Rise of right-wing populism - Populism in Denmark and the US
Author
Gaarsted, Jonas Brandes
Term
4. term
Education
Publication year
2017
Submitted on
2017-07-29
Pages
124
Abstract
I de senere år er opbakningen til højrepopulisme vokset i Vesteuropa og USA. Denne afhandling undersøger, hvorfor populismen vokser, gennem et komparativt studie af Danmark og USA. Teoretisk forstås populisme som en tyndt-centreret ideologi, der låner elementer fra andre, mere omfattende ideologier og tilpasser sig sin omverden. Populister sætter 'folket' i centrum og er ofte kritiske over for eliter og det politiske establishment. Populisme antages ofte at træde frem i krisetider. Med udgangspunkt i denne ramme blev to hypoteser udledt: (1) stigningen i højrepopulisme afspejler utilfredshed med eliter eller repræsentativ politik, og (2) populisme vokser normalt i krisetider. Hypoteserne blev testet via en sekundæranalyse af Danmark og USA med både kvantitative og kvalitative data. Analysen understøtter den første hypotese i begge lande: stigende højrepopulisme hænger sammen med øget utilfredshed med eliter/den repræsentative politik. Den anden hypotese får blandet støtte: den bekræftes i Danmark, men ikke i USA. Kriser kan dog fungere som en ekstern udløser for utilfredsheden i begge lande; den finansielle krise kan have bidraget til, at utilfredsheden steg næsten samtidig. Samlet peger resultaterne på, at den aktuelle stigning i højrepopulisme kan forklares ved voksende utilfredshed med eliter og repræsentativ politik, med den finansielle krise som mulig katalysator.
In recent years, support for right-wing populism has grown across Western Europe and the United States. This thesis examines why populism is rising through a comparative study of Denmark and the US. Drawing on existing scholarship, the thesis treats populism as a thin-centered ideology that borrows features from more comprehensive ideologies and adapts to its context. Populists place 'the people' at the center and are often hostile toward elites and the political establishment. Populism is often expected to emerge in times of crisis. Based on this framework, two hypotheses were derived: (1) the rise of right-wing populism reflects public dissatisfaction with elites or representative politics; and (2) populism typically grows during crises. The hypotheses were tested through a secondary analysis of Denmark and the US using both quantitative and qualitative data. The analysis supports the first hypothesis in both cases: rising right-wing populism is associated with increased dissatisfaction with elites/representative politics. The second hypothesis receives mixed support: it is confirmed in Denmark but not in the US. Crises may nonetheless act as an external trigger for dissatisfaction in both countries; the financial crisis may have helped increase dissatisfaction at roughly the same time. Overall, the findings suggest that the current rise in right-wing populism can be explained by growing dissatisfaction with elites and representative politics, with the financial crisis as a possible catalyst.
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