This dissertation examines the increased support for right-wing populist parties and aims to explain its uneven results between the different European member States. To answer this question, four main explanatory variables are assessed: Demographic factors, structural ones, unemployment and immigration level. In addition, two opposite case studies are selected, Portugal and Sweden, to measure the dependent variable, right-wing populist support, against the independent one which is an anti-immigration belief. Finished the comparative analysis and quantitative research, two substantive conclusions are obtained: First, feared immigration, due to its cultural consequences, is the primary reason why voters support right-wing populist parties. Second, no country in Europe has enough different demographic factors or political structures prone to ignore this phenomenon.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Literature Review and Research Design.
2.1. Introduction.
2.2. Literature Review.
2.3. Research Design.
2.4. Conclusion.
3. Sweden Case Study.
3.1. Introduction.
3.2. Empirical Material.
4. Portugal Case Study.
4.1. Introduction.
4.2. Empirical Material.
5. Comparative analysis.
6. Quantitative research.
7. Conclusion.
8. Further Studies.
9. Bibliography.
Research Objectives and Core Themes
This dissertation investigates the causes behind the uneven electoral success of right-wing populist parties across various European member states, aiming to determine whether this support is driven by demographic, structural, economic, or cultural factors. By analyzing Sweden and Portugal as contrasting case studies, the research assesses the relative impact of these variables on voter behavior and political outcomes.
- Analysis of socio-demographic and structural variables as determinants for populist support.
- Evaluation of the "immigration cultural concern" hypothesis versus economic drivers.
- Comparative case study of Sweden (with an established populist party) and Portugal (without one).
- Examination of political system designs and mainstream party strategies as mediators of electoral success.
- Quantitative assessment of voter sentiments regarding immigration and cultural heritage.
Extract from the Book
Literature Review.
To define the concept, we want to asses now, (Right-wing populist parties), we shall understand separately the different pieces that form it. Right-wing parties believe in a social hierarchy, they discard social equality and defend the limitation or prohibition of any immigration. In addition, they support a liberal economic politics aiming for a minimum role of the State and a laissez-faire market position. Being this their political content, the term populist refers more concretely to the methods they use to convince their potential electorate. Parties can gain this adjective when they use a deliberately antagonistic and aggressive message, instrument the passions and sentiments of the people and appeal to the superior judgment common people have over the rest. (Betz, 2008).
It exists a wide amount of semantics that can be accounted on this topic. It is also true that many parties perfectly fitting on this political family have inner contradictions or disagreements on determined subjects. However, it exists a great consensus categorizing which parties are to be situated into this category and which not. All of them share a minimum that can be reviewed as national nativism and conservative anti-immigration postures. Most of the general society easily find to understand when it is referring to right-wing populist parties. For this reason, a good way of resume the reality would be as Muddle says, ``we know who they are, even though we do not know exactly what they are´´. (Muddle, 2007).
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Presents the research problem regarding the rise of right-wing populist parties in Europe and defines the scope of the comparative study between Sweden and Portugal.
2. Literature Review and Research Design.: Outlines the theoretical framework, identifying key explanatory variables like socio-demographics and electoral systems, and establishes the hypothesis concerning cultural immigration fears.
3. Sweden Case Study.: Analyzes the emergence and electoral growth of the Sweden Democrats within the Swedish political landscape, focusing on socio-demographic and structural factors.
4. Portugal Case Study.: Explores the Portuguese political context to explain the absence of a right-wing populist party despite similarities in demographic and structural features to Sweden.
5. Comparative analysis.: Synthesizes the findings from the two case studies, contrasting the influence of unemployment and immigration as drivers of populist voting.
6. Quantitative research.: Examines survey data to test whether economic or cultural concerns are the primary motivators for voters supporting populist right-wing parties.
7. Conclusion.: Confirms that cultural concerns, particularly regarding immigration, are more significant than economic factors in driving support for populist parties.
8. Further Studies.: Suggests future research directions focused on integration strategies and cultural awareness to mitigate political polarization and social conflict.
9. Bibliography.: Provides a comprehensive list of academic sources and datasets used to support the analysis in this dissertation.
Keywords
Right-wing populism, European politics, Sweden Democrats, Portugal, immigration, cultural threat, electoral systems, political behavior, quantitative research, socio-demographics, European Union, voter alignment, national identity, economic factors, political science.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this dissertation?
The research examines why support for extreme right-wing populist parties varies significantly between different European countries.
What are the central themes of the work?
The core themes include the impact of immigration, socio-economic status, political system design, and cultural concerns on voter behavior.
What is the main hypothesis of the study?
The hypothesis posits that cultural concerns related to immigration are the primary drivers of success for right-wing populist parties, rather than economic factors alone.
Which research methodology does the author employ?
The author utilizes a comparative case study approach between Sweden and Portugal, combined with a quantitative analysis of European Social Survey (ESS) data.
What is covered in the main body of the text?
The main body covers the theoretical literature review, detailed case studies of Sweden and Portugal, and a comparative data analysis of the explanatory variables.
Which keywords best characterize this research?
Keywords include right-wing populism, European politics, immigration, political behavior, electoral systems, and cultural threat.
Why was Portugal chosen as a case study alongside Sweden?
Portugal was selected because it shares many structural and demographic similarities with Sweden, yet it notably lacks a right-wing populist party, providing an ideal contrast.
What conclusion does the author reach regarding immigration?
The author concludes that while economic factors play a role, the perceived cultural threat posed by immigration is the most influential factor in mobilizing voters toward right-wing populist parties.
- Citar trabajo
- Miguel Lucea (Autor), Why is there more support for extreme right-wing parties in some countries than others?, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/974137
