There are numerous emerging parallels between Post WW1 Europe, suffering from the fallout of the Great Depression, and Today. This post will outline the broad trends and uncanny similarities between modernity and the last fourth turning event, with a particular focus on Poland - in light of recent events.
BLUF: Polish TV off air, the Polish Presidential Palace raided to arrest oppositional party leaders. An emergent trend appears, and that is the overlap of historal events of the 1930s and recent events transpiring in the 2020s.
Introduction:
As the reverberations of the 2020s intensify, an unsettling resonance with the tumultuous 1930s permeates the fabric of contemporary society. Headlines scream of a resurgence in populism, democratic erosion, and deepening social fractures, echoing the fault lines that fractured the world before the Second World War. Economic anxieties, fueled by a crippling debt cycle, gnaw at stability, exacerbated by the specter of regional conflicts and murmurs of a looming larger-scale war.
Is this merely a coincidental echo of history, or is one witnessing the early tremors of a "Fourth Turning," a generational crucible predicted to shape a new societal order amid the remnants of the old? In this charged atmosphere, where echoes of anxieties from a century past reverberate, and the future hangs precariously in the balance, one must carefully analyze these disconcerting parallels, navigate the precarious financial precipice, and confront the potential reality of a world teetering on the brink of upheaval. Only through this examination can one hope to comprehend the path ahead and make an informed choice between being passive observers or active architects of the forthcoming epoch.
Recent Headlines Mirroring Trends of the 1930s:
Below is a brief sampling of headlines that show an unfolding trendline toward populism, authoritarianism, and possibly a greater war. Please note, these are broad trends, and not an advocation for any particular group, political party, or ideology.
Rise of Populism and Nationalism:
Italy: Meloni's far-right victory sparks concerns about democratic backsliding, The Guardian (October 26, 2022)
Hungary's Orban tightens grip on power with supermajority, Reuters (April 3, 2022)
Trump wins Republican nomination in Texas, consolidating grip on GOP, CNBC (March 1, 2022)
Erosion of Democratic Institutions:
Poland's top court backs government on contested judicial reforms, Associated Press (July 14, 2022)
Brazil's Bolsonaro challenges election results, raises fears of democratic crisis, BBC (October 31, 2022)
Hungary's new constitution cements Orban's rule for a decade, Bloomberg (March 11, 2022)
Increased Polarization and Social Divisions:
US Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, igniting protests and deep societal divide, NPR (June 24, 2022)
France: Macron re-elected amid record abstention and far-right surge, Deutsche Welle (April 25, 2022)
India's rising Hindu nationalism raises concerns about religious minorities, The New York Times (October 25, 2022)
Economic Discontent and Growing Inequalities:
Global cost of living crisis fuels protests and social unrest, Al Jazeera (June 20, 2022)
Sri Lanka's economic collapse triggers emergency and public anger, Financial Times (July 10, 2022)
US wealth gap widens, with richest 1% controlling nearly a third of national wealth, CNN (December 7, 2022)
Erosion of Civil Liberties and Surveillance:
China expands mass surveillance network, raising concerns about human rights, The Washington Post (October 27, 2022)
Hungary passes law restricting LGBTQ+ rights, drawing international condemnation, Reuters (July 20, 2021)
Patriot Act provisions set to expire, sparking debate about civil liberties and security, CBS News (September 28, 2022)
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