Social Decline Linked to Voting for Far-Right Parties, Study Reveals
A recent study by the Hertie School of Governance in Berlin and the University of British Columbia has highlighted a significant correlation between voting for far-right parties and voters’ perceived social decline compared to their parents’ status, reports 24brussels.
The research, conducted by political scientists Mark Kayser and Alan Jacobs, found that individuals experiencing a downward shift in their professional and economic standing are far more likely to support far-right parties. Specifically, 12% of those reporting social decline choose far-right candidates, while only 4.6% of individuals who have seen upward mobility do the same.
“Our study clearly shows that it is the loss of social status, rather than just economic hardship or cultural resentment, that drives far-right voting,” Kayser stated in an interview with Süddeutsche Zeitung. He emphasized that political perspectives are shaped not only by current conditions but also by one’s historical context regarding social positioning.
The findings suggest that those experiencing social decline often feel alienated from mainstream political discourse, prompting them to turn to alternatives that criticize the established system. The authors argue that weakening social mobility, which was once attainable through education, is a primary factor fueling the rise of the far-right across advanced nations.
Various elements contribute to the erosion of social mobility, including slower economic growth rates in developed countries and the increasing prevalence of job outsourcing and automation. Kayser pointed out, “We still don’t know the full impact of artificial intelligence, but it could have a similar effect.”
This comprehensive study surveyed 89,000 participants and analyzed the voting patterns of far-right party supporters across 11 Western European countries from 2002 to 2020, with a specific focus on Germany. It investigated not only supporters of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) but also those backing other groups, including the National Democratic Party of Germany (NPD) and The Republicans.
