Argentina went to the polls and elected a ‘Anarcho-Capitalist ’ Libertarian ...
In Maldives, the new incumbent promised to do the exact opposite which the previous president had done. Geert Wilders victory in Netherlands has shaken up the Euro Zone, In USA the government was again on the verge of shutdown in October with no love lost between the Democrats & Republicans. Both in Israel & Bangla Desh, opposition parties swear to dismantle existing policy on most issues if elected.
Are countries really divided down the middle? Are differences genuinely not reconcilable? How can their be any continuity in policy or direction within a country where political parties have a 180 degree divide? Why do some countries be appearing to be in a civil war (like Brazil) or melt-down (like Sri Lanka & now Pakistan) like situation? Whatever has happened to the old dictum that politicians are more or less the same; Tweedledum & Tweedledee?
Earlier, there were choices like Capitalism or Communism, Laissez fare or regulated policy, Military dictatorship or Civil Rule. Now, there is a consensus of sorts; most countries, even China & Russia appear to embrace some variant of capitalism. Civilian rule is the norm and most frown down on Laissez fare economics. But then, why are such extremities in approach within the same countries coming to the fore?
Probably, this is a consequence of the events around us. This is in part due to the inter-related nature of the modern economies. Trying to make sense of the volatility caused by these changes appears to churn radicalism & starkly untried approaches. Politics is on the boil and countries have frequently junked mainstream politicians and are willing to make unusual choices, whether it is regarding the economy, climate change, immigration or currency valuation.
Truth is that capitalism or free markets worked has worked to a large degree only for a few countries. The usual culprits, whether it is unemployment rate or inflation or immigration remains a hot potato with politicians unable to deal with it in politically correct terms. Migration remains an intractable subject with the wealthy nations unwilling to accept the flood of migrants it as a logical outcome of their global policies. In part, this explains the number of mavericks who seem to enter political debate laterally whether in the USA or India or Argentina or Netherlands or France and find ready audiences for their counter-vision.
Large percentile differences in standards of living can no longer be camouflaged or glossed over any more. The angst caused by difference in standards appears to feed the fault lines of religion, caste, social divide, language, ethnic, race & social divide. Just as an example, in the Americas, the capita income for South American countries viz. Brazil $ 8140, Peru $ 6770, Colombia $ 6510, Ecuador $ 6310 (Argentina's $ 11520 comes with a 185% inflation rate), Mexico's $ 13804 bears no comparison with USA's $ 76,399. So, will the erection of barriers, mainly physical ones like barbed wire fences & walls ever work ? And for how long ?
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