The State of Politics in the West Table of Contents Introduction The role of expertise in society . 1 Purity, sexuality and gender 5 Environmental issues . 16 Immigration, nationality and the rights of all 18 Individualism as the only ground of volition and the sole approach to personal and communal advancement? 24 ‘Wokeness’ and cancel culture . 28 Trump, isolationism and radical right populism. 38 Conclusion . 44 Bibliography . 44 Introduction It is evident that there has been a lot of civil conflict and general instability in most Western societies of late and this is such as to have challenged and stressed the liberal democratic underpinnings of our states inasmuch as this has, in particular, allowed various populists and demagogues to make productive use of the notable hot button issues involved so as to further their sordid and feckless careers. If then we might escape the further rule of people without sincerity or any decency, and fend...