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> AFAICT there are no major issues that should have caused this. Populism and a perception that a more globally-connected world is concentrating the benefits o

> AFAICT there are no major issues that should have caused this. Populism and a perception that a more globally-connected world is concentrating the benefits of growth into the assets and control of a handful of individuals instead of "a rising tide lifting all boats." Also, the message that some politicians have been using ("trade agreements are evil!" "immigration is bad!" "the EU is making us abuse you!") has taken hold and people are pushing back against the perceived wrongs. (I intentionally made no judgment call on the accuracy of these perceptions.)

mistermann 10y ago
I find most people have no problem acknowledging that the gap between the rich and poor is increasing, unless the topic is populist politics, then minds seem to change on the topic.
- dragonwriter 10y ago
  Oh, plenty of people that oppose the brand of right-wing politics usually denoted in talk about "populist" politics (which is largely authoritarian nationalism) have no problem acknowledg ING that the charge of current economic policies unfairly and unnecessarily increasing the rich/poor gap are true. It's possible to believe that and think that the program of the "populists" coming to power on the back of it does nothing to alleviate that problem, as well as causing a bunch of other problems.
quickben 10y ago
Capital tends to amalgamate. Thus, I find your perceptions to be on the right track.
rudrigu 10y ago
> the message that some politicians have been using ("trade agreements are evil!" "immigration is bad!" "the EU is making us abuse you!") has taken hold Or, perhaps, the dissatisfaction was there all along, and the politicians are merely exploiting the pain of a faction of the electorate. Humans are tribal. They don't become tribal overnight because a politician told them to do so.
gydfi 10y ago
That's partially true but I think it's partially a recasting of right-wing thought into a left-wing mould. The main driving factor is third-world immigration, and in particular the perception that mass immigration from the third world has had deleterious effects on the West, both economically and culturally. What we're seeing right now is, I think, a preference cascade. For years people have been told that opposition to mass immigration is "racist" and have kept quiet about it, but now it's become more socially acceptable to talk about it.

mistermann 10y ago

I find most people have no problem acknowledging that the gap between the rich and poor is increasing, unless the topic is populist politics, then minds seem to change on the topic.

dragonwriter 10y ago
Oh, plenty of people that oppose the brand of right-wing politics usually denoted in talk about "populist" politics (which is largely authoritarian nationalism) have no problem acknowledg ING that the charge of current economic policies unfairly and unnecessarily increasing the rich/poor gap are true. It's possible to believe that and think that the program of the "populists" coming to power on the back of it does nothing to alleviate that problem, as well as causing a bunch of other problems.

quickben 10y ago

Capital tends to amalgamate. Thus, I find your perceptions to be on the right track.

rudrigu 10y ago

> the message that some politicians have been using ("trade agreements are evil!" "immigration is bad!" "the EU is making us abuse you!") has taken hold Or, perhaps, the dissatisfaction was there all along, and the politicians are merely exploiting the pain of a faction of the electorate. Humans are tribal. They don't become tribal overnight because a politician told them to do so.

gydfi 10y ago

That's partially true but I think it's partially a recasting of right-wing thought into a left-wing mould. The main driving factor is third-world immigration, and in particular the perception that mass immigration from the third world has had deleterious effects on the West, both economically and culturally. What we're seeing right now is, I think, a preference cascade. For years people have been told that opposition to mass immigration is "racist" and have kept quiet about it, but now it's become more socially acceptable to talk about it.