I am having trouble understanding where we (as the people and voters) made a mistake. While i have my own conclusion about that, I would like to hear some opinions first.
In most democracies we see a rise of extremists on the left and right (more obvious in most countries is the right wing). On the same time we have had a peaceful period of time for several decades, the living standards rise since ww2 and yet, everybody seems to be unhappy. Why is that the case?
And a more specific question is, how can 30-40 percent of US citizens blindly stand behind this president? I do not blame them specifically as I am starting to believe this can happen anywhere else as well (i am from germany). Lets say that all of his political ideas (tariffs, walls, health care, taxes, etc.) would make sense to you, does it bias his rethoric? Apart from white male supremecists i dont think there is a group that he didnt attack. Do you really believe he is the only one who could improve your country? Why wouldnt a "normal" politican be able to do it without all the lies?
My simple ideas i currently have are education and lobbyism. But given the fact that the leading political party changed over the last decades quite often in all those democracies, why did we end up being so uneducated, that a lot of us are going extreme as the only solution? Why is belief more important than facts? When did we stopped checking what people say? Did this start with social media? Is social media the modern radio, that empowered Hitler? And why do we allow lobbys to write laws for the elected government to pass? Why can't they formulate their own ideas and write them into a law? I agree, that involved parties should be heard and their opinions taken into account into an decision, but to what extent?
Where will this development lead to? Back to markantilism? Back to nationalism and wars? To some new and better future? if that is the case, how is that accomplished?
Dear
baum: For English not being your first language, you are doing quite well to discuss something as complex and deep as politics.
To frame this process, I would suggest you look at how colonies start off depending on a parent govt.
Then break free from outside control and become independent.
Then split into north and south, or left and right, based on class control.
There seems to be a common pattern as people grow toward independent self-govt.
If you look at the warring parties, they also need to learn to become self-governing.
The Catholic church governs its own programs and policies, and has these same
splits among its membership and leadership. Some groups break free and form
their own congregations.
And you can see the same with counties or cities within states that
incorporate to become self-governing.
The common pattern is that people learn to govern and represent themselves
as LOCALLY and independently as possible.
When we don't, the opposite happens, where the more we rely on COLLECTIVE
representation, a RIFT develops between the fewer in power and the masses that follow.
This doesn't work over time.
Eventually those masses break free and need more localized control and representation.
If you can understand the stages of development in terms of
seeking independence and self-reliance, it makes sense.
If groups get TOO LARGE, then those people will break into separate groups.
So those groups want equal power and representation.
The best way to get this is to organize self-governing
states and then cities. Or independent ORGANIZATIONS
that decide their own policies. The less we depend on outside authority,
and the more we learn to manage our own programs and fund and run
these ourselves, then we won't see as much conflict between competing groups.
We will have independent sovereign states,
or cities, or religious or political organizations.
So when everyone has the representation and policies of their choice,
there is no more need to fight over power through govt to get this.
We build it and manage it ourselves locally, and let others to do the same.