Letter: The new consensus
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.IT IS OF some significance that the traditional right as well as the traditional left is beginning to distance itself from the post- ideological consensus advertised under different brand names by all the major parties (Roger Scruton, 16 August). After the collapse of the Soviet Union, real political debate almost disappeared as those who questioned the consensus were told that there was no alternative to a globalised free market.
Now that the fall-out from that collapse is settling, a new political landscape is coming into focus and the old maps no longer apply. If our only philosophy is to resist inflation, maximise trade and export our way to the Promised Land, we can't respond coherently to the pollution, scarcity, inequality and social collapse created by unrestrained market forces.
Market-oriented international institutions such as the World Trade Organisation are now setting the political agenda. The recent victory in a North American Free Trade Agreement tribunal of the US Ethyl Corporation against the Canadian government's attempt to ban the dangerous pollutant MMT is a foretaste of what is in store.
BRIAN FEWSTER
Leicester
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments