One of the lessons of history is surely that when it comes to trainee demagogues it is best to take what they say seriously. In late 1920s Germany there were plenty of people who thought that for all the street violence and thuggish rhetoric , the Nazis and their leader were essentially a joke. Even as late as 1933 when their cunning, demonic leader became Chancellor of Germany there was a widespread belief that he was a fad. Elements of the German Establishment thought they could if not control him certainly restrain him and hold the funny man with the moustache to the post-First World War constitution. Look what happened.
Yet if anyone wanted a clue in 1933 about what Hitler would do all they had to do was read what the man himself had said in his personal manifesto, Mein Kampf, written a decade before. In that he explained what he wanted to do to the Jews, even he did not outline the precise methodology for getting rid of millions of people. Take what they say seriously. It saves time and anguish later.
Which brings me to Donald Trump, nominee of the party of Lincoln and Reagan for the Presidency.
On BBC Radio 4’s Today programme it was refreshing to hear Trump’s biographer call him out, for his untruths and dodgy connections. And a representative of Republicans Abroad was devastating in her critique of Trump. The nominee has adopted some terrifying positions and he is scarily irresponsible.
He – Trump – may also be coming apart before our eyes. The personality flaws identified by Robert Kagan in a brilliant piece for the Washington Post suggest a man with deep psychological problems who cannot process the concept that people will disagree with him. Trump’s speeches always were rambling. They now have an unhinged quality.
There is a fashion at the moment – among some of my conservative friends – for explaining that while all this may be so, it still won’t make any difference because in his strange, inarticulate rage he taps into the anger of the excluded outside the elite. One hears this from conservatives who don’t endorse him that we must understand a little more and condemn a little less, because he might win. Sure, that is usually a good idea and Trumpism will be analysed for decades by historians.
But sometimes – at crucial moments, and this is another of those occasions – that is not good enough. Sometimes the guy seeking immense amounts of power over other people is a menace to civilisation. Trump is a dangerous trainee demagogue. Say it. Don’t make excuses for him.
