This current political climate is displaying a familiar tactic that dates back to origins of western settlements. Trump’s campaign is using the exact same tactics that the European Aristocracy used in the early 1700s and that the Klu Klux Klan (KKK) used during the post Reconstruction Era. Trump is employing a well documented script that has been used regularly by White elites for centuries in the western world. The tactic is always the same; use the emotions of fear, hate or anxiety to drive an economic agenda for White elites.
Late 1600s/Early 1700s
Economic agenda: Cultivate and exploit the resources and benefits of a new land through the labor of enslaved Africans for the benefit of white aristocrats in Europe.
Emotions: White aristocrats convinced poor Whites that for religious reasons Africans had to be slaves because they were not Christians and were meant for labor. This severely crippled poor whites economic opportunities which lead to poor whites resenting enslaved africans. One of the few job opportunities that poor Whites had available to them was Slave Catchers which enhanced the resentment that poor whites had for blacks.
Results: European Aristocrats accumulated extreme wealth in currency, land and resources. Enslaved africans were established as a permanent underclass. Poor whites began a path towards irreversible poverty. The game is to create division between the two underclass so they never unite against European aristocrats for equality.
Late 1800s to Early 1900s
Economic Agenda: Recreate a new form of free labor which would secure the economic future for the New Colony’s White elites.
Emotions: White elites of these new colonies increased the scare tactics toward poor whites. With freed Blacks exceeding poor Whites economically and socially the animosity was brewing. Elite whites also planted the false seeds of fear that black men would be raping white woman. A fearful and hateful environment was set and lead to policies such as Jim Crow which criminalized Black life. Now slave catchers who became law enforcement officers, were able to arrest Blacks with no cause and sentence them to work on the same slave plantations that they had been recently freed from. Many elite Whites held leadership positions in the KKK and incited violence and provided cover for the KKK’s violence against Blacks.
Results: A new form of slavery was created through Jim Crow laws and the Convict lease program. The economic benefits continued for elite Whites in american. The hate and despicable crimes that poor Whites had perpetrated against Blacks made the division virtually irreparable.
Donald Trump Campaign 2015-2016
Economic Agenda: Make sure that economic benefits remain in place for elite White Americans who control American economics and create more benefits for big businesses.
Emotions: Trump with his rhetoric has created a violent atmosphere in his rally’s that has already caused some of his followers to react violently toward Blacks and whites who don’t agree with his rhetoric. There is fear and hatred surrounding his every campaign stop and Trump incited the anxiety and fear to a fever pitch, just as his predecessors in white supremacy propaganda had done.
Results: Poor whites and working class whites have been made to be extremely adversarial and even violent toward Blacks especially those that demand equality in the legal and law enforcement systems. Once again the goal is division and destruction from the American White elites who benefit greatly from poor Whites and Blacks being adversarial.
If you support trump you fall into one of three categories
- White elite who needs the system to remain in place to benefit your advantage.
- Uneducated poor Whites falling victim to fear and hate rhetoric.
- Black Bourgeoisie who have minimal benefits that they want to protect
Rarely is life this simple, in this instance there really are no shades of grey. This is a time where White elites who support Trump’s rhetoric are acting absolutely irresponsible.