I wasn't aware of this book - simply not advertised in Australia; however, I heard an online interview with Stephen Harper and was absolutely riveted by his intelligence, thoughtfulness and insights into political conservatism. He governed Canada as Prime Minister for nearly a decade, through the financial crisis of the late 2000's and being a member of a G7 nation - sat at the tables of power for some time. This man was in the room.
The book starts off discussing Trump, really not a book about Trump at all. It is a book about Populism - the dirty word in current politics. It was populism that brought in Brexit, populism that swept Pauline Hanson into a influential upper house position. Populism that championed Trump and - allegedly what Macron is currently empowering in France.
What is populism? Well, to the ideological left it is all that is wrong with politics; indeed 'Populism' has become a loaded word. Harper opines that populism "...has been made the default explanation for any political view or event that diverges from the establishment opinion. Opposition to trade deals? Populism. Protest against immigration? It must be the populists. An unexpected election result? What else but populism?" (p.13). Harper astutely recognises that contemporary
liberals have a penchant for calling ‘political outcomes’ that the like,
democracy; and those that they do not, populism. In other words, they seek to equate populism with demagoguery (p. 13). Harper is thoughtful about the opposite of Populism - it is political elitism. Harper argues that this is an example of demagoguery itself as populism is from either side of the spectrum and can have positive effects as a tool to reorient interests of the common people ahead of the interests of the privileged few. Harper then reminisces about the history of populist parties, ranging from his own experience in 'Reform Canada' through the populism of the USA, from pre-WW1 farmers - through to the influences of populism in Teddy Roosevelt - to the political metaphors in the Wizard of Oz. Here Harper identifies four themes in Trump's inauguration speech that gave voice to dislocated non-college educated workers:
- Economic realism - Trump espoused the virtues of bringing Industry back to the US.
- Trade - he identified trade inequities, like the US relations with China and Mexico.
- Nationalism - Trump unapologetically pledged to put America First.
- Immigration - He spoke of 'protecting borders' and crafting immigration policy in the National interest.
These latter two points are interesting as 'Nationalism' or the tribal sort is much closer to the extreme right and is a dubious foundation for a Burkian Conservative position. Harper's thinking around these issues are interesting and his recollections about the implementation around these issues are gripping.
However, this is not a book of reminiscing, like many political books of this ilk, rather this is a manifesto on Harper's Canadian conservatism. Where he seeks to defend populism and Nationalism as ideas and pragmatic tools.
It is a shame that this has not been more widely read in the aftermath of the Trump 2020 election defeat. It certainly provides a robust and trenchant defense of conservatism - a much needed one in the light of a Trudeauian Canada and a Bidenesque USA. Boris looks set for defeat in light of his double-minded lack of leadership in the UK and Morrison may well be rocky too in Australia.
We will see.
This is a must read, for it's chapters on Populism and Nationalism alone.
5 Stars.
