Young People’s Fatigue Over Oldies but Not-So-Goodies Leaders

Tokyo 16 January

Populism are gaining strength all over the world, underlining a generational value gap

Four years have passed since the riots of Capitol Hill on the 6th of January of 2021 and American citizens seem not to have learned the lessons of those dark days. Neither did the rest of the world grasp a decent example.

The past year of 2024 has been the year in which the highest number of elections were held in the world. The results have been deceiving with few exceptions. Populist movements are strengthening their hold on political power in all regions of the world. Their programs contain a variety of policies inspired by the same illiberal principles. Their discourse is inflammatory and fuels discontent, rage and violence.

Thanks to these movements, society is reaching staggering levels of polarization at a time of profound difficulties. Old violent conflicts are raging, and new conflicts are emerging causing an increased number of civilian victims. The cost-of-living crisis, inflation and more general concerns regarding the economy are widespread in an increasingly unequal world. The climate crisis is producing its devastating effects on people’s homes and livelihoods.

Adding to this mix, there is the upcoming inauguration of Donald Trump’s Presidency of the United States posing a problem to both American citizens and people from the rest of the world. Trump’s success is the most blatant example of how populism erodes democracy and public power while causing a cascade of heavy repercussions on the economy, politics and society. Identified as the leader of the Western world, American allies cannot do much but observe the political shift and adapt to the changing circumstances.

From an international politics perspective, as with any policy area, it is difficult to predict what will be the incoming US President’s line of action. But his declarations say a lot about his approach to international relations and the kind of leadership he brings to the table. In times of high uncertainty for many countries and conflict areas, Trump’s interventionist and aggressive discourse represent a likely threat to global stability, security and peace. Trump’s realist stance and transactional approach reinforces a vision of international relations that ignores central questions regarding an equal, fair and sustainable global development, a global solution to the climate crisis and an intersectional approach to race, gender, religion and any other kind of discrimination.

All these concerns might seem idealistic and naïve given the actors at play, but they have penetrated society deeply and continue to do so, especially in younger generations. People in every corner of the planet are increasingly aware of the issues at stake. Their worries are far removed from power plays, nasty X memes, and foolish territorial claims. Every day young people wake up thinking about what will happen to their present and future homes and livelihoods with rising temperatures. Every day young women wake up praying that they will not be the next victims of gender violence. Every day young dreamers wake up asking themselves how they will bridge the gap created by socioeconomic privilege.

At the same time, the older and ruling generation is poisoning politics and society in a tireless effort producing substantial results at country level. One may take as example the US election. A key element of Trump’s campaign has been, according to the campaign members and commentators, the focus on economic policy. Although, Trump’s program was never entirely clear on what the new administration’s exact policies would be, they will not benefit the American working class, nor American allies. The unpredictability and lack of transparency of Trump’s economic policy must be read in the founding contradiction of his political enterprise. On the one side, his discourses appeal to the working class (and to some specific minority groups), while on the other, he brings forward a plutocratic agenda aimed at enlarging the wealth of the richest class.

Much of Trump’s discourse about economic measures focuses on individual instruments like tariffs and public spending. But the political economy championed by his party is part of a long-term agenda of plutocratic populism that precedes him and of which he embodies only the latest manifestation. For this reason, the focus to evaluate Trump’s economic policy should be on instruments that exacerbate inequality such as deregulation and fiscal reform.

Ironically, the negative consequences of such an economic action will be felt the most by those categories of citizens that voted for Trump. The success of his campaign lies in the ability to bury the negative repercussions of his economic agenda under an inflammatory political discourse focused on cultural and identitarian matters such as religion, conservative family ideals, and immigration. A discourse that draws divides between “us” and immigrants, the “radical left”, the woke movement, European people, Chinese people, to always find someone to blame for the challenges that society is facing.

What is happening in the United States is just one example, but similar trends can be witnessed anywhere else in the world. Europe is full of similar cases of liberal democracies vulnerable to populism. Such a rise is favored by a widespread sentiment that, through times of crisis, there is the need of strong leaders able to guide nations to success. Such a leader-centered view allowed figures such as Donald Trump and Elon Musk to be held as national heroes while bringing about a violent and confrontational narrative. Indeed, they still hold the merit of being able to talk to big portions of the electorate, while moderate forces consistently fail to deliver powerful political messages and inspire people.

The domination of populist tones on the political debate is not only a problem for the economy. Discourses about the present and future of countries are full of misogynistic, racist, and xenophobic assertions, depicting a divided world were the old, white and wealthy men violently gain the power to trace the way forward. The fact that the affirmations of these politicians will hardly turn into actions is not relevant because they still create a world of confrontation, competition and discrimination and they drive the attention away from what is important. It is as if the energies and resources of some of the most powerful players in the world were misplaced into creating problems instead of solving them.

One of the pillars of our work at the IYTT is to always sustain a positive attitude towards the future and never lose hope. While we may face some level of fatigue and clueless-ness about what will come, we refuse to give up resistance. Our focus will stay on the fight for a more equal, tolerant, and pluralistic future, and our energies will be devoted to creating a better, more democratic planet for people of any gender, race, and generation.

Elena Vocale, Youth Fellow, IYTT