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The "extreme centre" is collapsing under its own contradictions

In an article in The Economist, the author examines the rise of new political movements in the west; his analysis is revealing about the degree of self-deception, ideological blindness and departure from reality of western elites.

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Jeremy Corbyn speaks to a crowd outside SOAS, London. PAimages/Rick Findler. All rights reserved.

The emergence of new political parties, movements and figures across Europe and in the United States is creating some cracks in the political and economic order of the last three decades.

The establishment parties of the "extreme centre" (as British journalist Tariq Ali has described the political spectrum occupied by traditional centre right and centre left parties) that have alternatively served the interests of the top 1%, corporations and financial institutions, are being threatened by the rise of a broad range of diverse political forces, ranging from far right nationalist parties to progressive radical leftist movements.