Why is populism booming? Today’s tech is partly to blame | Jamie Bartlett
Rightwing populists around the world have had a good couple of months. The anti-immigration Sweden Democrats won 17.6% of the vote in September’s general election, making theirs the third largest party in the Riksdag. In Brazil, the far-right firebrand Jair Bolsonaro has become president. And in Italy, being in power doesn’t seem to have damaged Lega Nord or its coalition partner, Five Star.
What’s going on? There are lots of good reasons why voters want change. The right says immigration levels and an out-of-touch elite are helping the outsiders. The left points to and financial insecurity, noting the 10th anniversary of . But neither acknowledges that populism is a style of politics as much as a because our political culture is evolving to fit the media we communicate through.
