Don’t fall for the authoritarian hype — Reform and the hard right can be stopped in their tracks
Why Read This
What Makes This Article Worth Your Time
Summary
What This Article Is About
Former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown challenges the notion that Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party represents an unstoppable political force, arguing instead that hard-right, anti-immigrant movements across Europe, Asia, and the Americas are part of a coordinated global surge in authoritarian ethnic nationalism. He identifies this ideology as having replaced neoliberalism as the dominant worldview, driving a shift from 88 democracies to 91 autocracies globally and fueling violations of international human rights law in 59 cross-border conflicts.
However, Brown presents survey data from Focaldata showing that only 16.5% of the global population are hardened anti-internationalists, while a majority support international cooperation under certain conditions. He argues that by championing inclusive patriotism over exclusionary nationalism and exposing Reform UK’s plan to cut £275 billion in public spending, progressives can defeat the hard right by appealing to citizens’ concerns about their local communities and enlightened self-interest in global cooperation.
Key Points
Main Takeaways
A Global Nationalist Movement
Hard-right parties lead polls across Europe, India, Thailand, the US, and Argentina, forming an international coalition against multilateral cooperation.
Ethnic Nationalism Replaces Neoliberalism
Authoritarian ethnic nationalism has become the dominant ideology, reversing decades of globalization and creating a world of “firsts.”
Public Support for Cooperation Exists
Survey data reveals only 16.5% are hardened anti-internationalists, while a majority supports cooperation under the right conditions.
Three Types of Multilateralists
Good cause multilateralists act from altruism, pragmatic ones want efficient spending, and self-interested ones seek reciprocal benefits.
Defeating Negative Nationalism
Countering xenophobia requires championing inclusive patriotism that responds to people’s desire to belong and addresses their immediate concerns.
Reform’s Destructive Agenda
Reform UK’s plan to cut £275 billion in public spending would devastate communities, turning citizens against each other.
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Article Analysis
Breaking Down the Elements
Main Idea
Countering Authoritarian Nationalism
The article’s central thesis is that the global rise of hard-right, authoritarian nationalism—exemplified by Reform UK—can be stopped by exposing its destructive policies and championing an inclusive patriotism that appeals to the majority who support international cooperation under certain conditions. Brown presents data showing that public opinion is more nuanced than political leaders suggest.
Purpose
To Argue and Mobilize
Brown writes to argue that the hard right’s momentum is not inevitable and to mobilize progressives with a concrete strategy for defeating ethnic nationalism. He aims to persuade readers that by focusing on local community concerns, exposing Reform UK’s spending cuts, and framing cooperation in terms of enlightened self-interest, they can construct a winning coalition.
Structure
Problem → Evidence → Solution
Brown structures his argument by first establishing the problem (global rise of authoritarian nationalism), then presenting evidence from survey data showing majority support for cooperation exists, and finally offering concrete solutions for defeating the hard right through inclusive patriotism and exposing Reform UK’s destructive spending cuts.
Tone
Urgent, Combative & Hopeful
Brown adopts an urgent tone to convey the seriousness of the nationalist threat while remaining combative toward Reform UK’s policies. However, he balances this with a hopeful tone grounded in survey data, reassuring readers that public opinion supports cooperation and that defeating the hard right is achievable with the right strategy.
Key Terms
Vocabulary from the Article
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Tough Words
Challenging Vocabulary
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Relating to meteors or resembling a meteor in speed or brilliance; characterized by very rapid rise or advancement.
“…its meteoric rise an exceptional epochal event.”
To remove a monarch from power; to remove someone or something from a position of authority or dominance.
“…seeking to dethrone the international rule of law, diminish human rights and destroy multilateral cooperation.”
To encourage or stir up violent or unlawful behavior; to urge or persuade someone to act in a harmful way.
“The ethnic nationalism that this has incited means free trade is giving way to protectionism.”
The practice of transferring a business operation that was moved overseas back to the country from which it was originally relocated.
“…more than 100 countries are running mercantilist policies marked out by reshoring and friend-shoring…”
Designed to exclude particular groups or individuals from participation; tending to keep out or bar certain people.
“…a clear majority are more resistant to an exclusionary nationalism and more willing to embrace international cooperation…”
Having or showing a strong or unreasoning desire for revenge; characterized by a desire to cause harm or suffering.
“‘Faragism’ is neoliberalism at its most inhumane, more destructive even than monetarism, and vindictive far beyond austerity.”
Reading Comprehension
Test Your Understanding
5 questions covering different RC question types
1According to Brown, Reform UK represents a unique political phenomenon that has no parallels in other countries.
2What does Brown identify as the underlying force that has fueled the new age of nationalism?
3Which sentence best supports Brown’s claim that public opinion is more favorable toward international cooperation than nationalist leaders suggest?
4Based on the article, determine whether each statement about types of multilateralists is true or false.
Good cause multilateralists support international action primarily out of altruism and concern for relieving suffering.
Self-interested multilateralists represent the largest group at 25% of the global population.
Pragmatic multilateralists want assurance that taxes paid for international development are spent effectively.
Select True or False for all three statements, then click “Check Answers”
5What can be inferred about Brown’s strategic advice for defeating hard-right movements?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Brown uses “ethnic nationalism” to describe an authoritarian ideology that prioritizes one ethnic or cultural group over others, often resulting in exclusionary policies toward immigrants and minorities. This ideology has replaced neoliberalism as the dominant worldview, creating a world of “firsts” where countries prioritize their own tribe above international cooperation, leading to violations of human rights law and the rise of 91 autocracies versus only 88 democracies globally.
The survey of 36,000 people across 34 countries reveals that only 16.5% are hardened anti-internationalists, contradicting the narrative that nationalist movements represent majority opinion. The data shows that 21% are committed internationalists and approximately 65% fall in between, willing to support cooperation under certain conditions. This demonstrates a gap between the nationalist rhetoric of political leaders and the more nuanced, cooperation-friendly views of the citizens they govern.
Brown references philosopher Kwame Anthony Appiah’s concept of “rooted cosmopolitans” to describe people who maintain strong connections to their local communities and national identities while simultaneously embracing global citizenship and international cooperation. This concept represents the middle ground between narrow nationalism and detached cosmopolitanism, where individuals can be proudly patriotic without viewing the world through an “us versus them” lens or treating international relations as a zero-sum game.
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This article is rated Intermediate because it requires understanding of abstract political concepts like ethnic nationalism, neoliberalism, and multilateralism, along with the ability to follow complex arguments about global political trends. The vocabulary includes terms like “mercantilist,” “cosmopolitan,” and “exclusionary,” and the article presents data from surveys that must be interpreted within the broader argument. Readers need to synthesize information from multiple examples across different countries to grasp Brown’s central thesis about countering authoritarian movements.
Brown highlights Reform UK’s plan to cut £275 billion in public spending to expose what he views as the contradiction between the party’s populist rhetoric and its policies that would devastate the communities it claims to champion. He argues that by forcing Reform to specify which hospitals, schools, and services would be cut in every constituency, progressives can demonstrate that the party’s agenda would “ravage” downtrodden communities rather than rebuild them, thereby undermining its appeal to voters concerned about local services and community wellbeing.
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