From Fake News to Power

The rise of the far right on the Western political scene, a phenomenon both enigmatic and entirely explainable, has left democratic citizens perplexed. It is neither fascism nor traditional national socialism, nor even Francoism. And it is not merely nostalgia—though some of it may exist among its members—that facilitates its penetration of young groups who crave a leader who shares their frustrations, points out the “culprits” behind their shortcomings, and simultaneously presents his ideas as political innovation.

Its rhetoric is anti-state, and, of course, it advocates for the privatization of all public enterprises that fairly guarantee the security of all citizens: sensitive sectors such as health, education, housing, and public pensions would fall into the hands of large international investment funds known as vulture funds.

Thus, this “new” far right finds itself at a crossroads between rampant capitalism and the dehumanization of social relations, allowing its theories to expand unchecked. In this respect, there is a point of convergence with fascism: the demonization of those who are different and holding them responsible for the ills of the regime.