Populist upheavals like Trump, Brexit, and the Gilets Jaunes happen when the system really is rigged. Citizens the world over are angry not due to income inequality or immigration, but economic unfairness: the sense that opportunity is not equal and reward is not according to contribution.
This forensic book draws on original research, cited by the UN and IMF, to demonstrate that illiberal populism strikes hardest when success is influenced by family origins rather than talent and effort. Protzer and Summerville propose a framework of policy inputs that instead support high social mobility, and apply it to diagnose the differing reasons behind economic unfairness in the US, UK, Italy, and France. By striving for a fair, socially-mobile economy, they argue, it is possible to craft a politics that reclaims the reasonable grievances behind populism.
Reclaiming Populism is a must-read for policymakers, scholars, and citizens who want to bring disenchanted populist voters back into the fold of liberal democracy.
Please note that this event is taking place in-person at the Manor Road Building and online via Zoom. You will need to register and indicate whether you wish to attend in person or online, and then you will receive further instructions.
For full details and registration: https://www.inet.ox.ac.uk/even...
This event is organised by INET Oxford
Eric Protzer
Research Fellow, Growth Lab, Harvard University
Eric has a master’s degree from MIT in Technology Policy. His work has been cited and featured by the UN, IMF, IADB, and Brookings, and he has advised governments such as those of Western Australia, Jordan, and Wyoming.
Paul Summerville
Adjunct Professor, Gustavson School of Business, University of Victoria
Paul Summerville (b 1957) graduated with a PhD in International Relations from the University of Tokyo (1988) and had a twenty year career (1988-2009) in finance. Paul ran for Parliament twice in Canada, co-founded the e-commerce firm LimeSpot (2013), and served on the Board of the Canada Revenue Agency (2018-2021).
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