If the post-war period can be credited with the rise of liberalism in Europe, the period following the financial crisis of 2008 can be credited with ushering in a new wave of right-wing sentiment. One must juxtapose the two epochs in order to understand the course that Europe is currently on, a course that some say will lead to future conflict.
The end of the Second World War brought about the naissance of a new period of political development in Europe. The right-wing governments that had clenched Europe in tyranny for the previous two decades were now obsolete, and the liberty that the oppressed were yearning for was finally theirs.
From that point until now, much progress has been made. The Europe of the post-war period (notwithstanding the Soviet bloc) was synonymous with liberté, egalité, and fraternité. However, it would appear that Europe is suffering from myopia as evidenced by the recent elections and the high volume of strident political activity across the continent. The right-wing parties have capitalized on the fear and skepticism within the European Union. The escalating tensions between national governments and the EU in Brussels, augmented by the trepidation regarding the migrant crisis, have forced the continent into a very precarious situation.
This situation is evocative of a similar time period, 80 years ago that, for some, is reason for concern. At the time, aggressive rhetoric, political dexterity, and shrewd gumption propelled Adolf Hitler to procure the spirit of a nation by promising to quell its fears and frustrations. His platform was cogent: Germany was in a state of economic and cultural turbulence, and its problems originated in the punitive Treaty of Versailles. The French had occupied the Ruhr as a consequence of Germany’s defaulting on reparations payments; there was rampant inflation; and moral decadence ensued. Germany was under siege by subversive elements and the current political system had failed to contend with that reality. The Weimar Republic, due to its inefficiency and insufficient constitution, was politically weak and met with contemptuous feelings from the onset, by both politician and citizen alike. Consequently, the German people were overcome with despair and frustration and looked for salvation. This provided the ideal opportunity for the fledgling National Socialist Workers Party (NSDAP) to garner support by transforming despair and skepticism into adulation for an ideology of racial superiority.
In recent years, the same form of reactionary politics has made a resurgence into the European political scene at an alarming rate, quickly gaining traction across the continent.
The year 2015 has proved to be a tumultuous one for the European Union. There have been national elections in several States, waves of migrants threatening the ever so fragile social equilibrium, and the looming threat of further economic stagnation. The European states must contend with these quandaries; ambivalence will no longer suffice. In light of this, the right wing in Europe has enjoyed a surge in popularity, as reflected by their recent victories. Originally dismissed as a short-lived fad, the forces that have been galvanized under a call to purify Europe are here to stay, and their numbers are swelling.
On Oct. 11, Austria held elections in which the ultra-conservative Austria Freedom Party finished second, earning 30.4 percent of the vote. This is the largest share given to a right-wing party since the end of the Second World War. From that point until this year, Austria, especially Vienna, has been largely under control of the Socialist party, earning the appellation “Red Vienna.” However, it is not an absurd claim to make, that in the near future Austria may once again be in the hands of the right.
To the dismay of some, Austria isn’t an anomaly; this wave of right-wing enthusiasm shows no indication of reaching its plateau in the foreseeable future. On Oct.1, the xenophobic German Party, Patriotic Europeans against the Islamisation of the West (PEGIDA), took to the streets of Dresden in d