Some New Zealanders might have trouble grasping international affairs without the domestic spin, so here it is. Donald Trump is Winston Peters with money. Make no mistake, we need to take the rise of populism seriously.
 
Ok, this thought is probably just as original as Melania Trump’s speech to the Republican convention. And really, the world could probably do without another Trump think piece.
 
But the similarities in Trump’s and Peters’ populism are too striking to overlook.
 
Populism is public policy devoid of principles. It is nihilism dressed up as conviction. It panders to peoples’ emotions and biases – no matter how misguided.
 
Last week, Rachel Webb wrote on immigration policy, and the importance of evidence-based thinking over reactionary scapegoating of immigrants.
 
When voters are dissatisfied with their lot in life, it is easy to direct their anger towards immigrants. Sure, the anger is possibly misguided (is it possible for immigrants to simultaneously steal all our jobs and sit around bludging on unemployment benefits?). But if enough people believe it, and vote for policies accordingly, fluorescent orange heroes can swoop in to give voters what they want.
 
Related to this are perceptions of inequality. Let’s set aside for the moment that income inequality has not risen in the last twenty years.
 
When people do not see their own incomes rising, and fulltime working parents struggle to feed their families, redistribution seems like an attractive choice. Likewise, those with a concern for the less well-off might believe that redistribution is the only answer.
 
Donald Trump – and to a lesser extent Winston Peters – has been able to tap into an aspect of the voter psyche that is deeply cynical that they will prosper under free markets and free movement between nations.
 
That cynicism needs to be taken seriously, but policies based on misguided beliefs are not the answer.
 
Political parties across the spectrum need to tap into the source of voters’ concerns: how do parties create an environment where everyone has an equal opportunity to prosper? What are the barriers to a thriving society?
 
But just as Melania Trump needs to dump her speech writer, voters need to dump the idea that prosperity is a zero sum game.
 
Or in Melania’s own words* “As a nation, we don't promise equal outcomes, but we were founded on the idea everybody should have an equal opportunity to succeed.”
 
*Not her own words