Must We Always Put Up with Demagogues? Historical Cycles and Human Passions Say Yes

History has shown that demagogues are a dime-a-dozen. It also shows that history itself, along with human passions, repeat themselves, albeit, maybe not the exact same way. But they do repeat. This century is therefore starting to look more like the early part of the twentieth century. A century that not only gave rise to such demagogues as Benito Mussolini, Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, and Mao Zedong, but authoritarian and revolutionary passions like Fascism, Nazism, Communism, and socialist capitalism-with much of the wealth trickling up and staying there.

Demagoguery’s Evolution
Demagoguery, which mostly appeals to feelings and the gut instincts of the mob or crowd-versus facts and reason or science, is an ancient form of rhetoric. It has produced demagogues as old as those of ancient Greece or Rome’s Julius Caesar. Originally defined as a leader of the common people, it later came to mean playing on the passions of the public to foment unthinking action or hatred toward the system. While demonizing an out-group-or two, it included a need to agitate for civil unrest and mob violence in the zealous defense of the in-group.

This simplistic, dualistic world, which oversaw the murder of millions, appears to be raising its ugly head again. Indeed, the nationalists that just swept across Europe, including the resignation of Prime Minister Theresa May who underlined the demagogue’s isolationist tendencies, may lead to a more “hard Brexit” and breakup of the EU. It may also lead to more inflexible leaders like Donald Trump or Hungary’s Viktor Orban. Whereas the former has attacked immigrants and minorities and stifled civil liberties and norms, the latter is pursuing an all-white, Christian nation.

Not Yet Mussolini’s Or Hitler’s
There are other disturbing demagogues who’ve taken center stage in Brazil and the Philippines. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe wants to re-militarize Japan-including its constitution. Russia and Europe aren’t exempt. Vladimir Putin continues to crack down on the press and journalists and the Internet. In Europe, Marine Le Pen and her National Front is making headway with their “France First” and anti-immigrant/gay agendas. Austria’s Nationalists, Poland’s ruling ultra-right party, and Germany’s Alternate fur Deutschland, all show certain traits of Nazism.

These demagogues and their inflamed fronts are arguably not the same as Mussolini’s Fascists or Hitlerism and Stalinism. But this doesn’t mean they can’t be. Indeed, the talent for stirring up passions-and the ability to have one’s passion stirred up- is not only a source of strength but a natural human trait. This is more worrisome when considering at least five factors the previous century didn’t face. Climate change and resource scarcity, coupled with more advanced deadly weapons systems, not to mention AI and the Internet-social media, are surely game changers.

Other Demagogic Game Changers
Another game changer is taking democracy for granted, and then not realizing how demagogues and their followers can gradually chip away at its constitutional safeguards and civil liberties. This is, in fact, exactly what happened in Europe and Asia. But by then, it was too late. Much too late, since demagogues are driven by narcissism, public adoration, an unquenchable ego that yearns for absolute. They’re also known for ruling by decree, only after having rose to power through mass ignorance and filling a vacuum that their predecessors were too weak to address.

Married to destructive ideologies and impulses, which grew all the more destructive because they were operating in systems that indulged them rather than “checked” or limited them, it was only a matter of time before they manipulated the truth and then used the lies as tools of control. They also doctored films, rigged elections, pardoned allies, delegitimized opponents, destroyed the press and jailed journalists, and scapegoated unpopular minorities. Using polarization and the idea of treason, purges were common as was destroying anyone who got in their way.

Enter Economics and Disengagement
Another factor was economics. Indeed, the demagogues of the twentieth century not only exploited fractured governments, but their failure to address-let alone correct-the inequalities which millions suffered from. This in turn led to the collapse of financial institutions and entire economies. But once again, it was mainly the “Forgotten Men and Women” who bore the brunt instead of the wealthy politician or super rich. Taking all of this into account, no wonder millions voted for Trump in 2016. And it’s a voting bloc that will continue to imperil democracy.

Although many think these modern-day demagogues are incompetent, the same mistake was made with Mussolini, Hitler, Stalin, and Mao. At first, they too were laughed at or sent into exile after leading failed coups. And yet, it was these very failures that made them more manipulative, more divisive, more untrustworthy, more ruthless, and all the more competent and Machiavelli-like. Indeed, containing, channeling, and dispelling dangerous demagogic passions is what civilizations do best. They just need to be tapped or harvested by a demagogue in training. (1)

No Longer an Apprentice
For now, Trump may be that dangerous demagogue in training. He’s helped rig an election, tweeted doctored YouTube videos which smear his opponents, and just declared a national emergency to sell weapons to Saudi Arabia. He’s also a pro at refereeing his abusive behaviors and dictatorial executive orders, then playing the victim. He’s even found federal officials guilty of treason before due process, having ordered his intelligence agencies to help the Department of Justice prove it. It included deliberating confusing the public by preempting the Muller Report.

Perhaps most disconcerting is that Trump’s demagoguery has entered a moment in American history where the principle of equality and rule of law has degenerated into the principle of identity. A White, Christian Nationalist identity at that. With censorship of intellectual freedom and the ever more narrowing political spectrum of debate, let alone civility, it’s guaranteed that his infectious passions and official prejudices will be transformed into a bloody dictatorship.

What Is Owed
Must we always put up with demagogues like Trump and Orban, or Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines? Perhaps a better question is to ask if there is always a night and day or if seasons change. Whether or not the fate of humanity is determined by historical cycles and events which appear to be similar, one thing is constant: Human nature and passions rarely changes. It may be then that this nature and these passions in and of themselves governs cyclical history. Or if something happens after another, followed by the same thing over and over again.

Either way, if there’s any responsibility in these cycles and passionate feelings, like the nationalistic parties that just swept across Europe and left a trail of demagogic possibilities, and will more than likely challenge the European Union, it must be that one generation owes to the next that strength by which it can come to face ultimate concerns in its own way. It would be a tragedy of fate, however, if that generation’s strength and passions consist of igniting the tribal passions of the early 20th century, and then following a dangerous and destructive demagogue.

Dallas Darling is the author of Politics 501: An A-Z Reading on Conscientious Political Thought and Action, Some Nations Above God: 52 Weekly Reflections On Modern-Day Imperialism, Militarism, And Consumerism in the Context of John’s Apocalyptic Vision, and The Other Side Of Christianity: Reflections on Faith, Politics, Spirituality, History, and Peace. He is a correspondent for www.WN.com. You can read more of Dallas’ writings at www.beverlydarling.com and www.WN.com/dallasdarling.

(1) Goldberg, Johan. Suicide Of The West: How The Rebirth Of Tribalism, Populism, Nationalism, And Identity Politics Is Destroying American Democracy. New York, New York: Crown Forum Books, 2018., p. 298.