The Role of Economic Crisis in Populist Attitudes

Despite the recurrent impression that populism is enhanced in times of economic hardship, not much research empirical research has actually been done on the antecedents of populist attitudes among voters, and the question of the specific role of economic factors remains open. This paper examines the extent to which economic recession affects individuals’ adoption of populist attitudes. A composite measure of populism is proposed and tested using a quota-balanced online panel survey drawn from a sample of internet users in Spain in 2014. We then explore the extent to which individuals’ perceptions of the ongoing crisis, the personal experience of its various consequences, and the emotional reactions it elicits affect the expression of populist attitudes. We also compare the prevalence of populist attitudes and its relationship with economic factors with those of distinct but related political attitudes, such as political trust and satisfaction with democracy. (Section chaired by Jordi Muñoz)