著者

近藤 健 コンドウ ケン

出版者

国際基督教大学社会科学研究所

雑誌

社会科学ジャ-ナル (ISSN:04542134)

巻号頁・発行日

no.35, pp.1-19, 1997-01

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Populism and nationalism have come to the forefrontof Amencan political discoursein the post-Cold War period. For example, Michael Lind's recent book, The NextAmerican Nation, in which he argues for an interracial America based on nationalismand interracial populist majority coalition building, has been widely reviewed anddiscussed.Why populism and nationalism now? Behind these arguments, there is acommon recognition that the United States now faces the critical problems of a deepening racial cleavage, a widening income gap that is leading to middle class decline,and a sense that without change, American society is going to disintegrate Criticshave emerged who consider multiculturalism elitist, and instead propose transracialnational identity with vernacular American culture. They argue for a rekindling ofupward mobility for the working class and the protection of middle class income by restricting immirgration and managed trade (economic natronalism and populism).Those arguments are surely debatable. They are to a certain extent persuasive, however, for the critics have shown that the Democratic and Republican parties are notresponsive, or cannot find effctive policies, for these problems, and the traditionalliberal-conservative paradigm is no longer workable. Whether a new majority coalition based on economic populism and nationalism will be realized or not, populistand nationalist sentiments wrll affect American politics and external affairs in thepos-Cold War era.