Dr.
The Safe Havens of Global Cities
In his article, “The West’s Major Cities are a Bulwark Against the Tide of Right-Wing Nationalism,” Ishaan Tharoor writes about the celebration in London of the Battle of Cable Street, which was a protest that had various groups coming together to prevent a group of fascists from marching over eighty years ago (Tharoor). It was a time when there was a dangerous level of hatred and anger directed at the Jewish communities in Europe (Tharoor). Indeed, the events taking place at the time of those original Cable Street protests, occurred in the middle of Hitler’s rise to power, and the spread of Nazism in Germany; as well as the rise of fascism in Mussolini’s Italy and Franco’s Spain. The Jews, however, were not the only community that was under attack. In Europe at the time, there were also hostilities being conducted towards any ethnic group that was outside of one’s own (O’Shea). This was because much of Europe was still recovering from the effects of World War I (WWI); a war that was facilitated by the growing political, economic and social tensions throughout Europe. For many European countries, the end of WWI brought with it economic hardships due to expenses of rebuilding and a return to economic normalcy.
It is for this reason that the Battle at Cable Street was an important day for diversity in Britain. For the British public, the protest was an event that transcended the hatred and bigotry that prevalent in British society at the time (O’Shea). This was because the rise of Fascism was a threat that was serious enough to bring all communities of the British public to the realization there would be grave consequences for the nation if they did not stand up against it together (O’Shea).
The Battle at Cable Street took place, as mentioned, during a period in history when anti-Jewish sentiments were strong across Europe. To be sure, Britain was not the only country in Europe where there was a rising anti-Jewish disposition amongst the populace, and Fascist tendencies in the government. In both Spain and Italy, Fascist leaders had gained control of the government, and of course, the Nazi Party was in power in Germany (Tharoor). Consequently, the Battle at Cable Street is widely believed to be the point in Britain’s history where the populace decided that despite their differences, they were going to unite together to fight against hate (Tharoor).
The implication of the Cable Street protest was that that it led to a new recognition of diversity within British society (Tharoor). It was a recognition that would eventually led the country to becoming more welcoming and understanding of people and communities that were different than their own. As the newly elected Mayor of London, and first Muslim to hold the position, Sadiq Khan stated, the result of the Cable Street protest has been a more diverse London which is “a shining example of how people from different backgrounds can live side-by-side” (Tharoor).
However, the sentiments that Khan expressed are not shared everywhere in the West. Indeed, a number of western nations, have seen a rise in popularity of ultra-Nationalists, far-right-wing populists and white supremacists, who are working against the unity of various communities and who want to create or return to a segregated society (Heinz). This phenomenon is readily illustrated in events taking place in small cities across the US. The population in many of these cities is made up of the same families that have lived there for generation. Accordingly, the common public sentiment is resistant to any change in this dynamic (Hedges). The idea of diversity, multiculturalism and pluralism that was expressed by Mr. Khan is a concept that for many only exists in the larger metropolitan cities (Hedges).
The people living in these small towns across much of the US, have become, according to their own decisions, the new faces of Fascism (Hedges). Their attraction to Fascism was strengthened further through their success at helping to elect Donald J. Trump as the nest President of the United States. Indeed, Trump has been endorsed by a wide range of American Neo-Nazis and white supremacist groups (Heinz). Trump has also employed several alt-right advocates on his campaign team. The alt-right is a group of ultra-conservatives who believe that the agenda of the white, Christian male should precede the rights of all others; on his campaign team (Heinz). They are representative of the type of hatred and bigotry that the people who participated in the Cable Street protest stood against. Nonetheless, Americans are not the only example of this rise of neo-Fascism. In Austria, for instance, a presidential candidate is a former member of the group that was founded by a member of the Nazi Party (Tharoor). Moreover, Marine Le Pen, who is the leader of the neo-Fascist group, National Front, is also running in France’s upcoming the presidential election (Tharoor).
Even in Britain, there is growing anti-immigrant, anti-foreigner sentiment. It was this sentiment that led to last summer’s surprise vote in support of Brexit. The decision to Brexit meant that most of Britain’s population decided that the government should withdraw the nation’s membership in the European Union. The regions that voted to remain part of the EU were the more densely populated regions, where people tend to be more educated and to have a higher tolerance for those who are different than them (Tharoor).
This was similar to what happened in the American presidential election. The regions that voted for Hillary Clinton were the American mirror of the British regions that voted to remain (Tharoor). These regions are commonly known as “Blue States,” and their existence is due to both the level of education in the metropolitan areas as well as the number of jobs that the people in these areas have separated themselves from the droves of people living in the “Red States” or the states more commonly connected with the rise of neo-Fascism (Hedges).
This is because the Blue States, which lie predominately on the West Coast and the New England States, have done what was necessary to grow their economies (Tharoor). On the other hand, the Red States have suffered from constant economic decline and often must rely on money from the Federal government (Hedges). There are many reasons for the conditions of the Red States. One of the most important reasons is the resistance to change that comes from the people and government of Red State (Hedges). An example of this resistance is the state of Ohio. Somewhere between 2008-2010 the federal government offered the state the U.S. $ 400 million to increase and improve its transportation system (Koff). This would have been done by creating a busing and subway system that would have connected the entire state. The plan would have led to job creation, both from the construction of transportation system itself, and the ability of people; in areas that are stagnant in terms of jobs, to access jobs in other regions (Koff). However, the state decided that it would cost too much to implement and turned the money down.
This resistance to change is what clouds the perspective of many of those who have jumped on the neo-Fascist “take our country back” bandwagon (Hedges). However, instead of acknowledging their own fault in the downfall of their state’s economy. Many people chose to blame the federal government and immigration for their problems (Heinz). This has caused a separation in America between the people in the more populous “Blue” leaning states and cities, and the rest of the country. To be sure it is likely that residents of California, New York City, and Los Angeles feel that they have more in common with cities overseas, than with people within their own country. This sentiment that was expressed by Steve Bannon, the founder of Breitbart a popular alt-right publication that promotes a nationalistic ideology. Bannon, who Trump named as his senior White House advisor, in speaking out against globalization, said that those who support the globalization of their economy are members of the “elite mentality that they’re going to dictate to everybody how the world’s going to be run” (Tharoor). Throughout his campaign, Trump has also spoke out against globalism, which helped to earn him the vote of white voters in rural areas (Heinz; Hedges). Unlike any that were seen in many recent elections, these voters came out in large numbers in support of Trump in this election. This is because they finally felt that Trump would be a supportive voice in the government for their interests, and would be able to obtain the isolationism that they sought for the country.
Nonetheless, the will of the people is small town America has not completely overshadowed that of the people living in the major cities (Tharoor). The leaders of many larger cities have made it clear that they will fight back against policies that have been reiterated by Donald Trump such as the deportation of millions of undocumented immigrants (Tharoor). Instead these cities and their leaders wish to demonstrate inclusion and security to those who are under the threat of deportation. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio is one such leader (Tharoor). De Blasio is one of many other leaders across the country. who are not willing to tear families apart and ruin the lives of millions of hard working individuals (Tharoor). De Blasio has said that the city would refuse to give the federal government access to the databases that contain the names of over 500, 000 undocumented immigrants (Tharoor).
Abortion is another issue in which there will likely be a clash between the conservative Evangelical ideology of the Red States and the more open-minded and tolerant view of the Blue States. Along with a Congress dominated by highly conservative Republican Party members, Trump wants to see Roe vs. Wade overturned (Tharoor). This means that city leaders will again be looked to to defend their citizen’s rights to make decisions about their own health and rights regarding their bodies.
These are not the only changes that were proposed by Hillary Clinton during her campaign that Blue States are working to make happen. Many Blue States have passed laws that increase the minimum wages to U.S. $15 an hour over the next three to five years (Tharoor). There are also a number of Blue State politicians who are fighting on behalf of policies to fight against climate change (Tharoor). However, these men and women who are fighting to uphold the more progressive ideals of society are at a disadvantage. This is because both the House and the Senate have a Republican Party majority. Consequently, Congress will likely block or attempt to block any policies put forth by the Democrats on these issues. There is also the appointment of people to Trump’s Cabinet who either have no experience in or have expressed counter views towards the areas and organizations their positions oversee. For example, Trump picked Scott Pruitt to lead the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) despite the fact that he believes climate change is a hoax (Milman). There is also Betsy DeVos, Trump’s choice for to head Department of Education. She not only has no experience in education but also openly promotes the idea that children should be sent to private or parochial schools (Ganim and Tran).
The reason for this opposition is that despite small town America’s attempts to stifle change, cities are becoming more urbanized. This growing urbanization is leading to a growing diversity within cities across countries. This makes it a necessity for the leaders within these cities to put policies in place that work to positively handle the concerns of the people living within these areas (Tharoor). Basically, the cities that have more diversity because of rapid urbanization have been forced by necessity to implement changes and programs to help create a positive and productive atmosphere within their city and even state. This is different from the areas in which growth is slow as much of their populace consists of the same families that have been in the town for generations and they are more resistant to change due to the change being slower than that in urbanized areas.
One of the reasons for this change in perspective as a city becomes more urbanized in due to the economic growth within the region. Urbanized cities provide eighty percent of the world’s GDP (Tharoor). In America, more than eighty percent of the country’s population lives in urban areas. (Tharoor). The people living in these regions tend to vote against the right-wing, conservative agendas. Nonetheless, due to the way that the system is run right-wing conservatives can end up having the power to stifle the desire of most the population. This is best illustrated in the workings of the Electoral College system, which was created by the “founding fathers” as a compromise between those who wanted a group of men in the government to pick the President and those who felt that the people should have a say in who runs the country (Tharoor). The Electoral College is also supposed to act as a deterrent from the more populated states controlling the election outcomes. However, there are a lot of discrepancies within the system, such as the number of people that make up one point in the College. In more densely populated states there may only be ten thousand people to make one Electoral College point. While in a larger state such as New York or California it may take 100,000 people to make up one Electoral College point. This fairness of this system has been debated over the years.
Leaders, like London Mayor Sadiq Khan, in large metropolitan cities are asking to have more power when it comes to administrating their cities. This is because as Khan explains it, a city like London, which has a population the size of Scotland and Wales combined, risks a sharp economic collapse with the passage of Brexit referendum (Tharoor). This type of economic damage is not just a risk to London, but can be a risk to metropolitan cities worldwide if voters persist on taking a narrow, anti-globalist view. In other words, large city mayors can act as a deterrent to the negative aspects of society. This is because they have the ability to implement laws within their cities that prevent people from engaging in hatred and intolerance. The result of this that not only can a larger number of the population be regulated by progressive policies, than the “redder regions” but it will also decrease the potential state and federal damage on the local front (Tharoor). This has led to many mayors, such as New York’s de Blasio, as being seen as people who are problem-solvers and can increase their chances of winning if they were to ever run for a higher political office (Tharoor). It is thought that the ability of cities and their leaders to deal with the challenges put to them by the passing of legislation that acts against the wishes of a large portion of their populace is something that works to help them deal with the challenges of the world and globalization.
Despite the promotion of globalism by many left-wing advocates and politicians, the idea is not without its issues. However, shutting one’s country away from the rest of the world by putting up walls on its borders, as Trump and his nationalists want to do, is not going to solve the economic and social issues challenging the country. This is because even though globalism is not a perfect policy, the willingness to accept it and work within it, is important to the growth of a country on a global and local level.
The biggest problem with the right-wing agenda within countries is that its closed-minded view of change is not helping the populace. This is because they only see things from the perspective of how it is going to affect them rather than how it will affect society as a whole. Looking at society as a whole is important because it allows one to see not only how something will affect them but others. All nations are the sum of its parts. An example of this is people living in “coal country” who are against clean energy. Many of the people working in the coal mines today come from a long line of miners. They are also aware of the number of health issues that their forbearers suffered because of the mines. The health issues are not just important to the people who work the mines in these areas, but also to those who use coal as an energy source. This is because coal is not a clean burning fuel and releases a number of chemicals and gases into the air that can affect the region, nation, and planet.
However, instead of supporting clean energy as a way for their children to have a better energy source, the people living in “coal country” have closed their minds to change. This is because they claim that it will cost the miners their livelihood. However, the truth seems more likely that they are stuck and unwilling to change. It is this mentality that results in America lagging position behind other countries when it comes to energy and being environmentally friendly.
Similarly, one of the biggest problems with nationalism is the fact that its advocates try to cover up their racist, homophobic, anti-Islam agenda by calling themselves patriots and everyone that opposes them un-American or anti-British (Shetty). Indeed, their idea of patriotism is one that consists of hatred for anyone that is different from them or does not hold the same ideologies as they do (Shetty). Instead of looking at themselves and realizing the effects that their narrow-minded unwillingness to change has had on society. They constantly blame progressive, liberals, and foreigners for everything that has gone wrong in society.
Conservatives are those who abhor change, and want to return the United States to a time that they feel is ideal, namely when there was less diversity. The exact time that they want to return to, however, is under debate. Many believe that the 1950’s was the ideal time that society should be return to and live in. Others believe, the 1980’s during the Reagan Era was the ideal time for the American people (Hedges).
Liberals on the other hand, do not want to return the country back to a “better time.” They want the country to progress and change in a positive manner that includes the protection of the rights and freedoms of everyone living within the United States. Liberals want there to be open borders in regards to trade and easier immigration laws. This is because they recognize that countries cannot isolate themselves from the rest of the world and still benefit from growth.
China is an example of how a country can be effected negatively by isolation. During the voyages of Chinese explorer Zheng He, in the early 1400s, China was a wealthy and powerful country engaging in trade with many other countries throughout the Eastern Hemisphere. The result was that the Chinese emperor was able to obtain vast wealth and make China a country that was renowned for its resources and hospitality (Yamashita and Guadalupi). However, this changed after Zheng’s death. As Buddhist leaders began to gain more control over the Chinese emperors, they decided to isolate the country from the rest of the world (Yamashita and Guadalupi). China would remain isolated from the rest of the world until the 1970’s (Yamashita and Guadalupi).
This ultimately had a negative effect on China because when it finally decided to become part of the global economy again, they were behind in many areas, especially in industrialization and technology. Which meant that they had to catch up to the rest of the world. This is something that they were able to do and now they surpass many other parts of the world in areas such as education, technology and the economic wealth of the country. But it was not as easy of a task as would have been possible if they were not isolated for so long.
Of course, liberals are not without fault. Their need to ignore the issues because they do not want to seem intolerant is troubling. This is seen in immigration. While the vast majority of illegal, undocumented immigrants have come into the various countries that they emigrated to for a better life and contribute positively to society. There is a percentage who are involved in illegal activity and who are responsible for the flow of things such as drugs and sex trafficking between countries. This does not mean that all immigrants should be held accountable for the actions of a few. However, ignoring the issue because people are afraid to offend is not solving the problem. The most beneficial way to deal with immigration, clean energy and climate change would to find a compromise between the Republican and Democratic platforms that would work to benefit both sides. This is not something that will happen anytime soon, as most of the Republican Party and some Democrats are opposed to seeing anything from any viewpoint other than their own.
Works Cited
Ganim, Sara and Linh Tran. “Trump’s choice for education secretary raises questions.” CNN, 3 Dec. 2016, http://edition.cnn.com/2016/12/02/politics/betsy-devos-michigan-education-legacy/. Accessed 16 Dec. 2016.
Hedges, Chris. "The Revenge of the Lower Classes and the Rise of American Fascism - Chris Hedges -Truthdig." Truthdig, 8 Aug. 2016, www.truthdig.com/report/item/the_revenge_of_the_lower_classes_and_the_rise_of_american_fascism_20160302 . Accessed 16 Dec. 2016.
Heinz, Justin. "A White Supremacist Black Swan? Why Donald Trump's fringe white nationalist supporters matter." USNews, 19 Aug. 2016, www.usnews.com/opinion/articles/2016-08-19/why-donald-trumps-kkk-and-white-supremacist-supporters-matter. Accessed 16 Dec. 2016.
Koff, Stephen. “Feds to Ohio: Your high-speed rail project is officially dead (and New York thanks you).” Cleveland.com, 9 Dec. 2010, http://www.cleveland.com/open/index.ssf/2010/12/feds_to_ohio_your_high-speed_r.html. Accessed 16 Dec. 2016
Milman, Oliver. “Donald Trump picks climate change sceptic Scott Pruitt to lead EPA. The Guardian, 8 Dec. 2016, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/dec/07/trump-scott-pruitt-environmental-protection-agency . Accessed 16 Dec. 2016
O'Shea, Josef. "Remembering the Battle of Cable Street - News from Al Jazeera." Al Jazeera: Live News | Bold Perspectives | Exclusive Films, 4 Oct. 2016, www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2016/08/remembering-battle-cable-street-160802072152633.html. Accessed 16 Dec. 2016.
Shetty, Sudhanva. "There's A World Of Difference Between Patriotism And Nationalism." Huffington Post India, 3 July 2016, www.huffingtonpost.in/sudhanva-d-shetty/theres-a-world-of-difference-between-patriotism-and-nationalism/. Accessed 16 Dec. 2016.
Tharoor, Ishaan. "The West’s Major Cities Are a Bulwark Against the Tide of Right-wing Nationalism - The Washington Post." Washington Post, 22 Nov. 2016, www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2016/11/22/the-wests-major-cities-are-the-best-defense-against-the-tide-of-right-wing-nationalism/. Accessed 12 Dec. 2016.
Yamashita, Michael S, and Gianni Guadalupi. Zheng He: Tracing the Epic Voyages of China's Greatest Explorer. White Star Publishers, 2006.
