The phenomenon of populism in developed and transitional societies: features of manifestations and determinants

Abstract

Recently, in many countries around the world there is a coming to power of political forces that differ from established political actors. The concept of «populism» is used when charismatic leaders and their parties offer the population to overcome existing socio-economic problems through simple, non-institutional solutions. Although these politicians and parties may differ in ideological rhetoric, they all have common features. The scientific literature indicates that several populist ideas are universal for most modern societies, which find a response among the electorate: people-centrism, anti-elitism and homogeneity of the people. In Western, established societies, there is support for right-wing populist parties. This is due to the dissatisfaction of the population with the changes caused by globalization. The processes of deindustrialization, informatization and the influx of migrants have intensified competition in the labor market. However, the decisive factor in supporting populism in Western European countries was the reaction of the once dominant sections of the population to changing values. The displacement of familiar norms of life infuriates people with traditional class identities. In contrast, in the post-communist societies of Central and Eastern Europe, in addition to the challenges of globalization, corruption and economic regulation have been added. Populist orientations in Eastern European societies are largely driven by factors related to socio-economic status and national identity. These conclusions are important for the study of populist orientations in Ukrainian society.