From the Observer.
Anyone who knows the history of backlash populism, from Nixon and Agnew onwards, will find the new fury at the environmental taxes comfortingly familiar. From the Palin rallies in the American Midwest via the baking suburbs of Brisbane to the screaming blogs of the English Tory party, the chants about climate change are the same. The liberal elite, the so-called experts, the unelected, unaccountable grandees, who poison our children’s minds through their control of the schools, foist their values on us through their courtier newspapers and television stations, take our taxes and use them to fund their weird minority causes, are at it again. Preying on hard-working families, and forcing their fads on the common people.
The feeling of suppressed class war is back. Globally, environmentalism is a middle-class cause, and in Britain, disastrously for its supporters, the children of the aristocracy and super-rich dominate the green movement. As before, many onlookers fear that they will pay the price for the soothing of the consciences of the wealthy. The conspiracy theories and the wails from the under-educated at the pretensions of the intellectuals have a tired ring, too. We appear to be on an old battlefield.
But do not make the mistake of dismissing the anti-green upsurge as another outbreak of crankiness.
Nick Cohen
