Ethics Newsline®

RE: Europe’s Rightward Shift: A Challenge to Moral Boundaries, May 20.

Dear Rushworth,

The arguments that justify this shift in attitude to the right are partly economic and partly seen as a defense of traditional cultures. Numerous inflows of immigrants, particularly Muslims, are seen as being so different and so numerous as to be threatening to what is considered as being French or British.

But the main threat to traditional cultures is globalization — the same cause that creates the desire to immigrate in the first place. Europe is moving towards the right and developing an unhealthy attitude towards foreigners. At the same time, there is an integration amongst Europeans through the European Union. This integration increases the fear that one’s own national culture is under threat.

While it is difficult to think that an increase in racism may have any benefit, it could well be part of the necessary process of becoming European. The process of creating an identity needs to resolve the conflicts that different values, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors create. We hope these conflicts in “becoming European” can be resolved through discussion.

Perhaps the swing to the right is a sign that the shadow of World War II has passed and we can discuss more openly racial issues and be more tolerant of our own feelings of patriotism. The move towards the right is not just a European trend; it is much more a global swing, but I think at least in Europe there is a greater distance to swing before we reach an extremist area.

Cheers,
Bob Watt
United Kingdom