Why do national populists attack their countries old and respected institutions?

eazybee

Nigel Farage is not 'attacking elitist banks', he is defending himself against untrue and unjust accusations, and in so doing has exposed malpractice of which many were unaware.

He didn't trouble to attack the banks when Muslim account holders found their accounts closed. don't think that anybody did.

Israeli politics is not difficult to understand the ultra orthodox religious parties hold the balance of power, if challenged they will fight - to the last Palestinian.

Surrounding countries are very cautious handling Israel because they probably have nuclear weapons, they don’t care what others think and the US supports them

The reason populists undermine national institutions, although I would put what Netanyahu, is doing, not as demolishing institutions, but undermini the rule of law, the first step onthe way to dictatorship.

Populists undermine institutions ofthe state, or what they see as institutions of the state, for the reasons you state. Populism is based on activating 'the masses', and populist leaders do like to see people as 'masses' rather than individuals, against the 'elite', aka governments that populist leaders do not like. and everything that the state is associated with.

To be a populist leader you need to be a demagogue, and rouse peoples emotions and play with them - like the Hungarian leader and tyhen lead them to demand the destruction anything in the way of the demagugues rise to power.

I remember watching a programme about religion in the States. It was many years ago and possibly fronted by Richard Dawkins.

One interview has remained in my memory. It was with a 20 something Christian who had converted to Judaism and was headed fr a kibbutz. One reason he gave was the lack of control that men had over the way in which women dressed.

Some year later (2016) we traveled to New York on a flight with several orthodox Jews. They were in family groups, with lots of children. The women were clothed from head to foot - completely covered up to the extent that they also wore wigs to cover their hair. Of course no one but their husbands would see an inch of their bare skin and I guess that is what this young man would have liked too.

There is no way that the USA is going to intervene with Netanyahu because they don't want to upset their Jewish population.

WWM Thanks for posting this. Very interesting.

The majority of Jews in America are absolutely not Orthodox Jews. Most are not any different than you or I except they go to Synagogue on Saturday whilst I go to church on Sunday (well sometimes I do.) There are also many Jews who are not religious at all but follow the Jewish calendar ie they celebrate Hanukkah, whilst many people in Britain/America are not religious at all but they follow the Christian calendar ie they celebrate Christmas.
I don’t know how many Jews are Orthodox in Israel, but probably a bigger percentage than in the UK or America, but there are also many Jews in Israel who are not Orthodox.

Netanyahu is only in power because he made deals with extreme right wing and ultra orthodox groups and these proposed changes to the law are the price. I don't think he will get away with this, the demonstrations are not going away. Worth noting the connection here; Jared Kushner, son in law of Trump, a man given office on no basis other than nepotism, has strong family links to Netanyahu.

Most US Jews are not orthodox but they will defend the “homeland” to the end, no US polititian would dare upset the Jewish lobby, it would be political suicide.

Katie59

Most US Jews are not orthodox but they will defend the “homeland” to the end, no US polititian would dare upset the Jewish lobby, it would be political suicide.

It certainly would. But that is different from propping up Netanyahu

Jewish people support the homeland of Israel because of the Holocaust. There are many still alive who either were caught up in the Holocaust or their parents were. Now they feel that this must never happen again- quite rightly, and so they see support of Israel as ensuring that there always is a homeland for Jewish people. It is not about support for Netanyahu, it is about support for their homeland. Two different things.

FRom fascism to fascism - how can anyone support it- especially if you have suffered so much at the hands off.
I have many Jewish friends who are appalled at what he is doing, and would not, and could not, support his actions- and his putting the country on the edge of Civil War- and making the rest of the world very wary about traditional Jews.

Yes, as far as I can tell, ordinary Jewish people do not support him.

Religious zealots are dangerous wether Jewish or Islamic but until Israel elects a moderate government nothing will change. Civil War?, I wouldn't back the moderates, the extremists will fight much harder.

maddyone

Yes, as far as I can tell, ordinary Jewish people do not support him.

I think that the Orthodox Jews certainly support Netanyahu, for at least a couple of reasons. The first is his expansionist policies. Orthodox Jews make up the majority of settlers in the illegally settled West Bank which used to belong to Jordan before Israel’s illegal annexation, and secondly, he had promised to exempt Orthodox Jews from army service.

Israel is in fact a secular state, with many of the population, although identifying as Jewish, rather like many in this country identifying as Christian, but not practicing. So these folk are opposing Netanyahu for a number of reasons. They are concerned that Netanyahu is turning the country into an authoritarian nationalistic state, with their democratic processes under severe threat, and they see the exemption of Orthodox Jews as pandering to religious orthodoxy which goes against Israel’s secular status.

So looking at Netanyahu with his populist hat on , he is attacking Israel’s judicial institution, whilst at the same time dividing the country.

Text book!

Yes, that’s what I meant Whitewave, ordinary Jewish people do not support him, whilst the Orthodox community do support him.

Attacking the judiciary is beyond the remit of a normal, democratic government. In my opinion. I hope it doesn’t all end in civil war.

MerylStreep

So the op isn’t really about national populist but once again another attack on Nigel Farage
. Gina Miller has had her bank a/c closed for political reasons.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-66328098

And there are people who are clapping their hands because a Brexit leader had a bank account shut. Now we have one who tried in court to get brexit stopped. 😂

my thoughts too mstreep

Whitewavemark2

MayBee70

ie The populists make the electorate believe that they’re working for them. Who they are actually working for I really don’t know. And, the ultimate result, in some cases will result in dictatorships. Which, strangely enough is probably what a lot of people want in that they don’t then have to bother themselves with political issues.

Themselves and cronies, they are certainly not democratic whatever they say, and you will find almost without fail that in every case the population has been successfully divided rather than working for the good of the entire country.

Look at Israel. Look at the USA, look at the U.K. and in every case there is more violence and hate.

Where do you see hate Wwm2?

Well, the Capitol attack for starters…

I think someone has already mentioned Trumps familial relationship to Netanyahu, and Trump was more than willing to give Netanyahu his personal endorsement in order for Netanyahu to get re-elected. Trump went further, by turning his back on a long-standing US. Policy and moved the US embassy to Jerusalem - recognising Jerusalem as the Capital - a move that he knew would cause upset amongst the Palestinians, but delight Netanyahu, and one which the Americans had deliberately avoided.

And we are witnessing both men who at present under personal threat from the rule of law in their respective countries both attempting to turn this from the personal to a national tragedy.
Both men are in a fight to stay out of prison, and the best route both see which is in their best interests is power. Netanyahu is using his power cobbled together by working with the most extreme ultra-nationalists, who are racists ultra-Zionists and will never be willing to compromise over the Palestinian issue. So Netanyahu is willing to see the minorities like the LGBQT community under the biggest threat that they have ever experienced, together with other extremely unpopular moves in order to save his own skin.
Netanyahu is intent on staying out of prison, and for this he is willing to sacrifice his country to division, violence, hate and perhaps civil war.

A populist nationalist.

Dinahmo

eazybee

Nigel Farage is not 'attacking elitist banks', he is defending himself against untrue and unjust accusations, and in so doing has exposed malpractice of which many were unaware.

He didn't trouble to attack the banks when Muslim account holders found their accounts closed. don't think that anybody did.

Perhaps because it wasn't national news. Never heard of this myself.

There is a double spread article in the Observer today about Netanyahu.

Apparently military people are refusing to serve.

Also a good article by someone who took part in the protests, she is hoping that it won’t come to civil war.

I think that depends on the opposition to Netanyahu and how far he is willing to push it.

Trump’s biggest ‘trump’ card is Biden of course. If they found someone more credible to lead the Democrats he wouldn’t have much of a chance. As it is, the situation could lead to a civil war . It is dangerous.

nanna8

Trump’s biggest ‘trump’ card is Biden of course. If they found someone more credible to lead the Democrats he wouldn’t have much of a chance. As it is, the situation could lead to a civil war . It is dangerous.

I was listening to a podcast and this subject was brought up.

Mitch MConnel - the Republican minority leader is 81, and this week he was giving a press conference, when he simply stopped mid sentence. Apparently the poor man simply stood there until his aids gently led him away.

I think that America’s tendency to elect pretty old presidents can be seen as a real issue. If Trump gets the nomination, then we will have two people who are 77 and 80 years old, and it seems to me that depending on such ancient folk is not necessarily the best thing.

However regarding Biden, from what I can understand, there is no one else who can defeat Trump, just as in the last election.
So the suggestion is that he will run again, because of that reason.

I do think that Biden is a pretty old 80 though, and of course we know that Trump has many health issues.