Two Thirds of Austrians Are Unhappy With Democracy

Two Thirds of Austrians Are Unhappy With Democracy

iStock.com/Flavio Vallenari

Totalitarian systems in Europe were a thing of the past—until now.

By Josué Michels • April 23

Austrians want a strong government. Only 32 percent of Austrians are still satisfied under the current government and 43 percent want to see a strongman leading them. Twenty-three percent want a strong “Führer,” in other words, a totalitarian government. The survey, conducted by the sora Institute and the Association for Scientific Review of Contemporary History, was published on April 20 and presented in Vienna on behalf of the Austrian Future Fund.

The survey, published exactly 128 years after Adolf Hitler was born, shocked experts. Austrian historian Oliver Rathkolb is concerned about the “extremely high” support for a strongman. Ten years ago, only 14 percent favored an authoritarian government, he said. But things have changed since then, and many young Austrians today do not value democracy. The survey showed that 55 percent of those age 35 and younger believe that National Socialism brought some good.

The mood in Europe has taken a dramatic shift and the citizens’ pleas will not remain unheard. The millions of refugees storming Europe’s coast reveal the weaknesses of Western governments. People feel that their concerns are not being heard, that the government is overwhelmed, and that law and order have left European streets. A few have completely lost trust in the government and set up their own groups to enforce law. Dissatisfaction is growing in all classes.

At the beginning of the migrant crisis, Trumpet columnist Brad Macdonald wrote:

The refugee crisis is thrusting Germany (and Europe) into a transformational identity crisis. Germany and Europe will look for a leader who understands what is happening. They will seek someone capable of shaping this new identity—someone capable of standing up to Russia, getting tough with the refugees, and finally fixing the economic crises.

This is the new sobering reality: Contemporary Europe is on its way out and Europe’s old demons are returning.

The man Austria and Germany looked to 80 years ago was Adolf Hitler. History shows time and again that democracies, and peace, are short lived. The Trumpet forecasts that a man more persuasive, more powerful and more dreadful than Hitler is about to rise in Europe. For more information, read A Strong German Leader Is Imminent.