The history of far-right populism, from the John Birch Society to Trumpism

On Point with Meghna Chakrabarti

WBUR

Talk Show, News, Npr, Daily, On Point

4.3 • 3.9K Ratings

🗓️ 13 July 2022

⏱️ 48 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Decades before QAnon, far-right conspiracists were already pushing a conservative political agenda. We discuss the history of far-right populism – from the John Birch Society to Trumpism. Edward Miller and Jack Beatty join Anthony Brooks.

Transcript

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0:18.8	The John Birch Society was an ultra-right wing political movement
0:25.8	that feasted on conspiracy theories.
0:28.7	It was founded in 1958 by businessman Robert Welch
0:31.8	who claimed among other things that President Eisenhower,
0:34.9	a staunch Republican, was a dedicated agent
0:37.7	of the communist conspiracy.
0:39.7	That black southerners, push for civil rights,
0:43.0	was fomented entirely by the communists.
0:46.4	Welch even blamed communists for putting fluoride
0:49.5	in public water supplies with a passion of today's anti-vaxxers.
0:54.0	And like Donald Trump and his devoted base,
0:56.3	Birchers refused to acknowledge the legitimacy
0:59.4	of their political opposition.
1:01.3	At its peak, the John Birch Society had 100,000 members
	...

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