In all of this anti-European Union fervor and determination to vanquish governmental globalism, many proponents of sovereignty and independence have lost sight of the ultimate objectives of a limited state, individualism, less taxes and fiscal prudence. How did this happen?
The populist and anti-globalism groups have amplified their momentum with the victories in the United States, Great Britain and even Italy, and the polls continue to suggest that these movements in The Netherlands, France, Germany and perhaps even Greece are on a path towards victory.
Unfortunately, it seems like that victory will come at any cost, even if it is a loss of free markets.
The best example of this ongoing saga is Marine Le Pen, the popular French leader of the National Front.
Le Pen has led a movement in the nation to exit the EU. Dissatisfied by the mass migration of those who do not conform to Western principles and disgusted by the intrusion of Brussels, Le Pen is on the cusp of becoming the successor to Socialist President Francois Hollande.
So many of those who have crusaded against Belgium and have vehemently cheered on Nigel Farage and Donald Trump are doing the same with Le Pen as well as Frauke Petry and Geert Wilders. However, the records and positions, particularly when it comes to economics, of Farage and Le Pen are completely different.
Outside of exiting the EU, which would be a tremendous accomplishment, here is what Le Pen wants to do if she is elected as the next leader of France:
- Increase pay for civil servants and increase funding for government utilities.
- Raise corporate taxes, or at least fight against corporate tax cuts.
- Oppose free trade and advocate for protectionism.
- Support intervening in the agricultural sector to protect local farmers from outside competition.
- Demand a referendum for reinstating the death penalty.
Not everything that Le Pen has espoused is a bad thing. For instance, Le Pen pledges to abolish affirmative action, pull out of NATO, exit global institutions (WTO, World Bank, IMF) and impose tax cuts for energy products.
For the most part, however, each time she talks about a policy that is outside of mass migration, the EU and globalism, many of her supporters should be frightened.
It was recently reported that she wants the French government to dump the euro (yay!) and then convert its debt into a brand new currency, which would then be used to fund her interventionist endeavors (boo!). Rather than relying on sound money, Le Pen is dumping one fiat hegemony for another.
As the months go by, it should become apparent that all what these populist revolutions are achieving is replacing one central planner with another. The only difference is that, in France’s case, the central planner is in Brussels and the next central planner could reside in Paris.
When it comes to the United Kingdom’s exit of the EU, Farage and his party were still advocating for tax cuts, limited government, a non-interventionist foreign policy and free markets. In the U.S., millions were duped into thinking that Donald Trump was a free market advocate and non-interventionist. Le Pen is only some of these things.
If the anti-establishment in France, and others paying attention to the gripping situation in France, want to bet on a horse then they would be better off with a guy like Francois Fillon.
Fillon, who is expected to face off against Le Pen in the presidential polls, has been a vocal critic against the EU and Brussels. At the same time, he wants to slash the government workforce, reform the retirement pension system, establish open dialogue with Russia and Syria, cut spending and taxes, end mass migration and rein in multiculturalism.
These are policies that are far superior to Le Pen, but he isn’t garnering global headlines like she is. And perhaps that is the problem – also the recent Penelopegate scandal is an issue that will hurt him.
Ultimately, it is imperative that the anti-establishment refrain from being suckered into the hyperbole, grandiose promises and funny comments against a central power. It’s all about the meat and potatoes. Le Pen is definitely right about leaving the EU and global institutions, but domestically she is like Brussels: another central planner.
Photo by: Global Panorama / Flickr.
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