ABSTRACT
This chapter considers the rise of political populism which has been underpinned greatly by the contradictions and failings of neoliberalism, the dominant worldwide economic and political perspective since the late 1970s. The term philosophy would appear to be an inappropriate nomenclature for a series of disparate strategies with many denying any connection between them and this is certainly avoided here. This denial is certainly the case in the US, where ironically there is also widespread repudiation of the existence of the postmodern condition – ironic because there is no other nation on earth where both the postmodern condition and neoliberalism and its contradictions are more apparent. Challenges from across the political spectrum, the enfranchisement of the previously unenfranchised, support for a range of previously barely supported fringe individuals, groups and political entities have further threatened stability and has brought about a period of political confusion throughout the post-industrial Western world. Britain is hugely divided across cultural, age and education lines, a major study of national attitudes has concluded, warning of a potential rise in far-right and anti-Islam sentiments unless politicians tackle long-standing disaffections behind the Brexit vote.
