I am struck by the similarity of Hungary's Fidesz party to the GOP. Fidesz, with still fresh memories of Soviet imperialist totalitarianism, may be all to willing to resort to totalitarianism of the home grown variety. Democracy here is old and the lessons of 1776 easy to forget.
From Krugman’s essay today:
Austria Freedom Party, (leader used to have neo-Nazi connections) runs neck-and-neck in the polls with established parties,
Finland, True Finns Party ( anti-immigrant)strong electoral showing last April.
Hungary, Jobbik, ( anti immigrant, anti Roma, anti-Semitic, with a a paramilitary arm)
Hungary, Fidesz (similar to US Republicans) now the ruling party, rammed through a new Constitution last spring on a party-line vote bent on establishing a permanent hold on power.
I think Krugman is touching on a more frightening subject.
Corporatism … the fusion of private corporations with the state, is the wide spread norm across the modern world.
“What is good for GM, is good for the US” applies, with different names for “GM,” to the major political parties in Brazil, India, Russia, China, Sweden, Canada, and Germany.
I find that frightening but Krugman suggests something even worse. While the thrill of nascent democracy is sweeping North Africa; Russia, China, Iran, and .. perhaps the US look increasingly like Mussolini’s vision for Italy … fascism.
China, Russia, Iran and the GOP version of America are connected by a common view of corporate welfare within a nationalist state.
There is a name for that system of government: National Socialism.