The recent victory of the conservative Law and Justice Party in Poland is an alarming trend towards authoritarianism in Europe, warns a professor. Living in the US his views are colored by a hatred for Russia and its President, Putin. He lists leaders of political parties in various European countries all of whom " view Russia's illiberal state capitalism as a model and its president, Vladimir Putin, as a leader deserving of admiration and emulation ". Right wing parties, like the National Front in France, Lega Nord in Italy and United Kingdom Independence Party in Britain believe that " liberal capitalism and globalization will erode national identity and sovereignty ", which is shared by left wing parties, such as Syriza in Greece, Podemos in Spain and the Five Star Movement in Italy. "...economic stagnation, high unemployment, rising inequality and poverty, lack of opportunity, and fears about migrants and minorities 'stealing' their jobs and incomes have given such forces a big boost," writes the professor. But, are the people wrong? After all, it was the same liberal capitalism which resulted in the economic crisis of today. The professor should reflect that it is the arrogance of liberals, their conviction in their own infallibility and their ridicule for other opinions that maybe responsible for the rise of intolerance in Europe. " In the 1930s, economic stagnation and depression led to the rise of Hitler in Germany, Mussolini in Italy and Franco in Spain," he writes. It was caused by the Versailles Treaty imposed on Germany by pompous liberals after World War I, resulting in such suffering for the people that they voted for Hitler's party in 1933. When the Soviet Union broke up instead of helping Russia to improve its economy and become a part of the European Union the liberals heaped scorn on the drunken antics of its then President, Boris Yeltsin. Insulted, humiliated and robbed by oligarchs the Russians turned to Putin who is seen as a strong man. The liberals in the west abuse him regularly, have intentionally created military confrontations in Georgia and Ukraine and have used these contrived tensions to impose sanctions on Russia, which have seriously harmed its economy. Guess what? Putin's popularity rating has soared. Putin moved troops and planes into Syria to help Assad, catching the west with its pants down. Hundreds of thousands of migrants are flooding into Europe, creating a clash of cultures. The US has sent special forces to help Kurds fight against ISIS. It is not Russian bombs that they should be worried about but Turkish ones because Erdogan has just won an absolute majority in parliamentary elections. Erdogan hates Kurds and Turkey is a NATO partner. Liberals in India have mounted a vicious hate campaign against Hindus and the Prime Minister, based on highly selective reading of events. Liberals should open their minds. Others also have a right to exist.
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