While some may be surprised, the shift was predictable (in fact, I predicted it in my last book): worsening economic conditions have stoked growing xenophobia, even in countries that have in recent years welcomed outsiders with open arms. Naturally, that has fomented the rise of political movements and parties that feed on those sentiments, as The Economist reveals in "The Far Right in Northern Europe: On the March":
Populist anti-immigration parties are performing strongly across northern Europe
FRANCE is not the only European country suffering a far-right surge. In an arc of countries spreading north-east from the Netherlands, populist parties are cutting a swathe through politics, appealing to electorates with various blends of nationalism, Euroscepticism (and euro-scepticism) and outright xenophobia.
I was fascinated by your claim that The Economist has “revealed” that political parties prone to “outright xenophobia” are gaining power. Unfortunately the Economist does not provide a shred of evidence that these parties are actually guilty of xenophobia, at least in the sense of hating foreigners: the fact that one does not want one’s country overrun by foreigners does not prove one hates foreigners any more than not wanting one’s garden covered with daffodils proves one hates daffodils.
As to those in favour of mass immigration I can “reveal” that they are guilty of pedophilia, incest and buggery. As to evidence, well I can’t be bothered providing any. Of course I don’t like descending to the moron level of debate we get from the pro-immigration lobby, but when dealing with idiots, there’s no point in saying anything too intelligent.
Posted by: Ralph Musgrave | March 18, 2011 at 02:28 AM
"even in countries that have in recent years welcomed outsiders with open arms": where's your evidence that the countries have, as distinct from their politicians?
Posted by: dearieme | March 18, 2011 at 08:23 AM
Self interest is the key.
Business is always importing cheap labor,and
the locals always resent it. Humanitarian ideals
never enter the equation.
Nothing in mother nature is illegal, it is all
about survival.
Posted by: roger | March 18, 2011 at 12:31 PM
Every country in the world wants highly educated immigrants who are doing pretty well in their own respective countries.
Media have been recently reporting that Immigration Department in the U.S. let the highly educated go back to their countries. For example, many folks have gone back to India and China for prospects of better financial life.
Posted by: Doable Finance | March 20, 2011 at 04:08 AM