‘The Trump administration has effectively declared civilisational war on the EU and its values in its National Security Strategy.’ im Watson/AFP/‘The Trump administration has effectively declared civilisational war on the EU and its values in its National Security Strategy.’ im Watson/AFP/Getty ImagesTrump has declared civilisational war on Europe. It won’t be easy – but here’s how to fight backPaul TaylorWith democratic values under attack from populists within and former allies without, there are no simple solutionsThree decades after political philosopher Francis Fukuyama declared the End of History and the “universalisation of western liberal democracy as the final form of human government”, the democratic model is under attack in many parts of the world, not least here in Europe. Populists bent on weakening the rule of law, rolling back human rights protections, subjugating the judiciary and cowing independent journalism are amplified by anything-goes social media algorithms that promote anger and polarisation over rational discourse. They have now received a mandate from the Trump administration, which effectively declared civilisational war on the EU and its values in its National Security Strategy. The growing failure, meanwhile, of our market democracies to deliver affordable housing, universal quality education and healthcare, and security of employment – what the economist Joseph Stiglitz calls the “inequality emergency” – is alienating many young and working-class people from democracy, fuelling the rise of illiberalism and authoritarianism. The combination of grievance-based identity politics and what some call techno-fascism poses a danger to our democratic system of governance.
