International Politics

[SticklinchJoe]

16 minutes ago, steviewevie said:

Biden was hardly Mr liberalism whatever that actually means, nor s Starmer.

But anyway throughout history left and centre have bickered to the advantage of the far right...and for now far right looks like the vibe where all the groovy kids are heading..unless the likes of Owen Jones can inspire them otherwise.

 

Very true indeed. The American Communists turned it into an art form.

[lost]

I've always thought these things go in cycles. We seem to drift too far left and then things pull back towards the right as they did with Thatcher after the 1970's.

 

Can't see us getting much further left with tax rates like these:

 

Quote

The average basic-rate graduate faces a marginal tax rate of 37pc once income tax (20pc), National Insurance (8pc) and 9pc loan repayments – a tax in all but name – is levied on an annual salary of just over £27,000. Post-graduates face an additional 6pc repayment over a £21,000 annual income threshold.

Those graduates who become higher rate payers face 51pc marginal tax rates for having a degree and 57pc rates with a post-graduate qualification.

A lone post-graduate parent with two children has an effective tax rate of 67pc when earning between £50,270 and £60,000. Earn between £100,000 and £125,000? You face a marginal tax rate of 71pc.

 

But this time we've got this weird thing where men and women are deviating so who knows what going to happen?

 

[steviewevie]

1 hour ago, lost said:

I've always thought these things go in cycles. We seem to drift too far left and then things pull back towards the right as they did with Thatcher after the 1970's.

 

 

 

This seems different though, that was social democracy to neo liberalism. That seems over, but not sure what is replacing it. Populism is the thing this decade, particularly a right wing populism. There is a loss of trust in the state, in institutions, in the media. Everyone is in their own media silo believing any old sh*t their told, everyone is angry, most of it aimed at migrants or cultural stuff and at liberal elites looking down at them. In terms of economics Trump is no neo liberalist, his protectionism is the stuff that Tony Benn used to bang on about. He is against global institutions like NATO, UN, EU...same as we have seen push back against things like ECHR here. Starmer is hoping that by delivering what the people want in terms of better public services that will put people off populism, but they've taken big risks with that budget that may not pay off in time.

The cycle seems to be going back to pre-1945 and the western liberal order...west is in relative decline and seeing rise of authoritarianism and nationalism, brics. Iraq and financial crash helped with that, and now we have hypocritical contradiction with opposing Russia but supporting Israel. So, we'll go back to good old days before 1945 when we had a much more multi-polar world, strong men and nations fighting over borders, and global wars.

[lost]

5 minutes ago, steviewevie said:

 That seems over, but not sure what is replacing it.

 

Probably Globalists vs Nationalists. As you said Nationalists borrowing from the old left and rejecting the idea that goods/services/people should cross borders seemlessly but also the idea of identity/culture from the right.

[steviewevie]

Blinken now says that there should be a pause in fighting in Gaza to allow aid in but they won't stop any supplies to Israel and there will be no repercussions or carrots or sticks just words and that will be his legacy.

Ultimately Biden administration have just tried to manage both middle east and Russia/Ukraine conflicts and have failed on both accounts and now Trump is going to come in and there will be a winner.

[steviewevie]

how kind