The low road

Given Trump/Vance and Harris/Walz it’s impossible to ignore politics at the moment, try as you may. The US election’s an historic event, given Joe Biden’s demise and 45’s criminal convictions. And is she black or not?

But in the States, as in Canada, the UK and Europe, there’s a far darker side to this circus. It involves houseless kids, immigration and the wobbling nature of democracy. We need to understand it better. Or else.

You probably heard about the riots in sleepy little British cities this week. Anti-migrant sentiment has been whipped by social media and far-right groups leading to mayhem. The immediate cause was misinformation that a non-citizen knifed some kids. The perp was actually born there, but of immigrant parents. Close enough.

“Immigration is the real reason for the housing crisis,” says Reform UK leader Nigel Farange. Lots of people believe him because young Britons, like many young Canadians, have been shut out of real estate ownership.

Populist leaders are feeding from the anti-immigration/unaffordability buffet. Trump does it best. Newcomers ‘poison the bloodstream of America’, he says. He claims migrants are criminals, insane asylum escapees and rapists. He states America must “stop the unsustainable invasion of illegal aliens which is driving up housing costs.”

The same in Europe. As discussed here, populists and anti-immigrationists have done well in Germany, the Netherlands, France and elsewhere, winning a surprise hunk of the European Parliament. At the centre of their pitch is a simple message: they are stealing your houses. Here, too, of course. Every single day I scrub dozens of comments expressing an identical view.

Leaders like Farange, Trump or Marine LePen find it convenient and uplifting to trash newcomers (with slogans like ‘Germany for Germans’) while expressing tolerance or even admiration for true authoritarians in Russia or Hungary where migrants are blocked or corralled.

Those places shun democracy, too. I thought of that yesterday as I read some blog comments from posters lauding Soviet-era housing blocks, and Singapore’s assigned living spaces. Of course, you have to deal with Communism or state control (elevators in Singapore apartment buildings have urine detectors that, when activated, take the violator’s picture and lock the door until the police arrive) but lots of kiddos seem okay with that.

The danger comes in growing numbers of people losing faith in capitalism, democracy and a market-based economy. When they cannot afford a condo, let alone a little house with a garage, people conclude the country is ‘broken’ or the system is ‘rigged’ against them. It’s exactly Trump’s message. And our Pierre Poilievre is close behind. Both are a whisper from power.

Housing is linked to populist leaders now who propose simple solutions – like restricting population growth. That means reducing immigration, despite its bolstering effect on the economy. As reported by Politico, Britain’s housing minister put it this way: “If people think markets are rigged and a democracy isn’t listening to them, then you get — and this is the worrying thing to me — an increasing number of young people saying, ‘I don’t believe in democracy, I don’t believe in markets.” A poll done in June in Canada found close to a majority believe immigration is “having a mostly negative impact in Canada.” Half of those under 35 say socialism may be a better system.

When people believe something, it becomes a political fact. Leaders who continually repeat and amplify that belief garner support. Trump supporters, for example, seem not to care much when he tells them they “won’t need to vote again” if they elect him. And in Canada we now expect an authoritative central government to dictate city zoning laws and get massively involved in local building projects. This was never the role of the feds. But the young want public, not private, solutions. Capitalism is indelibly tarnished when condos cost eight hundred thousand.

This post is not about immigration – although you can be sure the comments section will be its usual swamp of xenophobia. Global migration is unstoppable. It’s not entirely about politicians who exploit opportunities, distorted as they are by social media. Appetite for power is unstoppable. The point is, we face a threat to governance.

Capitalism, free markets and democracy are the best paths forward humans have yet discovered. Millions died fighting to get us here.

We’d better figure this out. Fast. Or lose our way.

About the picture: “Garth, this is our dragon, Juniper,” writes Pete. “Feel free to use any or all photos. Thanks for sharing your thoughts over the years, I’ve learned much.”

To be in touch or send a picture of your beast, email to ‘garth@garth.ca’.

Source: https://www.greaterfool.ca/2024/08/07/the-low-road/