The English language vocabulary has a new word now, alt-left, thanks to Donald Trump and his advisers.
Trump recently used this word to define the group of extreme rights (white supremacists and neo-Nazis) protesting the removal of the statue of General Lee, a confederate army general during civil war, in Charlottesville, Virginia.
The historical context
History buffs will recall that one of the main reasons for the US Civil War was the rift that was created over the question of emancipation of the slaves. The issue drove the country in two camps, one being the Confederation, comprising 11 out of 36 states seceded from the Union in order to preserve slavery, states’ rights, and political liberty for whites.
The war ended after five years (1861-65) but not before thousands of deaths on both sides and billions in property damage, and losses for the economy at large.
The civil war brought out the worst of America at a time when slavery was the order of the day and no one had ever thought of a government ever to be run by a non-white person or non-white group.
America was a home to white immigrants who had wrested away the land from the natives and worked hard to make the country their homeland.
Slaves were imported from Africa to help the country grow, but they were indentured labourers who lived at the command of their masters. The southern states, whose economy was driven by agriculture grew with slave African labour, naturally felt threatened by the emancipation of the slaves.
The civil war ended but it left many memories and memorials, good and bad. Many southern states preserved the Confederate Flag along with US flag, and in many cities the memories of Confederate heroes (mainly army generals) were preserved as statues not only as historical icons but also as proud reminders of their state’s role in the civil war.
A champion for the disgruntled
To many Americans, these memories bring great discomfort since they remind them of a past of bigotry, intolerance and white supremacy. But, unfortunately, there is still a large faction of Americans who glorify these values and would like to revive the past to spread their neo-conservative, far-right political ideas.
In his political campaigns, Trump had attracted these fringe groups and they rallied to his support in a way that threatened the Republic and the establishment. So powerful was the presence of these groups that the party wilted to nominate him as its candidate.
Trump became beholden not to the Party but to the right groups which banded together as a powerful political force and voted for him. He is keenly aware of the maverick role he played during the campaign, and how he deliberately attracted far-right groups, yearning for the “good old days,” with his anti-immigrant slogans, and by blaming the “establishment” for all the ills of the country.
Among those “ills” were illegal immigration, flight of manufacturing jobs from US to other countries, job losses in many states from the closure of steel mills and coal mines, and shifting demographics that had the potential of loss of political control to non-whites.
Trump’s rallies cheered the elements that had gradually faded into political oblivion because of a lack of platform as the Republican Party which had traditionally been the flag-bearer of conservative politics in the country tried to move closer to the center by adopting a more moderate stance. This move was seen by the ultra-conservatives as a betrayal and many of them abandoned the party.
Donald Trump’s call for a total “draining of the swamp in Washington” was able to draw back not only the ultra-right, but also other elements that were in the fringes because they espoused the values of the secessionists of the South in the Civil War.
The fringe groups included such disparate elements as the infamous KKK, neo-Nazis, and other white supremacists that were driven to political oblivion because of the changes in American politics since the civil rights movement of the 1960s.
The call from Trump to cleanse America of its “politically correct” politics (read establishment politics), with cries to deport immigrants, withdraw from trade pacts, and a general condemnation of the progressive politics of his predecessor (a non-white), brought to fore far-right groups, now called “the alt-right” by the media and progressive politicians of the country.
For Trump, however, this is just another small hiccup in his incredible political rise. He is counting on riding this one out, as he has done other waves
However, despite initial hesitation by the Republican establishment, Trump’s ability to draw such large crowds led the party to recognise him. Republicans became aware of the power of this group which was a crucial factor in Trump’s election.
The Charlottesville incident last week was a clear evidence of the renewed strength of the extreme-right, a group that will continue to show its presence every now and then to rally for its causes. The protest was apparently ignited by the city’s decision to remove the statue of a military leader who fought for the secessionist states (Confederates), but it had more to do with other causes espoused by far-right groups that Trump had given support to during his campaign. That is why he was equivocal in denouncing the riots last week where a young woman was crushed to death by a speeding car driven by one of the far-right supporters.
In his speech, later, Trump denounced the assembly of the extreme-right groups and said there was no room for bigotry in the country, but in the same breath he also blamed the “other side,” people who had come out to challenge the extremists, calling them the alt-left, a new term for the progressives.
A polarised country
The presidential election of 2016 saw a clear polarisation of the country into two camps, not just along ideological grounds but also ethnicity. Traditionally, the Republican Party has had more conservative politicians, but despite endeavours from its more moderate leaders to bring diversity in the party, the party is seen more and more as the party of white majority.
On the other hand, the Democrats, who were always seen as left of the centre (attracting the most minorities), are gradually being seen as a bastion of liberal politics.
No one knows which group will ultimately win in this political battle, alt-right or alt-left, or what will be the political outcome in the forthcoming congressional elections. But what is known is that the Republican establishment is the victim in this battle.
The party is between the horns of a dilemma. The party leadership can neither condone the assembly of extreme-right groups for the violence last week, for fear of aggravating the core supporters of Trump, nor can it ignore the malignant effect that such groups can have in American politics.
For Trump, however, this is just another small hiccup in his incredible political rise. He is counting on riding this one out, as he has done other waves.
Ziauddin Choudhury has worked in the higher civil service of Bangladesh early in his career, and later for the World Bank in the USA.
