Subjective Social Status & Radical Right Voting in the American Rust Belt

Author: Enzo Roberto

Field of Study: Social Sciences

Program Affiliation: Source Project Research Program

Faculty Mentors: Matthew Cole

Easel: 65

Timeslot: Morning

Abstract: With the seemingly sudden popularity of authoritarianism among western democratic electorates, a leading explanation for why this shift has occurred is a decline in economic conditions has pushed voters towards populist-authoritarians. This paper expands on this explanation, and studies how subjective social status decline acts as a mediating variable between economic decline and increased radical right voter share. The economic data and voting patterns from the American Rust Belt will be examined to determine whether a causal relationship exists. This study finds that when people perceive their social status as having declined, anti-establish candidates on the radical right become appealing because they offer a secondary criteria for social status beyond wealth. These findings suggest that authoritarianism could be effectively combated with proper economic legislation.