness. There are too many instances when ordinary people are not allowed to express ordinary human concerns, without risking being referred to in derogatory terms… and that hurts and  accumulates resentments that can explode.

@PerKurowski

The Latin America left is just a self-serving myth… and I am not so sure of much of the rest of the left either.

Sir, John Paul Rathbone, when referring to Latin America’s “limp” response “to growing Venezuelan authoritarianism and repression, writes” “This is solidarity gone too far, especially from fellow leftist governments.” “Leaders of the left should force Caracas to face the music” June 10.

In Latin America there are no leftist governments, there are just politicians pragmatically using the leftist agendas, in order to put themselves into power for furthering their own interests. Just look at Venezuela. A country in which just gas (petrol) and cheap foreign exchange for travelling abroad giveaways represents more than what is invested in all social programs put together. What has that to do with left… or with right policies for that matter?

No, the Latin America left is just a self-serving myth, and there are indeed many making good money promoting that myth. And the number of willing buyers of that nonsense in Europe and in the US, would seem to imply that perhaps much of what is supposedly left is not really left even there.

But that said much of the right is not that right either. In fact much, perhaps most, of the current left vs. right debates, remind us of boxers spitting out at each other, looking to increase the amount of money to be split between them and the promoters for the next fights… and of the so many dumb enough to buy and love the fake shows.

@PerKurowski