You've got me intrigued, Swords. Perhaps you might kindly back up your supposition that all right-wingers in power are, by defintion, maniacs with some hard evidence?
You can theorise as much as you like but the truth is that power corrupts, Animal Farm was written many years ago but as a parody of human nature is spot on. The extremes of Fascism and Communism are a virtually the same...
Plato once said that anyone that wants power doesn't deserve it - that's completely true 2 thousand years later. I should also add, with a modern slant, that the trend of young ambitious leaders is where is currently falls down. It would be much preferable to have wiser and more experienced heads that have nothing left to prove/aren't out with a very fixed agenda of making their mark so will try to do things for the greater good. At the risk of sounding fogeyish, these people would have been around in the days when hard work, discipline and societical (?) values were held much higher. Didn't even need to state political allegiance for that either!
As much as I loathe Tony Blair, I have to agree with him when he said at the Leveson last week that politicians are first elected when they're most popular and least capable, but are then ousted when they're least popular and most capable.
Point proven. There's not a single one on Gods green earth that isn't a Whack-Job and made people's lives hell. There's no point in me rolling off a big list Uber old chap so we'll just have to let this one rest. In the immortal words of George Walker Bush before launching War against Iraq: "Iraq is not Iran and Iran is not Iraq. I know that!"
Been wracking my brain for examples of right wing national leaders who weren't potentially gung-ho where circumstances pointed to conflict. Even the so called left wing nutters (Stalin, Blair) had right wing traits to such extent that they were (and still are) considered by many to have been wolves (hawks) in sheep's clothing. Still shudder when I think of John McCain's campaign four years ago including his unguarded and remorseless play on the Barbara-Anne lyrics: 'bomb, bomb, bomb - bomb, bomb I-ran'.
Nut-cases. And just when you thought it was impossible, they went and found a running mate who was even dumber than George Bush. An extraordinary feat that could only be achieved by the Americans.
This is going to sound bizarre, but I would put Eisenhower into the relatively sane right wing camp. After all it was he who warned of the 'military-industrial complex' that was the driving force in the US economy and hence US policy. Shame Kennedy didn't listen to him.
That's well worded Stan. Because "relatively sane" in the right wing camp is still quite crazy to the rest of society.
Not saying all right wing leaders are co-co Stan. Just that those most likely to press the loony buttons tend to be right wingers.
I can't think of a single modern US president, with the possible exception of Roosevelt, who I would define as anything other than right wing in European terms. A lot of my US colleagues whine on about the 'welfare culture' in Europe. When I explain to them that these western European welfare states were built by democracies to avoid turning communist, and the US knowingly paid for them through the Marshall Plan, they pause for a bit. A few minutes later they have forgotten - short attention spans.
Absolutely. Even Obama would be considered right wing over here. Although perhaps he isn't but its just that he's not allowed be anything else owing to the type of system they have over there. The Yanks that bang on about the Welfare State rarely tend to be poor or less well off. Funny that.
An interesting point that the only "not completely insane" right wing leaders we can mention are great war time leaders - they had their wars handed to them. Do any of you know anything about the Japanese post-war leadership? They had the expansionistic, mass-industrialisation associated with right wing ideals but without the military intent. A lot will be down to their Imperial set up and perhaps the wounds they suffered following 1945. The point is still relatively valid (although they lie outside the Western World).
I work in Japan quite a lot ( next time in 3 weeks). My Japanese colleagues tell me that the post war generation felt huge shame and threw themselves into work on behalf of future generations, so all their energy was focussed internally.But their political system was imposed on them by McArthur, would be interesting to see what would have happened if they had a free choice. The society is definitely geared towards harmony and calm, but in a very hierarchical/ stratified way, without rocking the boat. Suicide rate remains second only to South Korea.
My brother lived out there for a year and told me that their inheritance tax is extremely high (about 95% if my memory from 12 years ago holds) so that each generation has to work hard (and maintain the family pride). I think the suicide rate is also down to pride and shame because he also told me that it was heavily influenced by recession and the perception from others on losing a job. I'm glad that doesn't happen here but I do worry about the growing lack of work ethic in the UK. Thanks for the insightful political side SB - my brother only furnished me with more social type info. Strange to think that the Americans had such an influence over the Japanese presence and success in the States that caused so much hatred right up to the late 80s/early 90s.
