US: Future History

Looking back forty years, a writer in 2060 remarked on the tumultuous rise to power of a radical figure in US politics:

‘What he offered above all was a fierce, unreflective determination to halt America’s slide into ruin and to restore its prominence in the world. This was such an unlikely prospect that he had to couch it in dream-like terms: “Somewhere ahead lies greatness for our country again; this I know in my heart.”

‘Trump’s election heralded the start of a new era – an era that would be harsher, more divisive, but ultimately more prosperous and less chaotic than the one that had gone before.’

In reality the writer is John Preston and the quotation is adapted from his 2016 book on the Thorpe scandal; substitute Mrs Thatcher for Trump and the UK for America.

Mrs T’s reforms were met with screaming resistance and she herself a bitter hatred that endures to this day in certain quarters.

Now we see the same in the US. It is almost as though Trump’s opponents are praying for his utter failure, blind to the fact that this also implies further turmoil and decline for their own country.

For my part, whatever the President’s personal flaws, I hope that he and the US will succeed, particularly in three areas:

• To cease involvement in foreign wars that do no good abroad or at home
• To maintain the integrity and security of the United States against unnecessary, illegal and potentially dangerous immigration
• To improve the life chances of poorer Americans by protecting their living standards against foreign competitors who enjoy lasting structural economic advantages

There is also the need to cleanse the Augean stables of America’s institutions that have become partisan and corrupt, so undermining trust in authority and the cohesion of the Republic.

Aside from wishing to see peace, justice and freedom in the US as I would wish it everywhere else, I have an interest to declare, in that my family’s future lies with the descendants of my brother, who took American citizenship years ago with my enthusiastic encouragement.

Doubtless Mr Trump’s administration will make mistakes, as all its predecessors have done, but unless his opponents actually hate and despise the common people they should work as a loyal opposition to deter and correct damaging errors.

Britain has not always enjoyed such luck. While there was a need to introduce supply side reforms and to combat doctrinaire Communist subversion, Mrs Thatcher was persuaded to courses of action that (for example) inadvertently weakened our long-term industrial capacity and disrupted our system of occupational pensions. It also took her some time to understand the true nature of the European Union. Who was advising her, when and why? Leaders must remain constantly aware of the dangers posed by flappers who have their own agendas.

Can America stand united again, or will it continue to be a perilously divided house? ‘A republic, if you can keep it,’ said Benjamin Franklin.