“…only interested in one part of that base: voters who were suspicious of the world, afraid of their neighbours, and jealous of other Canadians…” – What you’re describing is the psychology of authoritarianism. Neither Harper nor Poilievre is conservative, in any Burkean sense; they’re both authoritarians. That’s why they appeal to that part of their base, and why they’re only interested in it. It’s also why they’re Not A Good Choice for governing in a pluralistic democracy.
Unfortunately, people who are not hard-core authoritarian but have some tendencies (and there are a lot of them) become much more susceptible to the appeal of authoritarianism when they feel suspicious and afraid (see Stenner’s research on the authoritarian dynamic). Which is why Poilievre works to fan the flames of that suspicion and fear.
Canada needs a sound genuine conservative option. Even more, Canada needs leaders who will work to solve problems, calm fears, and heal divisions – not throw gasoline on the flames for partisan advantage. If we want to see how the latter works for a nation, we need only look at what has happened to the Republican Party in the US.
https://www.karenstenner.com is a good start. From there you can find some of her publications written for non-academic audiences, or if you want to really dig in, the fully-referenced peer-reviewed science. She’s arguably the world’s leading authority on the subject, though there are many other strong researchers working in this area, and of course the literature goes all the way back to Nuremberg.
What I really like about Stenner’s work is that it’s not just descriptive. It explores the dynamic, the how and why authoritarianism gains traction, and most importantly what can be done about it.
The “what can be done” is a hard pill to swallow for politicians on both ends of the spectrum. Liberals have to understand that celebrating our differences is energizing to them, but terrifying to a significant swath of the public, especially in uncertain times. Conservatives have to have the self-discipline to avoid the authoritarian deal with the devil that can bring them votes in the short term. Both sides have to understand that in uncertain times, emphasizing and building on our commonalities is the way forward even though it’s the very hardest thing to do.
You are not wrong
It’s a curse 😏😇
So says my wife.
I like her so much already 😏
“…only interested in one part of that base: voters who were suspicious of the world, afraid of their neighbours, and jealous of other Canadians…” – What you’re describing is the psychology of authoritarianism. Neither Harper nor Poilievre is conservative, in any Burkean sense; they’re both authoritarians. That’s why they appeal to that part of their base, and why they’re only interested in it. It’s also why they’re Not A Good Choice for governing in a pluralistic democracy.
Unfortunately, people who are not hard-core authoritarian but have some tendencies (and there are a lot of them) become much more susceptible to the appeal of authoritarianism when they feel suspicious and afraid (see Stenner’s research on the authoritarian dynamic). Which is why Poilievre works to fan the flames of that suspicion and fear.
Canada needs a sound genuine conservative option. Even more, Canada needs leaders who will work to solve problems, calm fears, and heal divisions – not throw gasoline on the flames for partisan advantage. If we want to see how the latter works for a nation, we need only look at what has happened to the Republican Party in the US.
That sounds obviously familiar… link?
https://www.karenstenner.com is a good start. From there you can find some of her publications written for non-academic audiences, or if you want to really dig in, the fully-referenced peer-reviewed science. She’s arguably the world’s leading authority on the subject, though there are many other strong researchers working in this area, and of course the literature goes all the way back to Nuremberg.
What I really like about Stenner’s work is that it’s not just descriptive. It explores the dynamic, the how and why authoritarianism gains traction, and most importantly what can be done about it.
The “what can be done” is a hard pill to swallow for politicians on both ends of the spectrum. Liberals have to understand that celebrating our differences is energizing to them, but terrifying to a significant swath of the public, especially in uncertain times. Conservatives have to have the self-discipline to avoid the authoritarian deal with the devil that can bring them votes in the short term. Both sides have to understand that in uncertain times, emphasizing and building on our commonalities is the way forward even though it’s the very hardest thing to do.
Thank you!🙏