How Trump Uses Capitalism’s Myths to Exploit MAGA Rage

America is a nation still at war with her mythologies. For all the electoral postmortems, in which a teeming desire for some kind of break from the economic status quo continued to ring out in the exit polls, there was a blank space. While it seems to have be…
Graham Lueilwitz · 4 days ago · 2 minutes read


The Magical Thinking of MAGA: The Tension Between Hero-Worship and Laissez-Faire

MAGA's Dualistic Beliefs

The MAGA movement revolves around two overarching ideas: that liberalism is to blame for America's problems (with a special nod to RINOs), and that Donald Trump is the ultimate economic savior, ordained by a higher power.

Despite their disdain for government intervention when it comes from Democrats, MAGA supporters clamor for Trump to take heavy-handed actions in the economy—a stark contradiction that leaves many observers perplexed.


The Trauma of the 2008 Crisis

"The 2008 financial crisis shook America's faith in capitalism, creating a fertile ground for skepticism and rage." - Author's own words

The crisis exposed the shortcomings of Wall Street and government oversight, leading many to doubt the efficacy of the laissez-faire model.

The subsequent policy decisions, characterized by insufficient regulation, have only deepened the trauma.


Trump as a Capitalist Messiah

"Trump's appeal stems from the trauma of 2008 and the deep-rooted myths of capitalist success." - Author's own words

MAGA supporters cling to the belief that Trump, like a Communist Great Leader, can single-handedly solve the nation's economic woes.

This longing for a savior betrays a fundamental misunderstanding of the nature of capitalism, which inherently involves risks and imperfections.