Welcome to the new World Order
Analysis by Farah Termos, Staff Writer
June 22nd, 2020
2020, or what is known as the year of turmoil, has so far seen (since its start) a plethora of unfortunate crises. Yet, the way leaders across the world have reacted and responded with their policies to these events has gathered public ‘scrutiny’. Particularly, in countries head by leaders who were praised for upping the international perception and stamina of their nations, all-the-more while implying a far-right fascist approach in doing so.
Despite the socioeconomic and health-related problems that rule 2020, one cannot deny the vast spread of the “revolution-concept” across international borders. For, by June, the world saw a massive culmination of protests in notorious powers like China, Brazil, and the U.S.A: powers that were, disreputably, unshaken; behoved, feared yet praised by their enemies and allies. This signifies a peculiar idea: The people are not happy.
Of course, this does not rule out the dozens of protests and revolutions occurring in other countries, from Lebanon, a country amid political, economic, and social travesty, to the Philippines, which is currently undergoing a huge shift in policies attributed to freedom of expression (The Terrorism Bill intrusion).
But can this cultivation of protests be directly linked to the fascist regimes of leaders like Trump, Bolsonaro, and Xi Jinping? Or is this merely the end of fascism; to bring about perhaps a new world order?
Why are the people protesting?
First of; a clear distinction should be made between the words, “uprising” and “protesting”. It would be fairly *incautious* to assume that, in the majority of cases, the people are “uprising”. For in some countries, the public is demanding for a change in specific, and targeted areas of interest (like the presence of bills, articles in a constitution, or even demanding citizen-based justice) – and do not want to overthrow the regime, or oppose either the president/monarch, parliament or government. Furthermore, for an uprising to occur, all areas of leadership and politicized positions of power should be scrutinised, ridiculed, and directly targeted by the majority, if not all, the citizens of a nation. This is when an overthrow, or coup d’etat, will most likely be demanded by the people. Here comes the significance of the statement: people should not be afraid of their government, but the government should be afraid of its people.
Brazil
Brazil has had a rough few months with the spike in coronavirus cases, instability, and swapping of ministerial positions, and the president, Jair Bolsonaro’s, response to Brazils political and socioeconomic turmoil. For ever since 2017, Bolsonaro had been campaigning to win the Brazilian elections by placing heavy emphasis on Catholicism (with the slogan, “Brazil Above Everything, God Above Everyone”), making anti-LGBTQ, and radically fascist remarks pertaining to his advocacy for violence (Londono, 2018). He also promised to fight the corruption that brazil so vividly faces using imprisonment and torture. Thus, his stern and conservative campaign, led by heavy marketing using WhatsApp Groups and the support of conservative international figures (including David Duke, former head of the Klu Klux Klan), guaranteed his win over socialist party opponent Fernando Haddad.
However, his most popular policies were those that were implemented in light of gaining international attention. For instance, he advocated for the deforestation of some areas of the Amazon Rainforest (and gave little care to the fires of the Amazon back in 2019), causing many indigenous people to lose their homes and the international community to be furious. He also cut off affirmative action for Afro-Brazilians, a move that caused public uproar against racial biases. Nevertheless, He undermined the coronavirus pandemic, publicly went to protest with citizens against the lockdown, and swapped three ministers within the span of a month (By June the 6th, he decided to hide the coronavirus case numbers and death figures). The cherry on top – is his blatant disregard to women and the LGBTQ community. Moreover, following the protests the United States witnessed in regards to Black Lives Matter and the culmination of Bolsonaro-related issues within the span of 2 years, pro-democracy Brazilians took to Rio De Janeiro & Sao Paulo’s streets to protest Bolsonaro’s statements, and his disregard to the many minority communities of Brazil. So far, the reported protests have been happening for a weeks straight and witnessed clashes between pro-democracy Brazilians, pro-Bolsonaro Brazilians, and the police.
Brazilians demand respect for democracy on the 2nd of June. Credits: Marcelo Sayao/EPA
What’s baffling is that even though Bolsonaro has made racist remarks in the past, the people of brazil did not condemn any of his other actions so greatly or call for his overthrow. This can mean that either Bolsonaro’s policies are actually more* rationally accepted by the people, or that the Brazilians are taking to the streets; but their efforts are not reported.
Bolsonaro is one of the presidents of the so-called “far-right wing” take over of global politics. His public campaigning “tactics”, one cannot deny, are essentially great for a country that has been overridden with corruption, or one whose public are quiet furiously fed up with the history of politicized lies of those in power. He sets the record straight: and by mastering the art of having opinions different from the masses, he comes off as honest (yet honestly brutal). This is what 51%, Bolsonaro’s Poll Number, of Brazil wanted when they voted for him. This is also what Omar, a Lebanese-Brazilian, told me upon my questioning of why people would vote for Bolsonaro. “He won, because the Brazilians wanted a new face other than that of the socialist party – who did minimal efforts in tackling corruption”. Omar voted in the Brazilian Consulate at Qab Elias in Beqaa, Lebanon, and provided a testimony to why Bolsonaro dominated the popular vote. “Bolsonaro did not have “popularity”, nor was he “liked”, especially due to his foreign relationships – he was also a military guy – but the people were given two choices: either Fernando Haddad as a social party candidate, or electing a new face – Bolsonaro- as a token of hope to save brazil from the damp it’s so deeply drenched in”.
In fact, the people are not demanding for the overthrow of Bolsonaro’s regimes. Rather, they directly demand a sincere “respect for democracy”. Hence, it is not a revolution nor an uprising, but rather just a series of protests.
Hong Kong & China
Hong Kong, previously autonomous from China and under the UK’s rule, has been witnessing a series of protests since June of 2019. The protests erupt from a new extradition bill which allowed for prisoners to be extradited to “mainland” china, among other things. It’s important to note that the bill essentially could be used to target journalists and expose Hong-Kong nationals to more violence, seeing as if it were passed, this would provide the communist state full and utter control of Hong Kong (which was notoriously known for its isolated freedom from the rest of mainland china). Moreover, by September 2019, an increase between police and protestor clashes eventually triggered the suspension of the bill – but protestors were still not happy. 4 demands were still not provided to the public:
1) Not labelling these protests as “riots”
2) Amnesty for Protestors that were arrested
3) Investigations regarding police brutality
4) Universal Suffrage
It is not a secret that China has recently undergone mass international scrutiny. First, with the coronavirus pandemic and how it led to quite literal global economic and social paralysis for over three months, with diplomatic blame shifting to China. Then, with the continuous concerns over Uyghur Muslims being killed in concentration camps by Chinese nationals. Next, with suspicions over false reporting of the real number of coronavirus cases to the WHO. Then comes general secretary of communist party Xi Jinping’s consistent clashes with U.S. president Donald Trump.
Anti-Communist March in HK / Reuters
More so, Jinping’s policies have certainly attracted worldwide attention. Even though he is the leader of the Chinese communist party, he is recognized for his shift towards fascism along with a stern, inherited implementation of the original communist principles of China. Xi Jinping began his run as head of state in 2012, as soon as he took over the CCP (Chinese Communist Party). He immediately began a rigorous series of getting rid of his rivals, enemy’s and critics: causing over 750,000 CCP government officials to be affected, and 35,600 jailed. This peculiar state of “fascist communism” is evident from Jinping’s recent statement to the Chinese military amid tensions with the United States: “Prepare for the worst-case scenario”.
China is of the world’s leading economies, yet, has been sanctioned for its extreme dictatorial principles, arguably. The recent Hong Kong protests shed the light on communist China’s long suppression of the freedom of expression. For instance, when I have the right to write independently and freely using the internet, Chinese nationals are banned from having a FaceBook, Twitter or Instagram account, or even watching anything on YouTube. Google is banned – and aside from social media, even pro-democracy movements are completely forbidden, along with simple access to websites such as the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and TIME.
The U.S. has also witnessed a culmination of protests starting May 26th around Black Lives Matter, calling for an end to police brutality. However, The protests have undoubtedly gone from fighting for justice, to blatantly criticising the failure of some officials.
Fascism, Social Media, and a possible New World Order
It’s known now that the globe is overtaken by a far-right storm in politics, with fascist leaders like Putin, Trump, Jinping, Bolsonaro, Modi and many others. With these leaders comes an obvious ideal: in the age of social media and freedom of expression, the people are unhappy. Their voices cannot be supressed.
Whether it was the surge in coronavirus and how politicians reacted, or just simply because the people are fed up of policies that do not serve them, It’s obvious that now: people take to the streets when they are unsatisfied. When they do, its reported through social media platforms which prevents the influence of subjective biases from corporate media, allowing the people to form their opinions rather independently. Thus, it’s clear that the people can no longer stand totalitarian, dictatorial leaders who rule with complete and utter fascism in a neoconstructed form. Hence, where freedom of expression and liberty is not granted, the majority of, if not all of, the people will take to the streets demanding for a change in the system. This is where the importance of social media really lies.
Furthermore, one can note that in response to the catastrophes of 2020, people will demand for an end to the present right-wing shift of global politics, where their local and national stance will be projected to the world through social media, barring international discrepancies and influencing people from other countries to take a stance as well (which is what we’re seeing with Black Lives Matter, and how the protests demanding justice for George Floyd spread from the U.S.A to the UK, New Zealand, and even Palestine, etc.) and oppose the current political system that has failed to rule, protect and serve its people. Moreover, its likely possible that, in response to the “international spring” that this can create, one can conclude two ends: either global politics will change to completely eradicate this fascism (which many noted to be the main contender of our current world order) through the establishment of a new world order primarily based on pro-bono-like democracy, or steps will be taken to maintain the current stride of far-right politics through eliminating the only possible threat to complete fascism: social media.
Of course, one can only hope leaders respect democracy, and do not prioritize overstated economies (a fascist policy) over the livelihood and rights of their people. For if they do, they forget the most important fact: Nations are not nations without their people; people are not people without their rights; and without their rights, the people reinstate their strength, voice and commodities to fight for justice and reason.