Society

Beware populism on all sides

People like Donald Trump and his right-wing populist ilk are easy to condemn, as they should be. They are so utterly at odds with the modern world, certainly in the long run, and it is obvious that sooner or later they will become irrelevant.

The same should go for their left-wing counterparts; for every Trump and Bolsonaro, there are extremists at the other end of the political spectrum.

Liberalism must reinvent itself and conquer extremism

For years, extremists and populists of every ilk have enjoyed quite unprecedented levels of power and influence, at least in traditional liberal democracies.

Joe Biden’s victory in the US is a step in the right direction, but lessons must be learned. Otherwise, free societies will struggle.

Below is a timely intervention and some prescient advice. Anyone with even a passing interest in politics should read this article.

We are playing with our future and this has to change

Although all the focus is rightly on the coronavirus pandemic at the moment, we should not disregard our long-term challenges.

Food production and food security are crucial for our future. As societies, we should know more and pay far more attention. The bad news is that if we continue to mistreat and abuse the environment, and if the temperatures continue to rise as a result, the consequences are likely to be unimaginably dire.

In these times we need cooperation, solidarity and empathy more than ever

We are going through extraordinary times. The outbreak of coronavirus has put virtually everything else on hold and we need to respond.