Mobilization on a different ground: the role of fear, enemies and threats

Abstract In this paper, I argue that to understand the success of top-down, extreme right and populist movements and parties, mainstream models of mobilization need to be revisited. These mainstream models suggest a strong relationship between resources, democratic values and political participation, especially when examining extra-parliamentary forms of politics. However, the rising extreme-right movements in the 2000s and the more recent ascension of populist movements question these basic assumptions. It seems that participants of these movements have a diverse social background and emotions leading to conflict and exclusion, such as hate and fear, play a significant role in their mobilization. Even in mobilization mechanisms of forces claiming to be the democratic opposition of populist governments, antagonism plays a significant role. Therefore this paper address the role of hate, fear and risk perception in general, evoked by enemy images and threats, in explaining different types of participation. After discussing the assumptions of the mainstream models of mobilization, the paper examines the factors influencing political participation in Hungary, in an environment characterized by increasing political polarization. The research is based on a nationally representative survey (N=2700) conducted in 2018, and the result show, that threats and enemy images have a different role in explaining the different types of political participation, such as electoral participation, engagement to associations or participation protest activities.