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Does anger drive populism?

Author

Listed:
  • Omer Ali

    (University of Pittsburgh)

  • Klaus Desmet

    (SMU)

  • Romain Wacziarg

    (UCLA)

Abstract

We study whether anger fuels the rise of populism. Anger as an emotion tends to act as a call to action against individuals or groups that are blamed for negative situations, making it conducive to voting for populist politicians. Using a unique dataset tracking emotions for a large sample of respondents from 2008 to 2017, we explore the relationship between anger and the populist vote share across US counties. More angry counties displayed stronger preferences for populist candidates during the 2016 presidential primaries and elections. However, once we control for other negative emotions and life satisfaction, anger no longer operates as a determinant of the populist vote share. Instead, our results indicate that a more general sense of malaise and gloom, rather than anger per se, drives the rise in populism

Suggested Citation

  • Omer Ali & Klaus Desmet & Romain Wacziarg, 2024. "Does anger drive populism?," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 44(4), pages 1513-1527.
    • Handle: RePEc:ebl:ecbull:eb-24-00092
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Kerstin Fisk & Jennifer L. Merolla & Jennifer M. Ramos, 2019. "Emotions, Terrorist Threat, and Drones: Anger Drives Support for Drone Strikes," Journal of Conflict Resolution, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 63(4), pages 976-1000, April.
    2. Carlo Altomonte & Gloria Gennaro & Francesco Passarelli, 2019. "Collective Emotions And Protest Vote," BAFFI CAREFIN Working Papers 19107, BAFFI CAREFIN, Centre for Applied Research on International Markets Banking Finance and Regulation, Universita' Bocconi, Milano, Italy.
    3. Barber, Michael & Pope, Jeremy C., 2019. "Does Party Trump Ideology? Disentangling Party and Ideology in America," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 113(1), pages 38-54, February.
    4. Rafael Tella & Juan Dubra, 2014. "Anger and Regulation," Scandinavian Journal of Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 116(3), pages 734-765, July.
    5. Castagnetti, Alessandro & Proto, Eugenio & Sofianos, Andis, 2023. "Anger impairs strategic behavior: A Beauty-Contest based analysis," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 213(C), pages 128-141.
    6. Francesco Passarelli & Guido Tabellini, 2017. "Emotions and Political Unrest," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 125(3), pages 903-946.
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    2. Galasso, Vincenzo & Morelli, Massimo & Nannicini, Tommaso & Stanig, Piero, 2024. "The Populist Dynamic: Experimental Evidence on the Effects of Countering Populism," CEPR Discussion Papers 18826, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    3. Manzoni, Elena & Murard, Elie & Quercia, Simone & Tonini, Sara, 2024. "News, Emotions, and Policy Views on Immigration," IZA Discussion Papers 17017, IZA Network @ LISER.

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    JEL classification:

    • D7 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making

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