Right-wing populism

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Right-wing populism (also known as radical right-wing populism) is a political strategy and rhetorical style combining right-wing ideology with populist propaganda and campaigning. The term in particular refers to the movements connected with neoliberalism which first rose to prominence during the 1980s.^[1] Right-wing populism is a core element of several New Right political parties and movements in contemporary Europe.^[2] European radical right populists founded the Euronat association in 2005.

The strategy of right-wing populism relies on a combination of ethno-nationalism with anti-elitist populist rhetoric and a radical critique of existing political institutions.^[3][4][5][6]

Right-wing populist parties and movements differ from many far right parties in that they accept representative democracy and disavow violent political tactics. They are considered radical because they oppose the current welfare state and the present political system; right-wing because they oppose aspects of social democracy and have traditional policies on immigration; and populist because they appeal to the fears and frustrations of common citizens.^[7] These parties and movements sometimes distinguish themselves from the traditional Right by their support for social welfare programmes, gender equality, freedom of expression, gay rights, and separation of church and state. These parties often present themselves as the defenders of traditional liberal ideas.^[8] Other RRP parties wish to preserve the dominance of the Christian values as a means of preserving the national culture.

Some scholars see populist movements potentially serving as a precursor creating the building blocks of fascist movements.^[9][10][11] For example, conspiracist scapegoating employed by various populist movements can create "a seedbed for fascism" in the United States, argues Mary Rupert.^[12] Mark Rupert sees echoes of this in some far-right isolationist movements that view globalization as a threat to American interests.^[13] Hans-Georg Betz describes the radical right populist parties' anti-immigration policies as "a thinly veiled racism" and states that they opportunistically exploit the xenophobic response created by a new age of globalisation and a multi-ethnic and multi-cultural world. Other researchers have found that right-wing populist parties draw voters who are concerned about the cultural impact of immigration, poor economic conditions, and perceived unresponsiveness of mainstream political parties.^[14]

Canada

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Right-wing populism emerged in Canada in the 1990s under Preston Manning and the Reform Party of Canada. The movement (which was heavily based in Western Canada), was over discontent with Brian Mulroney, Red Toryism, a perception of an eastern-Canadian-centric political arena, and opposition to (among other issues), bilingualism, high taxes, and federalism detracting from provincial control over natural resources (and thus wealth). Since the Canadian Alliance (successor to the party) merged with the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada, the movement has largely diminished. Stephen Harper however (who formerly led the Canadian Alliance and was a co-founder of the Reform Party), did take (and still holds) leadership of the Conservative Party of Canada. Furthermore, Stockwell Day is serving as Minister of Public Safety under Harper's 39th Canadian Parliament). Unlike the general definition of right-wing populism, the Reform Party's platforms were not based on ethnic nationalism. It was however accused of being homophobic, racist, and sexist (although it did run Rahim Jaffer as a candidate, who became the first Muslim MP in the Canadian House of Commons).

Germany

In Weimar Germany, radical right-wing populism played a role in mobilizing middle class support for the Nazi Party.^[15]. In this case, distressed middle–class populists during the pre-Nazi Weimar period mobilized their anger at government and big business. The Nazis "parasitized the forms and themes of the populists and moved their constituencies far to the right through ideological appeals involving demagoguery, scapegoating, and conspiracism".^[16] According to Fritzsche:

The Nazis expressed the populist yearnings of middle–class constituents and at the same time advocated a strong and resolutely anti-Marxist mobilization....Against “unnaturally” divisive parties and querulous organized interest groups, National Socialists cast themselves as representatives of the commonwealth, of an allegedly betrayed and neglected German public....[b]reaking social barriers of status and caste, and celebrating at least rhetorically the populist ideal of the people’s community... ^[17]

The German Republicans had seats in the European parliament in 1983. In the 2000s, the Republicans' support eroded in favour of the far right National Democratic Party of Germany, which in 2005 held 1.6% of the popular vote (regionally winning up to 9%).

Switzerland

Popular support for right-wing populism has generally declined during the 2000s, with the exception of Switzerland, where support of the right-wing populist Swiss People's Party reached an all-time high in the 2007 elections. In Switzerland, radical right populist parties held close to 10% of the popular vote in 1971, were reduced to below 2% by 1979, and again grew to more than 10% in 1991. Since 1991, these parties (the Swiss Democrats and the Swiss Freedom Party) have been absorbed by the Swiss People's Party, whose aggressively right-wing, populist campaign catapulted it to 29% of the popular vote in 2007.

United States

In the United States, radical right-wing populism can be traced back to the Jacksonian period and the rise of the Ku Klux Klan in the mid-19th century following the Civil War. In the U.S. it has often incorporated an agrarian impulse.^[18][19][20]

See also

• New Right
• Populism

References