Donald Trump polarizes like no other US president before him.
That's probably why he manages to unite so many people behind him.
An attempt to explain.
Donald Trump * was above all a president for the rich in the United States.
Yet he has more supporters in the working class than ever before.
A Berkley professor tries to explain it.
Washington
-
Donald Trump is
the President of the United States for
just under a month
.
Then
Joe Biden
takes over
.
A fact that the outgoing US president likes to deny and suppress.
A common argument that
Trump
likes to use to back up his claim to office is the
millions of voters
who have voted for him.
Around 74 million to be precise.
That is another eleven million more than in 2016. But who are these people who are faithfully following the 74-year-old?
Donald Trump managed to appeal to a wide range of voters in the 2020 US election
In an interview with
Der Spiegel
, sociology professor
Arlie Hochschild
tries to
explain this.
The Berkley researcher has met with numerous people across
America
in order
to better understand the
Trump * phenomenon
.
He has supporters from all walks of life.
“The
rich
voted for him because he cut their taxes.
The
evangelicals
for opposing abortion.
The
American workers
voted for him because he presented himself as a 'strong leader', ”says
Hochschild
.
Especially in the relatively poor state of
Louisiana *
many voters made their cross for
Trump
.
And that despite the fact that oil companies pollute the environment there and life expectancy is lower than in any other state in the
United States
, according to
Hochschild
.
This paradox arises because "
Trump is
a master of emotions".
He manages to put the blame for the plight of the people there on minorities like blacks, illegal immigrants, women or the corrupt state.
In truth, says
Hochschild
, the reason for the social decline of the people in
Louisiana
lies
in the onset of globalization in the 1970s.
Companies have closed or emigrated abroad.
The education of the citizens is low.
The workers fear for their future and they feel a deep shame because they realize that they are being left behind.
Donald Trump recognized this shame.
And he manages to take it from them.
Arlie Hochschild, University of Berkley
2020 US election: Trump poses as a fighter for the working class
In addition,
Trump's
economic policy has
hardly helped
the poor
working class
,
Hochschild
said
.
Their situation has barely improved.
Nevertheless, they are convinced that
Trump
would fight for them.
"He has something of a religious savior." The image of the angry
Trump supporter is also
a little crooked, continues the Berkley professor.
The worker is sad and scared.
“The industry that his family has lived on for generations is disappearing.
[...] The people there drink more, many fathers don't see their children.
The suicide rate is increasing.
These
people are desperate
, but they don't want to show it. "
Soon it will be in the hands of
Joe Biden *
to change the situation of the American working class.
But can he
overcome
the deep rifts that
Trump
has widened with his policy of division?
“It won't be easy.
The Democrats * do not see the desperation of the
Trump voters,
"says
Hochschild
.
Many of his followers are just as concerned about the rift in American society.
(tel) * Merkur.de is part of the Ippen-Digital network.
Despite the many supporters, Donald Trump
did not do well
in a poll by American news channel
Fox News
.
Most of the respondents were not convinced of his government work.
You can find more news about the US election on our section page.