Italy just voted for two very different kinds of populism
The Italian legislative election of March 4 had two clear winners: the League and the Five Star Movement. These two parties share euroskeptical views, favor draconian restrictions to immigration and are largely perceived as anti-establishment forces. Taken together, they won about 50 percent of the votes cast. Many interpret this as a populist triumph akin to Brexit and to Trump’s election, driven by economic distress.
But that explanation might obfuscate the social and economic dynamics underlying the results. The two winning parties certainly share an anti-elite populist rhetoric. Beyond this superficial similarity, though, their economic policy platforms are radically different and target very different kinds of economic distress.… Seguir leyendo »