An economic malaise underlying today’s political problems, by Greg Canavan.

It seems to me that the world is reacting to a kind of economic headlock, produced by distorted monetary policy and overwhelming bureaucracy by the ‘elite’ — both elected and unelected policymakers trying to ‘central plan’ the world into their own vision.

This type of stealth dictatorship is a force that is eventually met by an equal and opposite force. You’re seeing that manifest in the form of hatred all around the world. …

At a slightly saner level, the response you’re seeing to this economic upheaval is the rise of political populists like Donald Trump. His rise is in direct response to the ongoing stagnation of the US economy. Don’t be fooled by the S&P 500 breaking out to all-time highs. That is a symptom of financial repression, not of prosperity.

The ‘people’ aren’t enjoying the uplift in wealth that the stock market brings. Instead they have to deal with stagnant wages and job insecurity. Trump provides an outlet for their fears, hence his popularity.

He also provides an alternative to the perceived corruption of the Clinton’s, who are representative of the global ‘elite’. The irony is rich for the US here…

The country was founded on the rejection of both the monarchy and hereditary rights (and the ability of these rights to tax from afar). Yet in the past few decades, you’ve seen Bush senior and junior rise to the rank of ‘commander in chief’. Now, there is the prospect of another family dynasty rising to the top again…the ‘Clintons’, perhaps the most insidious power family in US history. …

We have megalomaniacs centrally planning their way around the world. This is stunting economic growth, while ensuring the upper levels of society get a greater share of this shrinking wealth.