Such disease consists of a widespread malaise, the feeling of frustration and even oppression that the majority of citizens shelter in their hearts and minds worldwide. Let alone the syndrome of unrestricted fear of everything, which has been imposed on everyone.
Fear of the so-called economic crisis that the private banking and financial sectors have created in 2007.
Fear of lay people to lose their jobs and thus accepting unacceptable working conditions.
Fear of losing their houses, new cars, lastest model smartphones, which they still owe to the banks.
Fear of migrants taking their jobs and leaving them in misery.
Fear of Muslim refugees coming to destroy their Western Christian “civilisation”.
Fear of cold wars promoted by the weapons business.
Fear, fear, fear.
This atmosphere of dominating fear has lead to the rise of two opposite “political” trends— a “populist left,” like the case of Syriza in Greece and Unidos-Podemos in Spain.
And a “populist right,” such as the National Front in France, the Freedom Party in Austria, the Golden Dawn in Greece, and similar movements in Germany, The Netherlands, Hungry and even the Scandinavian countries. Now, again, also in the United States.
None of these is rigorously political or ideological and none is either purely “left” or purely “right.” These are reactions, movements and voices that sit in a glowingly empty political space.
Anyway, it is not only about just fear—it is also about a growing wave of violent extremism. Just consider the case of the unstoppable “religious” terrorism.
Meanwhile, the private financial and banking systems, which have created the on-going artificial crisis, have benefited of huge bailouts — over 5 trillion dollars paid by those very same lay citizens– to protect their pundits from the consequences of the debacle they have created.
Also meanwhile, lay citizens are forced to spend 1.7 trillion dollars a year on weapons, with more, much more to come as the wave of fake tensions rise between the West, mainly the U.S., and Russia, China, etc.
Meantime, some questions remain:
— Will president Trump fulfil or meet Trump-candidate electoral promises?
These include the deportation of 11 million undocumented people; the construction of a big wall along the US border with Mexico; the prohibition of Muslims entering the United States; all with the consequent rise or wave of xenophobia and hatred?
They also include the demolition of outgoing president Barack Obama health care system; keeping Guantanamo open and a very long list of etceteras.
— Will the new administration impose higher customs tariffs on imported foreign products; force the European –and other “allies” to pay more, much more, to their sort of “ponce” to continue protecting them?
–- Will the new While House occupier dismantle the United Nations Organisations and along with it the multilateral aid system? Will he “cancel” (his words) the Paris climate agreement? And cut the US contribution to the UN? How long –or short — will it take the United Kingdom and Europe to follow?
— Will Trump presidency reduce taxes on big corporations, from the current average 35 per cent to just 15 per cent? If so, who will cover this 20 per cent gap?
— Will the new administration impose a tougher protectionist policy that would end up creating higher inflation and a bigger public deficit, this leading to a new, great recession worldwide?
— Will Trump presidency declare open commercial and political war on giant China, this transforming the on-going small, partial wars into a big nuclear one?
— Will he go further smashing human rights and dismantling the painfully achieved progress in the field of gender equality and social equality?
Common-sense would advise that candidate Trump, on taking office, will very carefully listen to the “pundits”, those really in charge—the big business, be it weapons, oil, commodities, etc.
*Baher Kamal‘s article was published in IPS. Go to Original.
Related IPS Articles
- U.S. President-Elect Donald Trump Urged to Ensure Human Rights for All
- Trump Threatens the World with Climate Disaster
—
*Author: Baher Kamal, Egyptian-born, Spanish-national secular journalist. He is founder and publisher of Human Wrongs Watch. Kamal is a pro-peace, non-violence, human rights, coexistence defender, with more than 45 years of professional experience.Baher Kamal is also Senior Advisor to the Director General of international news agency IPS.
More articles by Baher Kamal in Human Wrongs Watch:
World to Cut Gas Emissions by 25 Percent More Than Paris Agreement
Toxic Air – The ‘Invisible Killer’ that Stifles 300 Million Children
Climate Doomsday – Another Step Closer
What Happens When a Small Farmer Migrates?
‘The Earth Is Not Flat; It Is Urban’
Take a Deep Breath?… But 9 in 10 People Live with Excessive Air Pollution!
Believe It or Not, Pulses Reduce Gas Emissions!
Ships Bring Your Coffee, Snack and TV Set, But Also Pests and Diseases
One Humanity? Millions of Children Tortured, Smuggled, Abused, Enslaved…
Arable Lands Lost at Unprecedented Rate: 33,000 Hectares… a Day!
War on Climate Terror (II): Fleeing Disasters, Escaping Drought, Migrating
War on Climate Terror (I): Deserts Bury Two Thirds of African Lands
African Farmers Can Feed the World, If Only…
Climate Victims – Every Second, One Person Is Displaced by Disaster
400 Million People Live with Hepatitis But They Do Not Know
Rights of Indigenous Peoples ‘Critical’ to Combat Climate Change
Forests: To Farm or Not to Farm? That’s the Question!
‘Monster’ El Niño Subsides, ‘Monster’ La Niña Hitting Soon
‘Modern World Is Chaotic, Confused; Human Security a Must’
Xenophobic Rhetoric, Now Socially and Politically ‘Acceptable’ ?
‘Hate Is Mainstreamed, Walls Are Back, Suspicion Kills’
What If Turkey Drops Its “Human Bomb” on Europe?
Humanitarian Aid – Business As Unusual?
World Oceans Day – A Death Sea Called Mediterranean
The Humanitarian Clock Is Ticking, The Powerful Feign Deafness
Humanitarian Summit, The Big Fiasco
Humanitarian Summit: Too Big to Fail?
Humanitarian Summit Aims to Mobilise Up to 30 Billion Dollars
Africa, Resolved to Address African Problems With African Solutions
‘We Cannot Keep Jumping from Crisis to Crisis’
‘Human Suffering Has Reached Staggering Levels’
Now 1 in 2 World’s Refugees Live in Urban Areas
Middle East – The Mother of All Humanitarian Crises
Mideast: 1 in 3 Pays Bribe to Access Basic Public Services
Climate: Africa’s Human Existence at Severe Risk
No Water in the Kingdom of the Two Seas – Nor Elsewhere
Will the Middle East Become ‘Uninhabitable’?
Can an Animal Heist Fable Help Solve the Middle East Crisis?
A “Colombian Triangle” for Daesh in Libya?
‘Take My Iraqis and Give Me Some Syrians’ – Europe to Turkey
New Nuclear Hysteria in the Middle East
Africa Launches Largest Trading Block with 620 Million Consumers
Big War Lords Playing Brinkmanship Game in Syria
Cameron at large: Want Not to Become a Terrorist? Speak Fluent English!
Women’s Rights First – African Summit
Africa, Only If It Bleeds It Leads?
Seven Top Challenges Facing African Women
Once Auctioned, What to Do with the ‘Stock’ of Syrian Refugees?
Silence, Please! A New Middle East Is in the Making
The Over-Written, Under-Reported Middle East (II): 99.5 Years of (Imposed) Solitude
The Over-Written, Under-Reported Middle East (I): Of Arabs and Muslims
Egypt in the Rear Mirror (I): The Irresistible Temptation to Analyse What One Ignores
Egypt in the Rear Mirror (II): Who Are the Not-So-Invisible Powers Behind the Troglodytes?
Fed Up With Empty Promises, The Arabs May Abandon Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty
Anti-Nukes Move from Norway to Bahrain
Middle East Nuclear Free Bid Moves to Finland – Yet Another Lost Chance?
Annual Spending on Nuclear Weapons, Equivalent To UN Budget For 45 Years
Watch The Sky–It May Rain Atomic Bombs
Save The Planet? Just Eat Cars, Drink Fuel!
Who Is Afraid of 300 Or 400 Or 500 Million Miserables?
Violence And Death For Millions Of Life-Givers
Whither Egypt (I) – Did You Say Dictatorship?
Whither Egypt (II) – Economic Bankruptcy
Politicians Promote Fossil Fuels with Half a Trillion Dollars a Year
Who Dares to Challenge a 32 Billion Dollars Business – Human Trafficking?
Palestine: Yet Another One Hundred Years of Solitude
Does Anyone Know Anything About A New Country Called South Sudan?
South Sudan: Yet Another Kitchen-Garden?
Somalia? Which Somalia? Some Facts About Everybody’s — Nobody’s Land
2016 Human Wrongs Watch
