Matthew Goodwin, Roger Eatwell

National Populism: The Revolt Against Liberal Democracy

26:21 min

Politics & Theory

374 pages, 2018

In this era of rising national populism, many dismiss its supporters as angry white men or label the movement as a return to fascism. Eatwell and Goodwin's work challenges these misconceptions by examining how four major societal changes - distrust in elites, fears about national identity, economic inequality, and weakening party loyalty - have reshaped Western politics. Through analysis of events like Brexit and Trump's victory, the short reveals how national populist movements attract diverse supporters across age, class, and ethnic lines while working within democratic systems. By exploring public opinion data and demographic trends, this short demonstrates why these movements express legitimate concerns about representation, identity, and economic security in modern democracies — and why they're likely to persist.

Matthew Goodwin

Matthew Goodwin is a professor of politics at the University of Kent and a senior fellow at Chatham House who specializes in British and European politics, with particular focus on political behavior, populism, and Brexit. He has established himself as a leading academic voice on voter behavior and political change in Europe, regularly advising governments and international organizations on issues of extremism and political volatility. His research and commentary on the rise of populist movements and electoral trends has made him a prominent interpreter of contemporary political transformations across Western democracies.

Chapters

National populism emerges from four deep societal shifts - distrust, destruction, deprivation, and de-alignment - defying simplistic explanations and attracting diverse supporters beyond stereotypical angry white males.

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