Lyceum & Book Club - Week 16 - Lecture Notes of Rising White Supremacy
- Mar 30, 2022
- 3 min read
Updated: Apr 2, 2022
White nationalism is on the rise in western countries; supremacy and authoritarianism is on the rise worldwide with a diverse group of nations and leaders who may differ on everything else and once they achieve their goals, may set upon each other, but they all agree with the central goal that says dominant populations should be allowed to do to their non-dominant populations as they see fit under the banner of sovereignty without negative consequences, even if just to their reputations.
Democracy is falling out of favor as strong man leaders rise.
We expect this in countries like Saudi Arabia or in places like China and Myanmar that go hand in hand with how those in the west view their society as closed and/or backward. We even expect it in countries like Hungary with its history of intolerance toward a non-dominant population.
But we are shocked to see it fast rising in places that have long enjoyed a reputation as being enclaves of “liberalism” and “tolerance”.
Europe and right-wing nationalism: A country-by-country guide
(and note - this doesn't even take into consideration just how far right the "central/ moderate" political parties have moved to try and pre-empt the rising far right nor does it consider the far right leaders who are the head of governments and guiding national narratives, even while far right parties may still not be acceptable.)
And yet, we can see in the Netherlands today where a Gert Wilders is fast becoming acceptable as mainstream and the next generation white supremacy in Thierry Baudet has caught a foothold, the same seeds that produced a South African apartheid culture. or defends their participation in the slave trade or where stereotypes of Catholics as lazy are used in online discussion boards to explain why (protestant) Dutch feel they are superior to their southern neighbors - how this mindset can be traced back to the time of the Reformation. A sense of absolute rightness of supremacy that only tolerates “outsiders” in their society if those outsiders know their place, don't disrupt the comfortable status quo and aid in burnishing the reputation of the dominant population.
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We see it in atheists boast about a society rooted in Calvinism. But John Calvin was a strident, narrow minded little dictator as soon as he held the reins and he holds his own among every other dominant population leader who has wanted to strip a state of its non-dominant population or at the very least, reduce them down to insignificance. Where the state and dominant population national culture set the parameters that favours a narrow interpretation that favours a single sector - the dominant population and every other interpretation is suppressed as pushing "their" beliefs on the dominant population. And yet, like the South in the US, this mindset has been placed up on a pedestal as an icon and treated as a virtue.
Nazi Germany could have been filled with vegans at all levels, employed the lasted climate change policies, all been atheists and philosophers with the highest IQ, had equal rights for women and the LGBTQ community fully integrated into their society and it would not have made one bit of difference in what they were, as long as their whole society was designed to isolate, reduce and eliminant their non-dominant population - Jews. Even if they allowed a few Jews into the Club, it would not have changed what they were. Changing the target to a new one still doesn't change that calculus.
There is a reason that we see evangelical groups enthuse over what they see as an opening for their narrow interpretation of Christianity which has followed the rise of white nationalism in countries. And also interesting that evangelical videos often feature a member of a minority group (whether it is Black Christians or Jews or former Muslims) espousing praise for the Dutch culture and dismissing criticism of racism. Their messages seem to say beneath the words, “Look, we - (fill in with name of minority group represented) - are on your side in this fight against THEM. Let us into the Club and we will fight for you, burnishing your liberal reputation while aiding your racist agenda - as long as we get to be included in The Club ” as part of the In Group.
The dictatorial racism with a veneer of radical religious reform exhibited by John Calvin during the Reformation is the same dictatorial supremacy embraced by the rising right wing in these countries today.
Slavery and the Netherlands
Attitudes in the Netherlands Today
Violence Against Dutch Colonies Seeking Independence
On the Issue of Reparations of any Form
Far Right Politics Are Now Mainstream
Religion & the Rise of Evangelical Churches
Pillarization
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