Across 24 developed democracies, there is a systematic pattern whereby economic crises tend to disproportionately favor the right. Even when center-right parties preside over a crisis, voters often drift further rightward to nationalist parties rather than defect to the left.

[u/smurfyjenkins]

https://doi.org/10.1111/ajps.70008

[u/cerevant]

Not really surprising. When times are tough, people worry less about being kind to others and become necessarily more selfish. They are also frustrated and angry about things they cannot control. The right gives them targets for their anger, and gives them the illusion of control.

[u/LordBaneoftheSith → u/cerevant]

The left isn't just "kind to others" though. In an unequal society, there is self interest in redistribution for the majority of people. The capitalist establishment is just more hostile to those redistributive policies than they are to the far right, and when the solution to the crisis is just "get back to the status quo" people naturally find that unsatisfying.

[u/cerevant → u/LordBaneoftheSith]

In an unequal society, there is self interest in redistribution for the majority of people.

People in crisis don't have this kind of long-term thinking.

[u/LordBaneoftheSith → u/cerevant]

Counterpoint: the new deal