Explaining the rise of populism in European democracies 1980–2018: The role of labor market institutions and inequality
(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
- Bergh, Andreas LU and Kärnä, Anders
- organization
- publishing date
- 2022-11
- 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}}, }