History possesses many stories like this: a political party emerges, and most people think it a bad or sick joke. Everyone tries to ignore it; that is, when they are not laughing at it. Suddenly, the economy becomes bad or an external threat looms and that party marches toward power. When it seizes the government - think of Hitler, Lenin, Mussolini, even of Mullah Omar in Afghanistan - all laughter stops.
History possesses many stories like this: a political party emerges, and most people think it a bad or sick joke. Everyone tries to ignore it; that is, when they are not laughing at it. Suddenly, the economy becomes bad or an external threat looms and that party marches toward power. When it seizes the government - think of Hitler, Lenin, Mussolini, even of Mullah Omar in Afghanistan - all laughter stops.