The threat of social decline: income inequality and radical right support
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In: Journal of European Public Policy, Vol. 28, No. 2, 04.2021, p. 153-173.
Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - The threat of social decline
T2 - income inequality and radical right support
AU - Engler, Sarah
AU - Weisstanner, David
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2020 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. This paper was awarded the ‘Best Paper Prize' by the Council for European Studies’ Research Network on Political Economy and Welfare. The Research Network each year offers a Best Paper Prize to a paper presented at the last CES conference.
PY - 2021/4
Y1 - 2021/4
N2 - Income inequality and radical right parties have both been on the rise in Western democracies, yet few studies explore the linkages between the two–despite prominent arguments about voters feeling ‘left behind’. We argue that rising inequality not only intensifies relative deprivation, but also signals a potential threat of social decline, as gaps in the social hierarchy widen. Hence, voters higher up in the social hierarchy may turn to the radical right to defend existing social boundaries. Using International Social Survey Programme (ISSP) data from 14 OECD countries over three decades, we find that rising income inequality increases the likelihood of radical right support–most pronouncedly among individuals with high subjective social status and lower-middle incomes. Adding to evidence that the threat of decline, rather than actual deprivation, pushes voters towards the radical right, we highlight income inequality as the crucial factor conditioning perceived threats from a widening social hierarchy.
AB - Income inequality and radical right parties have both been on the rise in Western democracies, yet few studies explore the linkages between the two–despite prominent arguments about voters feeling ‘left behind’. We argue that rising inequality not only intensifies relative deprivation, but also signals a potential threat of social decline, as gaps in the social hierarchy widen. Hence, voters higher up in the social hierarchy may turn to the radical right to defend existing social boundaries. Using International Social Survey Programme (ISSP) data from 14 OECD countries over three decades, we find that rising income inequality increases the likelihood of radical right support–most pronouncedly among individuals with high subjective social status and lower-middle incomes. Adding to evidence that the threat of decline, rather than actual deprivation, pushes voters towards the radical right, we highlight income inequality as the crucial factor conditioning perceived threats from a widening social hierarchy.
KW - Income inequality
KW - radical right
KW - relative deprivation
KW - social decline
KW - social status
KW - Politics
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85081322291&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/13501763.2020.1733636
DO - 10.1080/13501763.2020.1733636
M3 - Journal articles
AN - SCOPUS:85081322291
VL - 28
SP - 153
EP - 173
JO - Journal of European Public Policy
JF - Journal of European Public Policy
SN - 1350-1763
IS - 2
ER -