A recent paper co-authored by DPhil student Giacomo Melli studies the relationship between populist attitudes and subjective social status, using Italy as a case study.
Populism, characterised by a divide between the ‘ordinary people’ and the ‘elite,’ has reshaped political landscapes across the globe. In Italy, populist parties such as Fratelli d’Italia, Lega, and Movimento Cinque Stelle have gained considerable support in recent years.
This paper, published in Social Indicators Research, studies the drivers which make people embrace populist attitudes and beliefs.
It finds that it is not just objective socioeconomic status that causes people to embrace populism, but also – and more importantly – our subjective perception of where we stand in the social hierarchy.
Using original data collected in 2021, the study found that individuals who perceive themselves as being at the bottom of the social ladder – regardless of their objective conditions – are more likely to hold populist views compared to the rest of the population.
This finding challenges the common assumption that populism is solely driven by economic factors or objective social status, aligning with research in other contexts.
It suggests that our subjective perceptions and feelings of social integration play a crucial role in shaping our political beliefs and attitudes.
In Italy and beyond, the rise in populism is not just due to worsening economic conditions. To counter populism, political leaders must focus on social integration by promoting equity, stability, inclusion and trust.
The study also explored the impact of social resentment, measured by generalised social distrust and perceived economic insecurity. Unsurprisingly, individuals with higher levels of social resentment were more likely to adopt populist attitudes, especially when combined with a low perceived social status.
However, the study found that low levels of social resentment could partially mitigate the impact of low subjective status on populist attitudes. In other words, fostering a sense of social trust, community and economic security could potentially counteract the allure of populism among those who feel marginalised.
The findings suggest that promoting economic equality, stability, and social trust could serve as potential remedies against rising populist attitudes, particularly among those who feel 'left behind' by the system.
