IDENTITY: A NEW FORCE IN MODERN POLITICS

Originally this book was to be reviewed shortly after reading, but work bogged me down and I ended up reading two other books before finding time for another blog.  Ironically I learned more about the the author Francis Fukuyama.  He is famous for "The End of History" which I had not read.  In it he apparently proclaimed that all history had led to our modern status quo which Francis thought was destined to boost democracy and progressiveness indefinitely  This new book was made necessary because Trump set history backwards.

Politicians have been trying to figure out how best to attract enough voters to get elected.  Francis Fukuyama explores the issue of identity which is a critical factor that some politicians understand better than others.

Economic motivation is rooted in the demand for recognition and therefore cannot be satisfied by economic means.  For many leaders it is felt that if the incentives are right a worker/citizen will be motivated.  Francis goes beyond that implying that people have come to recognize money is one important tool and not just because of what one can do with it.  Money is one marker of status. 

Back in 1974 the proportion of national output going to the 1% was only 9%, but in 2008 it had risen to 24%.  That was at the expense of the rest of the population and the victims were looking for someone to blame.

Fukuyama credits Martin Luther as one of the first Western thinkers to extol the inner self or the external social being.  Humiliation drove many movements with one of the best examples the French Revolution.  The growth of liberalism led to the free movement of labor.  Two of the most liberal nations, Britain and the United States were drivers of industrialization.  Ironically (?) inequality in developed world is most pronounced in the same two countries.

Simone de Beauvoir wrote that the experiences of women is not the same as for men and helped promote the idea to boost the status of women.  Over time other aggrieved groups, racial minorities, gays, transgenders who developed a conscience of being treated unfairly.  Fukuyama contends that nations need to develop national identities. 

United States was mostly settled by the British, but Irish Catholics starting immigrating around the 1840's.  Southern and eastern Europeans followed and were also resented.  In World War I many Germans tried to hide their identity.  In the 20th century and more so in the 21st, Mexicans and Muslims are becoming more noticeable and causing politicians like Sarah Palin to comment on the "real America" and Donald Trump wants to "make America great again."

Fukuyama advocates that minority abuses have to be corrected.  Assimilation has to be encouraged.  Economic stress needs to be mitigated as resentment starts with loss of status.  Social media facilities the formation of groups and also misinformation to spread.

Identity has been used to divide people, but it also can and has been used to integrate.  My little review necessarily skims over much of Fukuyama's arguments which are well worth reading.

After reading it was brought to my attention that Stacey Abrams rebutted some Fukuyama's arguments during her response to the State of the Union speech.

"The Age of Austerity How Scarcity Will Remake American Politics" book review

We live in "interesting times" to quote a Chinese curse.  Never have there been so many people chasing so many diminishing resources.  Thomas Byrne Edsall compiles a bunch of statistics with some observations to demonstrate that austerity is having an impact on American politics.

Demographics are a driving force.  In America the trends are that minorities are gaining at the expense of whites.  However whites are still in power and are reluctant to give it up.  The elderly whites feel especially threatened and resentful.  Basically those who have power do what they can to retain it and if possible expand it.  When things get scarce greed and fear are revealed.

It isn't just physical resources that are getting scarce. It also includes such things as jobs and available money for the masses.  The safety net is under assault.

Language is a tool in the battle. The word "entitlement" has come to mean undeserved and the Republicans have used it in that sense so often that Democrats find themselves using it as well.

The author seems pessimistic thinking that the main thing going for the Democrats is that the Republicans tend to overplay their hand.  The Republicans are conscious that demographics are working against them and feel some pressure to achieve their goals while they still can.

The author is sympathetic to Democrats, but doesn't think they are as unified as they need to be and that for the moment the Republicans have the edge.

The very specific thrust of the Republicans is to lower taxes and lessen regulations.  What this accomplishes is to consolidate their power.  They are very resentful of their hard earned wealth going to the undeserving.  They overlook that in the future the greater numbers of elderly will be dependent on the efforts of the greater numbers of minorities.   Inequalities are natural in capitalism, but at some point those in power are able to leverage a greater gap.

Demographics are working against the Republicans and so they feel a sense of urgency.  They know that Latinos, African Americans and other minorities will soon have the numbers to advance a progressive agenda.

But the problem cannot be confined to the United States.  Americans only make up 5% of the world's population, but consume 20% of the world' energy.  The rest of the world is trying to catch up.

A quote found in the text from Francis Fukuyama, "One of the benefits of democracy is the ability to legitimately extract from elites."  In many despotic countries of ancient and contemporary history this ability does not exist and all (including the very rich) lose something.

The author has laid out some frightening trends.  Whether there might be sufficient counter trends it is difficult to determine.  I think those concerned would do well to read this book and become more conscious of some very significant scary trends.