Explaining the Populist Right in the Neoliberal West

With the 2016 double shock of Brexit and Trump, populist right has become a game-changing force on both sides North Atlantic. A proper explanation needs to combine political, economic, cultural elements. Qua populism, addresses political condition, which is neoliberalism’s endemic democracy deficit. However, illiberal that populists advocate not cure for it. Cleavage theory in Lipset–Rokkan tradition sheds light rightist orientation nationalist content this populism. The main explanatory challenge remains combination economic factors rise In respect, middle-class decline under neoliberal order seems be root cause its agenda culture-focused, amounting opposition immigration cosmopolitanism. This “cultural deflection” persistent puzzle. minimum conclude one-sided accounts populism exclusively or terms are unconvincing.