I Am No Liberal, but…

Mixing Right-Wing Conservative Thoughts with Some Liberalism.

Last weeks, months and even years have brought us some kind of an anti-liberalism wave around the world. The main characteristic of this seems to be people calling others ultraliberals, taking stronger nationalistic stances and electing parties that gravitate towards right-wing populistic values.

To some extent, I completely understand all this. After all, people value safety which most liberal societies have not been able to provide them fully. Yes, they do get social benefits as they lose employment or become too old. But this is not enough for someone wanting to display their self-worth and achieve success. Instead, they need to have the opportunity to find suitable work, not having to fear that they are being put on the sidelines.

So now, it seems that a big part of the society around the world and also in Estonia is saying that enough is enough. They have been supporting those with left-wing liberal or socialistic values for a long time, seeing no change. Which has ultimately taken them to seek other solutions.

As someone who believes in the right-wing values, I do understand them. Especially as I see that the government’s first job is to provide everyone with equal opportunities for self-actualisation. Meanwhile, I do not agree with the idea that the government should pay too much attention to giving free money and services to people or tax hard workers more. Instead, they should make it possible for everyone to get the education that enables them to set up their own businesses or find suitable work, as well as put money on the side for any future occasions.

And this is something that most governments have largely ignored in past. Especially as it is easier to promise free stuff, e.g. free housing, free transportation and free food. But as the studies show, then the people with no purpose larger than themselves, AKA work in most cases, feel worse regardless of the free benefits around them.

In fact, I actually do like the system in Japan that even makes the elderly keep working on a reduced load to get the pension because, from the health aspect, a person is healthy as long as they have a purpose. So it is also taking the burden off from the health system if the government helps people stay working.

Saying this, people do not want free stuff any longer. They seem to have enough of that. Instead, they want governments thinking of ways how they could keep on working. Seeing ghosts in the foreigners that move here to work, as well as devils in entrepreneurs that do not hire or pay “enough” to them. Whereas they do not want to accept that those foreigners might be getting the work not because they are cheaper but that they are more skilled. Or that the entrepreneurs cannot pay them more, as the value generated is small.

But all this is not something they want or should care about. If they could change it by themselves then they would have already done that. Thus it is the job of the government to find a solution. Or rather to execute the solution that would enable existing businesses to prosper and new ones to be generated with more ease, as they can then hire more people and help everyone feel valued.

That said, I do not agree with any of the right-wing populists that promise big things without having any way to make them happen. But since it seems to be a war between them and the so-called liberals, then I hope that the latter will understand the problem soon and start taking a more right-winged approach as well. Meanwhile, the hardest part will be convincing people in that they are actually willing to do the work to generate opportunities, not only giving away free stuff.

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