Harold Evans: Hurricane Katrina in historical context - Hoover, Coolidge

[Benbow]

and Social Darwinism etc.

After so many years of Social Darwinism, Hurricane Katrina could reawaken the American people's appetite for compassion in government.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/views/a_point_of_view/

In my view, (Hurricane Katrina) is likely to have as traumatic an impact on American political life as the Great Depression of the 1930s. That catastrophe ushered in two decades of Democratic presidents - but even more, it reversed America's entrenched dedication to laissez faire Social Darwinism, a philosophy embraced by both major parties for 150 years.

<snip>

My judgment is that the log of Social Darwinism will disappear again under the toxic flood waters of New Orleans. The corpses floating face down in the muddy overflow from broken Mississippi levees are too shocking a sight for Americans of all classes and parties. They are too kindly a people. They will look once again for vigour and compassion in government, even at the price of higher taxes.

<snip>

And Bush, like Hoover, has found it hard to confront reality. He has said nobody expected the levees to break - thereby flying in the fact of scores of predictions in official reports, science journals and newspapers.

Back in the 30s, clinging to the log of Social Darwinism did not save Hoover. He was swept away by a riptide of anger and fear like that which may threaten the Republican ascendancy today.

I was a bit stunned to learn that earlier US administrations have taken the view that "though the people support the Government, the Government should not support the people" (Grover Cleveland). And even Barbara Bush's crassness has an earlier equivalent. "Of the men selling apples in the streets, the symbol of the depression, (Hoover) said, 'many persons left their jobs for the more profitable one of selling apples.'" He probably added something like "things have turned out quite well for them", but history has not recorded this.

[marmar]

1. If any good comes out of this...

maybe it will be the failure of American conservatism.

[Briar]

2. Let's hope for the failure of neoliberal economics

the world over.

[non sociopath skin]

3. Similar pieces by Polly Toynbee in The Guardian and Andrew Stephen ..

... in the Staggers yesterday.

I'll believe it when I see it. Up to 40% still see the Busheviks as doing a fine job.

The Skin

[Briar]

4. Yes

and an interviewee on the BBC this morning thought that by the 2006 elections, most Americans will have forgotten NO and be back in the market for the usual right wing brand of policy. After 4 decades or so, the low taxation, zero regulation consensus (it includes our own New Labour) is firmly entrenched and greedily trying to gobble up Europe and the rest of the world as well.