The Angry Quarter
In the rich part of the world, roughly a quarter of the electorate seems to be furious, disillusioned, and divorced from "mainstream" political parties and allegiances. Defenders of open societies must rally support for their ideas, uphold the West's values, and defeat the preachers of populism seeking to capitalize on old fears.
STOCKHOLM – Something seems to have gone wrong with politics in the West. In the United States, the billionaire tycoon and reality-TV star Donald Trump seems set to win the Republican Party’s presidential nomination. And throughout Europe, populism in one guise or another is running rampant.
We are witnessing the emergence of what I call the “Angry Quarter.” In the rich part of the world, roughly a quarter of the electorate seems to be furious, disillusioned, and divorced from mainstream political parties and allegiances.
Part of this angry-voter phenomenon can be attributed to local or temporary factors: Politics is always and everywhere a volatile business at times. But it is also the result of long-term trends that are transforming political systems in the West.
STOCKHOLM – Something seems to have gone wrong with politics in the West. In the United States, the billionaire tycoon and reality-TV star Donald Trump seems set to win the Republican Party’s presidential nomination. And throughout Europe, populism in one guise or another is running rampant.
We are witnessing the emergence of what I call the “Angry Quarter.” In the rich part of the world, roughly a quarter of the electorate seems to be furious, disillusioned, and divorced from mainstream political parties and allegiances.
Part of this angry-voter phenomenon can be attributed to local or temporary factors: Politics is always and everywhere a volatile business at times. But it is also the result of long-term trends that are transforming political systems in the West.