Right-wing populist parties claim to be the voice of the "kleiner Mann", yet their policies overwhelmingly benefit the wealthiest families. This isn’t new—but the extent still surprises me. @zeit.de lays this out nicely, & the clearest explanation I’ve seen is Desmond’s "Poverty, by America" polisky - ThreadSky

rfrbrghs.bsky.social • 15 days ago

Right-wing populist parties claim to be the voice of the "kleiner Mann", yet their policies overwhelmingly benefit the wealthiest families. This isn’t new—but the extent still surprises me. @zeit.de lays this out nicely, & the clearest explanation I’ve seen is Desmond’s "Poverty, by America" polisky

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cendt.de•15 days ago

That's such a great book.

rfrbrghs.bsky.social•15 days ago

Absolutely agreed!

piglet42.bsky.social•15 days ago

@rfrbrghs.bsky.social Perhaps we shouldn't call parties with explicitly pro-oligarchy policy platforms "populist", especially if even their leaders and primary supporters are super-rich oligarchs? Can't political scientists come up with better terminology?

antireactionary.bsky.social•15 days ago

There is no 'pro-oligarchy platform'. Even if funded by oligarchs, parties will present other ideologies and values to the voters. Even if they are corrupt, they won't call themselves the Corruption Party.
@rfrbrghs.bsky.social

piglet42.bsky.social•15 days ago

So?

antireactionary.bsky.social•15 days ago

So if, for instance, Donald Trump campaigns against immigration, and voters support him for that policy, he is an anti-immigration candidate, regardless of whether he later brings oligarchs into government.
@rfrbrghs.bsky.social

piglet42.bsky.social•15 days ago

Trump is literally a billionaire who literally campaigned standing next to the richest man in the world. His campaign was financed by that guy and other oligarchs (and that was public knowledge). He made it clear that he was the man of the oligarchy. Also, he's been president before remember?

antireactionary.bsky.social•15 days ago

No, he did not make it clear that he was 'the man of the oligarchy'. He presents himself as 'the man of the people', very successfully.

piglet42.bsky.social•15 days ago

Regarding the question why some low-income people still vote for fake "populist" rich men's parties, we can't ignore the role of the mass media and social media, which are nowadays mostly controlled by the super-rich. (cont'd)

https://www.republik.ch/2023/09/28/wie-die-schweizer-medien-auf-svp-kurs-geraten-sind

piglet42.bsky.social•15 days ago

Republik has well documented how the Swiss media increasingly base their reporting on the talking points and narratives of the far-right pro-oligarchic SVP. This is not btw a reflection of popular sentiment. Electorally, the SVP has stagnated in the last 20 years.

https://www.republik.ch/2023/09/28/wie-die-schweizer-medien-auf-svp-kurs-geraten-sind

piglet42.bsky.social•15 days ago

The explanation that the Republik comes up with is familiar : Rehashing right wing talking points brings clicks, "emotional engagement". But that doesn't explain why we never see headlines like "let's expropriate the billionaires". Wouldn't that bring clicks? Yes but the owners wouldn't like it.

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