Magpie writes a comment [see comments to Addendum] about a troubling piece by Yanis Veroufakis concerning the direction Europe is currently taking. The burden of the piece is that between the two world wars, Europe descended into the hell of fascism, at least in part because of the effects of the depression, and there is reason to fear that Europe will again take that path. Veroufakis has assembled a collection of statements that sound very much like what is now being said by supposedly sensible people in Europe, but turn out all to have actually been said by Nazis or Italian Fascists in the 30's and early 40's. The effect is very chilling.
I am not knowledgeable enough to make any sort of reasoned guess about the degree of the danger of another descent into European fascism. America's dark side is different from Europe's [not better or worse, just different], as we are seeing at this time. I have some small confidence in my ability to read the American scene, but no confidence at all in my ability to read the European scene. The one European country whose politics I have some familiarity with is France. I am encouraged by the fact that France recently elected a progressive socialist government, at the same time that I am deeply troubled by the growth there of "fascism with a human face" in the person of Marine LePen.
It is so hard to have any impact on the direction of the American economy and society -- I cannot even imagine what I and others of like mind could do to affect what is happening in Europe. However, this is a matter of the first importance, and I welcome comments from those with more knowledge than I.
