How to become popular, without much effort

The Russian elections, similar to what occurred in the United States, China, Great Britain and elsewhere, show that the oldest political strategy recipes are still the most effective: In order to have the best chances to gain the support of those they govern, leaders must selectively choose enemies for them, describe in the most frightening way the threat these enemies embody, and present themselves as best placed to protect the people against these enemies.

And everyone does it: the Russian president convinced his fellow citizens that his country was surrounded by enemies, and that no one could better protect them except for him. The Chinese president drew a clear picture of those from whom the country needed to gain respect, and convinced his people that he must be given plenty of time to do so. The US president explained that his country was threatened with invasion of foreign imports and that he alone would have the courage to protect the country. Finally, the British Prime Minister, plummeting in the polls because of her catastrophic management of the Brexit negotiations, is trying to recreate national unanimity around her by invoking the threat of repeated use of toxic gases on national soil.

Faced with these more or less imaginary threats, the solution proposed by all these leaders, as diverse as they are, is always the same: invoke fear and promote isolation. Populism and protectionism are two dimensions of the same political ruse.

In continental Europe, the same type of temptation is looming. And here, the perceived enemy is the foreigner; the threat that he supposedly poses is the loss of national identity; and the promise of politicians is to protect the people and close the borders. Some have already implemented it, and have made it the core of their political agenda, from Poland to Italy, Hungary to Sweden. Even if migration to Europe is at a lower level than it was in many past periods, these discourses are continuously fed with fantasies. The honour of Germany, and of France, to their credit is that they’ve continued to resist. But for how long?

If all this is generalized, the juxtaposition of populism, protectionism and xenophobia, can only lead to a deep crisis and perhaps war. Only direct dialogue between civil societies can prevent it. And it is not the current economic and technological euphoria that will protect us from it. On the contrary, nations are always punished when their leaders forget that history is tragic.

To avoid it, it is essential that the people do not succumb to the call of the siren, and that they do not follow these politicians in their pre-fabricated quarrels. To do this, they must develop non-political relationships among themselves, and increase private exchanges between civil society groups, corporations, NGOs, foundations, theatrical groups, museums, locally elected, students, researchers, writers and journalists. In particular, it is urgent to increase exchanges between European, American, Russian, Turkish, Arab, Israeli and Chinese civil society groups.

The last hope of peace and prosperity, as well as altruism and empathy lies through the development of these apolitical contacts. The essence of the 21st century depends on this, and that is to say it depends on each and every one of us.

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