Beyond Left and Right: The Economic Policy of the Dutch Freedom Party

This article analyses the economic parliamentary activity of the Dutch Freedom Party from the perspective of the group-based account of Ennser-Jedenastik (2016). In this perspective the economic policy of radical right-wing populist parties can be understood in terms of populism, nativism and authoritarianism. Each of these elements is linked to a particular economic policy: economic nativism, which opposes the economic interest of natives and foreigners; economic populism, which seeks to limit economic privileges for the elite; and economic authoritarianism, which opposes the economic interests of deserving and undeserving poor. This article builds further on the group-based account in two ways: first, it shows has this approach can be reconciled with the traditional left-right approach to economic policy. Economic populism, authoritarianism and nativism can be used to explain why radical right-wing populist parties mix and match left- and right-wing policies. Second, it shows that the approach can be applied beyond welfare state issues to other economic issues as well.