Capital and Right Wing Populism

If it gets into power right wing populism typically does great damage to the economy. The systematic evidence is here, and we have too many recent examples: Brexit, Orbán in Hungary, or Trump and Israel’s war with Iran. Which begs an obvious question. Why do right wing populists seem to have so little trouble getting large amounts of funding? The links between Trump and ‘Big Tech’ are well known, but even in the UK a recent league table of donations to political parties had Reform at the top. We could add to the puzzle by noting that the distinctive policies pursued by right wing populists, restrictions on the international movement of goods and people, are also generally against the interests of large sections of the business community. Look at the damage that Brexit has done to the UK economy, and therefore to the firms that make up that economy. By championing traditional energy sources and opposing the green transition, right wing populists if they gain power may mean their…