Populism has become a central issue of focus for mainstream discourse. The past decade has seen a worldwide rise of populist movements, a phenomenon that has attracted much discussion. The role of the digital revolution in this process is an aspect that has generated particular interest. In “Social media and populism: an elective affinity?” (2018), Paolo Gerbaudo affirms the existence of an elective affinity between social media and populist movements. To develop his thesis, the author presents two different frameworks. First, he argues for social media as the people’s voice, where he points to a decline of the mainstream media (MSM), which has formed a vacuum for new online actors to emerge with an anti-establishment rhetoric coupled with a rebellious attitude that has characterised internet behaviour. Second, he argues for social media as the people’s rally, where he explores the mass networking capabilities of social media and their disposition to favor populist actors.
Table of Contents
I. Introduction
II. From the Fringes to the Mainstream: The Online Dawn of the Brazilian Far-Right
III. Social Media as the People’s Voice in Bolsonaro’s Brazil: Populist Narratives and a Crisis of Authority
IV. Social Media as the People’s Rally in Bolsonaro’s Brazil: Filter-Bubbles, the Network Effect and Online Crowds
V. Conclusion
Objectives and Themes
This paper examines the rise of Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil by applying Paolo Gerbaudo's framework of an "elective affinity" between social media and populist movements. The research explores how Bolsonaro utilized digital platforms to bypass mainstream media, mobilize online crowds, and frame himself as an anti-establishment outsider.
- The role of social media as an alternative "voice of the people" against mainstream media.
- The influence of YouTube recommendation algorithms and filter-bubbles in radicalizing political discourse.
- The transformation of online influencer networks into political support bases.
- The intersection of populism, conspiracy theories, and crisis of authority in contemporary Brazil.
Excerpt from the Book
II. From the Fringes to the Mainstream: The Online Dawn of the Brazilian Far-Right
In June of 2019, the New York Times (NYT) published a highly discussed article about the wide reach of right-wing extremists on YouTube (Roose 2019). Titled “The Making of a YouTube Radical”, it tells the story of Caleb Cain, a disillusioned college dropout who, in search for meaning, went down the rabbit hole of far-right content on YouTube. Cain, as the story points out, is far from being the only one to be seduced by the likes of Stefan Molyneux, a Canadian youtuber and leading figure in the alt-right milieu. Molyneux, a white nationalist most famous for his promotion of race science, holds an audience of almost a million subscribers on his YouTube channel.
Though it still pales in comparison to Alex Jones’ 2,4 million subscribers prior to his ban in 2018, Molyneux’s numbers put him among the platform’s most popular political youtubers. He represents an extreme wing of a larger group of right-wing personalities who gained recognition online over the past few years, which financier Eric Weinstein dubbed the “intellectual dark web” (IDW), a label promptly adopted by its members, who include figures like Jordan Peterson and Ben Shapiro (Weiss 2018). It has been argued that this network of reactionary commentators often serves as a gateway to more overtly extremist content.
Another NYT article, released shortly after the Caleb Cain story, shed light upon an analogous phenomenon of far-right youtubers gaining popularity in Brazil (Fisher and Taub 2019). One example is guitar teacher Nando Moura, who today holds an impressive audience of more than 3 million subscribers and became known for his paranoid rants against the PT and avid supporter for Jair Bolsonaro.
Summary of Chapters
I. Introduction: This chapter introduces the research focus on Bolsonaro's populist rise and outlines the application of Gerbaudo's theory regarding the relationship between social media and populism.
II. From the Fringes to the Mainstream: The Online Dawn of the Brazilian Far-Right: This section details the emergence of influential far-right YouTube personalities in Brazil and how they cultivated a digital network to challenge mainstream political narratives.
III. Social Media as the People’s Voice in Bolsonaro’s Brazil: Populist Narratives and a Crisis of Authority: This chapter analyzes how Bolsonaro used social media to position himself as a voice against the "corrupt" establishment and how the media landscape contributed to a crisis of authority.
IV. Social Media as the People’s Rally in Bolsonaro’s Brazil: Filter-Bubbles, the Network Effect and Online Crowds: This section investigates the mechanics of digital radicalization, specifically focusing on how algorithmic recommendation systems and filter-bubbles mobilized supporters.
V. Conclusion: The conclusion synthesizes the findings, confirming that digital platforms provided the necessary infrastructure for Bolsonaro’s electoral victory by enabling effective online mobilization.
Keywords
Jair Bolsonaro, Populism, Social Media, YouTube, Far-Right, Brazil, Elective Affinity, Digital Politics, Algorithmic Radicalization, Filter-Bubbles, Anti-Establishment, Online Crowds, Political Communication, Bolsonarismo, Mainstream Media
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
The paper explores the role of social media in the political rise of Jair Bolsonaro, specifically examining how digital tools facilitated the success of his populist campaign in Brazil.
What are the primary thematic fields covered?
The study covers digital political communication, the influence of algorithmic recommendation systems, the rise of far-right digital influencers, and the intersection of populist rhetoric with modern internet culture.
What is the main research question or objective?
The primary objective is to demonstrate that social media acted as a crucial catalyst for Bolsonaro's political success, serving as both a platform for populist narratives and a gathering space for political mobilization.
Which scientific methodology is utilized?
The author employs a theoretical framework based on Paolo Gerbaudo’s concept of "elective affinity" between social media and populism, analyzing this through the lens of recent political developments in Brazil.
What topics are discussed in the main body?
The body chapters detail the rise of Brazilian right-wing YouTube influencers, the delegitimization of mainstream media, the creation of pro-Bolsonaro filter-bubbles, and the exploitation of platform-specific features like the "network effect" for political gain.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include populism, Bolsonaro, social media, algorithm, radicalization, far-right, and digital mobilization.
How does the author define the "elective affinity" in the Brazilian context?
The author argues that Bolsonaro’s movement perfectly mirrors Gerbaudo's thesis by using digital platforms to bypass traditional political gatekeepers and directly appeal to a disenchanted populace.
What role did YouTube's recommendation system play in Bolsonaro's rise?
The paper argues that the recommendation system systematically directed users toward far-right and conspiracy-oriented content, creating an "ecosystem of hate" that reinforced support for Bolsonaro.
- Citation du texte
- Maximilian Weiss (Auteur), 2020, On Populist Brazil, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/914633
