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Explaining the rise of populism in European democracies 1980–2018: The role of labor market institutions and inequality

Bergh, Andreas LU and Kärnä, Anders (2022) In Social Science Quarterly 103(7). p.1719-1731
Abstract
Objectives
This article aims to find country-level factors that explain the rise of populist parties in European democracies. While populism is often connected to inequality, we not that right-wing populist parties tend to thrive on fear, including fear of job loss. If flexible labor markets mean that unemployment is dedramatized because finding a new job is easier, labor market flexibility could dampen populism and inequality may be less important.

Methods
We run country-level fixed effects regressions on populist party vote shares in 26 European countries from 1980 to 2018. We use two different classifications of right-wing and left-wing populist parties and control for employment protection strictness as measured by... (More)
Objectives
This article aims to find country-level factors that explain the rise of populist parties in European democracies. While populism is often connected to inequality, we not that right-wing populist parties tend to thrive on fear, including fear of job loss. If flexible labor markets mean that unemployment is dedramatized because finding a new job is easier, labor market flexibility could dampen populism and inequality may be less important.

Methods
We run country-level fixed effects regressions on populist party vote shares in 26 European countries from 1980 to 2018. We use two different classifications of right-wing and left-wing populist parties and control for employment protection strictness as measured by OECD, Gini coefficients of disposable income, and a large set of control variables.

Results
Unemployment is positively associated with left-wing populism. Strict employment protection is positively associated with right-wing populism. Gini inequality of income is unrelated to (both types of) populism.

Conclusion
Strong employment protection and low-income inequality may not be the most efficient way to combat right-wing populism. A strategy that promotes flexible labor markets, and job upgrading may be an alternative. More research on the link between labor market institutions and (in particular, right-wing) populism is needed. (Less)
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author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Employment protection, inequality, populism, social spending, the welfare state
in
Social Science Quarterly
volume
103
issue
7
pages
1719 - 1731
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
external identifiers
  • scopus:85141947019
ISSN
1540-6237
DOI
10.1111/ssqu.13227
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
9c1dcddd-e0a9-4724-83ef-50266b7a3eee
date added to LUP
2022-12-12 19:41:06
date last changed
2023-01-16 10:14:42
@article{9c1dcddd-e0a9-4724-83ef-50266b7a3eee,
  abstract     = {{Objectives<br/>This article aims to find country-level factors that explain the rise of populist parties in European democracies. While populism is often connected to inequality, we not that right-wing populist parties tend to thrive on fear, including fear of job loss. If flexible labor markets mean that unemployment is dedramatized because finding a new job is easier, labor market flexibility could dampen populism and inequality may be less important.<br/><br/>Methods<br/>We run country-level fixed effects regressions on populist party vote shares in 26 European countries from 1980 to 2018. We use two different classifications of right-wing and left-wing populist parties and control for employment protection strictness as measured by OECD, Gini coefficients of disposable income, and a large set of control variables.<br/><br/>Results<br/>Unemployment is positively associated with left-wing populism. Strict employment protection is positively associated with right-wing populism. Gini inequality of income is unrelated to (both types of) populism.<br/><br/>Conclusion<br/>Strong employment protection and low-income inequality may not be the most efficient way to combat right-wing populism. A strategy that promotes flexible labor markets, and job upgrading may be an alternative. More research on the link between labor market institutions and (in particular, right-wing) populism is needed.}},
  author       = {{Bergh, Andreas and Kärnä, Anders}},
  issn         = {{1540-6237}},
  keywords     = {{Employment protection; inequality; populism; social spending; the welfare state}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{7}},
  pages        = {{1719--1731}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{Social Science Quarterly}},
  title        = {{Explaining the rise of populism in European democracies 1980–2018: The role of labor market institutions and inequality}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/ssqu.13227}},
  doi          = {{10.1111/ssqu.13227}},
  volume       = {{103}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}