Debate: Trump, Brexit and the Direction of 2021

As the United State still heals from the most recent attack on the Capital, two academics from the United Kingdom discuss America’s future, as well as the effects a Biden Administration with have on Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s government.

Will Davies is an author, professor at Goldsmith University of London, writer for The London Review of Books, The Guardian, and The New York Times.

Matthew Goodwin is an author, professor of Politics and International Relations at Kent University, Senior Visiting Fellow at Chathem House, and studied populous movements for over a decade.

Much of the conversation began with the discussion around the recent attack on the Capital Building.

Goodwin explains the difference between populism and fascism. He describes populism as an ideology that fits well with liberalism. Fascism is a revolutionary ideology that desires to remove the current system.

He believes that President Trump is a fascist leader. He has allowed his followers to believe that overthrowing government institutions through violence is acceptable behavior.

“We have a president who thankfully is leaving, but who is also clearly undermining democratic norms,” he said.

Davies believes that due to his status as a show businessman, he is highly unpredictable, and refuses to play fairly. He adds that a lot of analyses that were done on national populism overlooked Trump supporters and what they were capable of doing.

“There’s been a dangerous and hateful dimension of the American Right,” he said.

Goodman believes that the future of America is currently unknown. Even now, he wonders if it is possible that America will survive until 2050 due to the deep polarization within its own politics.

The relationship between Trump and the Republican Party can go one of three ways. He believes that Trump may remain a force within the party, although that is highly unlikely. The Republican Party may choose to distance themselves from him, or he will leave the party to form his own political party.

The topic shifted from President Trump to Britain as the two academics spoke about polarization in the UK.

Davies spoke about how there is a culture war that is affecting Britain. As more British people are becoming educated, more problems have stemmed in the economy as younger people no longer have anything to gain from the economic structure.

The higher rates of education on top of the sudden shift of economic viewpoints have allowed for the younger generation to take on more liberal values.

However, Goodman believes that with the shift and change around education and policy, real world values are inevitably going to rub up against each other. As Britain becomes a more religious and ethnically diverse nation, many majority groups will become minorities and many minority groups will become majorities.

This will inevitably lead to an increase in conflict on values that will only worsen in 2030. Britain will be following the same path that America is currently on in terms of its polarization.

The two transitioned to speak about Biden’s victory and how that would affect Boris Johnson’s government.

Davies spoke about how Biden’s victory will not change much of the United Kingdom. The relationship between the President and Prime Minister does not matter as most of politics comes through anonymous power and voter regulations.

Goodman adds on to this by sharing how Biden’s policies may focus more on the EU than on the UK. The Biden administration has mentioned how they believe that Brexit was a very big mistake.

He also says that from an economic standpoint, Biden and Trump are very similar. Both have worked to keep companies from leaving the United States. Both have supported tariffs on China and work to prevent the country from becoming a stronger superpower than America.