“The trouble with the current swing to the right is that it serves the wealthy, and the extremely wealthy very well. Those who are most vulnerable will suffer even more than they would do under a progressive government,” writes political columnist MICHAEL MOORE.

In the recent election in Germany more than a fifth of voters favoured a hard-right-wing party. None of the traditional parties are prepared to negotiate with them because of their extreme views. 

The impact of the Trumphiant swing in the US is having a tsunami of ramifications around the world. His henchmen, the billionaire oligarchs in the form of Bezos, Musk and other cronies are so wealthy that they have international influence. This is particularly true of those with traditional and social media platforms.

However, it is worth looking back at some of the lessons in history. My grandmother was born in the late 1800s. No doubt the depression of 1890-93 had an impact on her family. As a young woman she experienced World War I (1914-18) and later married a veteran from that war. 

However, the roaring ’20s was a time of change and rejection of the past. My “nan” was a flamboyant part of the world of theatre and vaudeville. Later, she and my grandfather acted in early talking movies. 

The times were good, and finances were not a problem. There was certainty, that is, until the Great Depression (1929-39). Then came the generation of my parents. They were born around 1920 and, unlike my grandparents, felt the full brunt of the Great Depression as well as the impact of World War II (1939-45).

This might help to explain why my grandmother was much, much more progressive than my parents. 

My father returned from serving in the RAAF to bring up a family in a conservative tradition. Having experienced the Great Depression, he was keen to own his home, and to bring his children up in an environment where they would have educational opportunities.

“My children”, he would say, “were all born with two hands and importantly, they know how to use them to feed themselves and their families”. Self-reliance was a key part of his conservative philosophy.

As some of my readers might suspect, I took lessons from my grandmother to become much more progressive than my parents. There was no great depression. However, there was the uncertainty of a possible nuclear war, the Cold War, Vietnam and there were financial strains that we felt strongly. 

Although it is popular to suggest baby boomers had it easy, and to suggest this is why so many are progressive. There is a different perspective. Although interest rate rises have had an impact on the current generation of homeowners, I recall interest rates skyrocketing into the high teens and causing significant challenges.

Like many baby boomers, our first homes were in the outer suburbs. The majority were three bedrooms, brick veneer, no carpet and sheets for curtains, no landscaping, and the second-hand twin-tub washing machine was our most expensive purchase. We expected to paint our own houses, to do the landscaping and to manage repairs.

Our vehicles were also worn out. Mine all were purchased with more than 100,000 miles on the clock. We expected to work on the cars – it was the only way we could afford a vehicle. However, the generation was able to buy houses, most were able to find jobs. For many, there was free tertiary education.

Free tertiary education came shortly after my time at university. However, my generation could see the impact that this change had on the lives of so many. It was a similar story with government-funded healthcare.

The challenges facing the current generations of voters may be driving a swing to the right. Where parents have been able to support through the bank of mum and dad, the members of that generation have done well. However, many still feel the failure of government to support them in their time of need.

So even in my own family there has been swings from conservative to progressive to conservative to progressive. Maybe this current swing is just part of that inevitable swing of the pendulum and will serve people like Peter Dutton very well – particularly if the current polling is to be believed.

The trouble with the current swing to the right is that it serves the wealthy, and the extremely wealthy very well. In the meantime, those who are most vulnerable will suffer even more than they would do so under a progressive government.

Michael Moore is a former member of the ACT Legislative Assembly and an independent minister for health. He has been a political columnist with “CityNews” since 2006.