Alan's Share: Hayek's Bastards: Race, Gold, IQ and the Capitalism of the Far Right.

From Alan: Jeanne, you had asked how Hayek’s Bastards helped me better understand the far right. I should start by saying I believe in things like: Environmentalism, Feminism, Immigration, Democracy, Egalitarianism, Capitalism, Free Trade.

Each of these have a range of beliefs embedded within them. I thought that in the western world these concepts were generally accepted. I had no idea how long these ideas were the anathema for a certain portion of the population. What fascinated me was how long Alternative belief systems had remained dormant but never relinquished. Think eugenics, slavery, the “other” as barbarian, peasants, hard national borders, unfettered capitalism, the list is long.

The surge in popularity of Libertarianism, Alt right, etc. was not a random quirk of our times. The ideologs of the far right became interested in influencing a broader cross section of society. They spent decades doing so. They used many tools to establish their agenda. There are several credible academics, entrepreneurs (for list of individual names, see Hayak’s Bastards), and think tanks like the Mount Perelin Society, the Rothbard-Rockwell report, The Institute for Human Studies, The Profit and Freedom Society, books like Alien Nation, and the Bell Curve that laid the groundwork. These have since been followed up by social media influencers that reiterate what was previously done in hard copy. All these elements illuminated for me a picture radically different than my quality picture of the world.

Why did these ideologies appeal and grow the Alt right? This question is a big one and I will provide you with my thoughts.

One of the pundits of the Alt right has been quoted as saying that “democracy is the God that failed.” Others would suggest that “statism” wants to control everything and consequently, take away your freedom. Some of the Alt right themes struck significant appeal to those who had become alienated with the status quo. The pundits who support some of this thinking are from prestigious institutions, think tanks and judged as credible. Their arguments are powerful and appealing. Several of the Alt right beliefs play into a basic human need to not be dominated. People wanted to be free and choose their own way. They were tired of feeling dominated.

If someone feels threatened because of how they judge their milieu it is natural to search for a way to relieve that tension. People feel alienated and search for answers that placate their angst. Several triggers that existed within the status quo accelerated the feelings of being alienated: DEI (as I understand it in the US it was largely mandatory), feminism, environmentalism and all the other “isms” that can be labelled.

There is a fear that one’s way of life is being crafted in ways that do not feel right. This feeling builds over years and seeks an outlet. People build a quality picture about how they see the world. When that picture is threatened people can become afraid. When someone is afraid (it does not need to be conscious) we try to defend and protect our quality picture. However, our ability to find a way-out of the situation is limited because our thinking is narrowed, fueled by a rising fear and anger. The anger is the spark as people seek alternatives.

Is it possible to find an answer within the existing structure of a society that one has begun to reject? Probably not. There are populist leaders with seeming quick answers to complicated questions. Populists are skilled at playing up fears to rally the disenfranchised. Deprived of a certain way of life it is easy to try to find someone or something to blame. Populists identify scapegoats that one can target such as immigrants, blacks, jews, drugs, etc. and one directs their fears at these targets.

Online resources fueled by algorithms can reinforce the beliefs that build the anger. The Alt Right had been crafting networks to influence Alternative options for decades. The hard work of the Alt right to influence culture has begun to pay off.

In summary, in some strange way, I need to give the Alt right credit for their strategies. Hayek’s Bastards allowed me to have a peak into a world I did not know and did not want to know existed. The book lays out the journey the Alt right has taken. The Alt right hold many positions of power and show no sign of relinquishing them. They have penetrated vast swaths of the population with their ideologies. I see this when I hear chants of drain the swamp, lock her up, etc. Currently, it seems as though tribalism is trumping egalitarianism.

Why do people respond to the Alt right ideologies? Hayek’s Bastard does not directly articulate an answer. My response to that question is that people respond to a frustration with the status quo and  search for Alternatives because their quality picture is threatened, giving rise to anger that is driving change.

Tribalism trumps egalitarianism! The unassailable walls between left and right grow higher, with no way to breach entrenched thinking.

Think and Think again is indeed a challenge to look at different ways of thinking.

NB: The full title of this book is Hayek's Bastards: Race, Gold, IQ and the Capitalism of the Far Right by Quinn Slobodian.