Conspicuous examples of the evaporation of amity include the referendum in which a small majority of the British people voted to leave the European Union; and the election of Donald Trump as the 45th president of the United States. Analysis of reasons why the British people voted the way they did revealed that a prominent reason for voting to leave the EU was unease about the erosion of domestic control over the influx of non-British people into the UK. Xenophobia, in short, was a powerful motive for voting to turn away from the EU. Londoners, the Scots, the Northern Irish and the Welsh, the well educated and the young, were much less afflicted with the malaise of Xenophobia than the poorly educated "lumpen proletariat" working class who dominated the "no" votes of the midlands and the north of England. They -- the least educated, the least endowed with powers of critical thinking -- outnumbered the rest by a sufficient margin to "win" the referendum, albeit quite narrowly. It was a striking example of why a referendum is the worst possible way for a nation to decide important policy. The referendum was unnecessary and the campaign was badly mismanaged by one of the most incompetent prime ministers the Brits have ever had. A far sighted, more competent, more politically astute prime minister would have shrugged, ignored the result of the referendum -- or better still, wouldn't have called the referendum in the first place. The election of Trump came about for more complex reasons, but his campaign, based as it was on xenophobia, intolerance and anti-establishment sentiments, appealed to enough "middle Americans" to carry the votes of a majority of the weird, undemocratic electoral college that ultimately decides who will be the president of the USA. Hillary Clinton actually got close to 3 million more votes than Donald Trump, but, as in many states, gerrymandering ensured a resounding Republican victory. I wonder how long it will be before the American people revolt against the undemocratic nature of their presidential elections? Since the Republicans win consistently under the status quo, it's likely to be long time, if ever, before the system will be made more equitable.
Sad to say, I feel gloomy about the future. Politically, the English-speaking nations, the USA and the British Commonwealth, are led almost entirely by people who lack vision. France is similarly afflicted, as are Italy and Spain. Only Germany seems to have a wise and far-sighted leader, and her future is questionable. The Scandinavian nations are in better shape politically and environmentally but they carry little weight on the world stage. Politics and the economy are only part of the problem. Far more important and far more serious, few leaders, and few of the people they lead, or aspire to lead, have any understanding of the grave situation of planetary life-support systems. Here in Canada, Justin Trudeau seems better acquainted with the realities, with the interdependence of all living creatures upon one another, than many other national leaders. But he hasn't been severely tested yet. When he is, I hope he will prove to have the vision, the toughness, and the political savvy that will be required. I'm OK, my life is drawing to a close. But I am deeply concerned for my children and grandchildren and for the generations coming after them.
And with these brief, superficial thoughts, I bid you all a happy future.
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