My experience of the left here in NZ and from observing overseas 'liberal democracies' is that it got hijacked by identity politics. The culture of entitlement. That in turn diluted our ability to address important economic issues. Corporate lobbyists gained too much power while identity politics consumed the energy of the left. That has eroded the economic and cultural balance and strength of the west and now we face a storm. We are reliant upon immigrants for labour while citizens rot on welfare and drugs. Manufacturing was exported to while our economies were financialised. Banks printed fiat debt and poured it into real estate speculation, not productive enterprise. China won the trade war while we debated all manner of 'rights' and entitlements and corporate power directed capital allocation toward non productive speculation rather than producing things of value. The left became so divided it has failed to provide the balance needed to self serving corporate wealth and power.
My experience of the left here in NZ and from observing overseas 'liberal democracies' is that it got hijacked by identity politics.
The culture of entitlement.
That in turn diluted our ability to address important economic issues.
Corporate lobbyists gained too much power while identity politics consumed the energy of the left.
That has eroded the economic and cultural balance and strength of the west and now we face a storm.
We are reliant upon immigrants for labour while citizens rot on welfare and drugs.
Manufacturing was exported to while our economies were financialised.
Banks printed fiat debt and poured it into real estate speculation, not productive enterprise.
China won the trade war while we debated all manner of 'rights' and entitlements and corporate power directed capital allocation toward non productive speculation rather than producing things of value.
The left became so divided it has failed to provide the balance needed to self serving corporate wealth and power.