Biden may have to choose between cultural activism and economic activism

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Even the greatest democratic leader of the last century chose him to fight.Franklin Roosevelt created a New price In economics, he retains many ancient cultural heritage. The cause of civil rights has been postponed by another generation.Tight immigration law Even if the crowds in Europe petitioned for entry, they were retained. If there is a post-jazz era of despicable sentiment, it will not be confined to Washington. Another capital, Hollywood, began to enforce its regulations on risky subjects.

In these years, it is difficult to explain the combination of material reform and cultural austerity. However, there is a theory that shows itself. A society can only endure so many changes at a time. If the rules of economic life are constantly changing, people are eager to remain stable or even fade away in other areas. From this perspective, the conflict of the 1960s can be understood as a convulsion in which a country tried to make too many changes in too many ways in too short a time.

The question is whether Roosevelt So-called heir Accept this constraint.Recent boom inflation An idea was put forward that the backlash against President Biden’s big government is approaching. However, it is not his economic courage itself that is the exception. This is a coincidence between it and many other changes.

Violent crime is on the rise American cities It has been a while now, and at least a generation of trends have been reversed. At the same time, the southern border of the country has been a place of pain and chaos for most of the year.Authorities have “En” Since the beginning of this century, there have been more immigrants there in April than in any month. Then, this is the third source of cultural insecurity. Under today’s new term, there are a series of early problems, namely “awakening”, all of which involve the first right to amend the freedom of speech.

Even if these social rumbles are put together, it is difficult to constitute a revolution. Nor can it be said that the president is their main author. The crime wave started with his predecessor, Donald Trump.Since France, Western leftists have been identifying with politics internally philosopher In the 1960s, it experienced a turning point in the post-modern era.

However, if the cultural turmoil is not his all fault, it is his problem.Americans are required to absorb economic disruption doctrine As the social environment changes. As if trying to capture the problem from the micro level, Congress is currently working on portable taxation and police reforms. These will be difficult to sell separately. Biden is trying both at the same time. For a person, there is a lot of work to be done, and many people will imagine that he will take a breath after taking a breath. High drama president.

The idea of ​​a natural pairing of economic and cultural reforms is recent. History has thrown out more of the builders of the welfare state, who are conservative to the degree of nostalgia in a broader perspective. Clement Attlee from the United Kingdom, De Gaulle The situation in France is the worst, and Otto von Bismarck in Germany is only the worst. For them, redistribution is the glue of the state, not the source of abstract “justice”, and it changes what comes first.

In other words, Biden is trying- change In the context of greater changes-not only the United States, but also the standards of Western politics are provocative. Judging from his age and voting records, he is a naturally reassuring figure, which helps. If voters start to feel uneasy about the incident, don’t expect this image to continue.

The easiest mistake to make in politics is to assume that the idea of ​​good voting in your own way will aggregate into a popular whole. In fact, voters cannot hear notes, they hear chords. A large number of reforms can even make those who personally admire reforms feel exhausted and uneasy. Biden’s policy does not invite voters to retaliate in the mid-term, but instead requires their number, scope, and simultaneity.

The rule of the writer Gustave Flaubert is that one can only adopt so much activism (“There must be order in life” so that you can become violent and violent at work. Originality”) also applies to the political body. If Biden stands out in such an overwhelming victory in 1932 or 1980, and when the public hears the new route requirements, he may get permission for a comprehensive change.

Instead, he won a game in an obvious but not overwhelming way Totally inappropriate Become an opponent in an unusual year of world history.Congress is only in the hands of the Democrats Thinnest profit. Doing so many activities is a fragile task. Those who know him say that the president reversed normal life through his sensitivity to change over time. This is a noble change, but he shouldn’t think he is catching up with one.

janan.ganesh@ft.com

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