-Rhodesia and America were both founded by white settlers who invaded and stole the land from the native population. In America the settlers exterminated, drove out, or totally marginalized the native population. In Rhodesia the settlers remained a minority and eventually had to relinquish power to the masses. In both countries the settlers were bribed with land and thus developed class interests that were antagonistic toward the oppressed.

-In the case of Rhodesia, as the white settlers recognized their system of privilege was coming to an end, they embraced the paranoid extremist politics of groups like the John Birch Society. For example, they blamed the effete liberals in the British government of colluding with Marxist guerillas and working for the defeat of Western civilization. This reactionary article is a fine example: “How the West Sentenced Rhodesia to Communism.”

-Within the last few decades the Western ruling class has become more multi-cultural and cosmopolitan.

-Right-wing extremism has regained popularity in the USA and moved into mainstream discourse with Lou Dobbs, Jerome Corsi, and Glenn Beck all espousing JBS-like paranoia about immigration, socialist cabals in government, and the erosion of national sovereignty.

-While still holding onto their privileged status, the descendants of American settlers are starting to feel anxious about competition from the influx of immigrant workers and the demographic growth of the oppressed. Will the new ruling class sacrifice them for profit?

Q: How do we deal with the growing antagonism between reactionary settler politics and the oppressed?

Via RevLeft

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