Economic Drivers of Populism

Guriev, SG (2018) Economic Drivers of Populism. AEA Papers and Proceedings, 108. pp. 200-203. ISSN 2574-0768

Abstract

The recent wave of populism is different from the previous ones, thus generating the demand for noneconomic explanations, such as identity politics and cultural factors. In this paper, I discuss several pieces of evidence that show that economic factors, such as an increase in unemployment during the Great Recession, skill-biased trade and inequality (especially inequality of opportunity), have also played an important role in the recent rise of antiestablishment sentiment.