-Removed-Populism is projecting simple solutions on to very complicated problems. And in doing so, fooling people into believing that these simple solutions can actually work.
A neat example:
The Netherlands has a housing shortage. This is due in part to the privitisation of housing organisations (they make more money by having expensive houses built, rather than affordable housing), in part due to inner-city gentrification, in part to due climate targets, in part due to companies keeping houses empty, etc.
Geert Wilders says that it’s an asylum seeker problem. That by reducing the amount of asylum seekers, there will be enough houses.
His proposals to achieve this aren’t realistic (treaties, the EU, Dutch law, upper-house) and his solution won’t solve the problem (asylum seekers are a drop of rain in the pond, compared to the numbers of foreign workers and students, for example. Not to mention divorce rates and these sorts of situations upping the demand for housing).
But it’s a simple message. And it sells.
That is populism in a nut shell.
Populism isn’t always right-wing.
Trade unions, for example, demanding large pay rises without taking a company’s financial situation into consideration is also a form of populism.
-Removed-No. It’s populism.
I just explained how the housing shortage is a complex network of entwining problems; both domestic and international.
And still you cling to this simplistic, populist, viewpoint.
That’s how populism works.
Because the true solution is very complicated, it’s multi-facetted and quite difficult to explain and comprehend.
By the time one has explained what needs to be done, the bureaucracy involved and the receiving party has understood the time line one is actually talking about, quite generally, the audience has poured themself a bitter and is watching the football on Sky.
So much easier to just shout:
Build more houses! or Stop immigrants!
Neither are realistic solutions. Just easier points of view to sell.
@diver removed their quoted postWould it?
Have you thought it through?
How do these illegal immigrants cost that much money?
What are the illegal immigrants doing in the country? Nothing? Picking fruit and veggies? Help building houses?
Why are these illegal immigrants coming to England? And if you deport them all, what’s going to stop them and others returning?
What is the core of the problem? What causes the problem?
Let alone logistics.
If someone doesn’t have a passport, where are you going to banish them to? Why would another country accept someone they can’t verify as a citizen?
Let’s talk houses.
There are between 310.000 and 570.000 illegal immigrants living in the UK (home office numbers).
There are 250.000 families (not individuals) living in unsuitable temporary accomodation and there are 1.5 miilion households (not individuals) on social housing waiting lists.
See the scope of the problem?
Now, populism, in this case, suggests deporting all the immigrants to solve the problems England faces. Like they said with Brexit.
Yet it is bloody clear to see that not much is going to be solved. Isn’t it?
@shavixmir saidHere's a fun comparison:
See the scope of the problem?
There are 653,104 homeless Americans and over 15 million vacant American homes.
Eminent domain, anyone? 😆
@spruce112358 saidWell, I’m not very good at maths, but there seems to be some sort of a solution there, somewhere.
Here's a fun comparison:
There are 653,104 homeless Americans and over 15 million vacant American homes.
Eminent domain, anyone? 😆