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The UnPopulist ·Future-gazing

Even Perfect Liberal Governance Could Not Have Stopped Reactionary Populism

by Jonathan Rauch

Published 2026-10-18 14:44:05+00:00

When voters start asking whose country it is, does a strong economy even matter?

0:00 / 13:59 · Narrator Charon

Context

Rich, secure democracies are suddenly watching extreme-right parties surge to power. The standard explanation is that liberal leaders failed the working class, and better economic policies could have stopped the bleeding. But in this essay from 18 October 2026, a far more uncomfortable idea takes shape. The old political fight over money might have simply been replaced by a permanent fight over identity. If that is true, no amount of perfect governance could have held the populist wave back.

Show notes

A review of two recent books explaining the global rise of right-wing populism. The commentary contrasts an economic theory that blames the crisis on liberal policy failures with a structural argument that Western politics has permanently reorganized around national identity. It outlines why traditional economic fixes may no longer win elections.

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