National Populism - (Pelican Books) by Roger Eatwell & Matthew Goodwin (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

A crucial new guide to one of the most urgent political phenomena of our time: the rise of national populism

Across the West, there is a rising tide of people who feel excluded, alienated from mainstream politics, and increasingly hostile towards minorities, immigrants, and neo-liberal economics. Many of these voters are turning to national populist movements, which have begun to change the face of Western liberal democracy, from the United States to France, Austria to the UK.

This radical turn, we are told, is a last howl of rage from an aging electorate on the verge of extinction. Their leaders are fascistic and their politics anti-democratic; their existence a side-show to liberal democracy. But this version of events, as Roger Eatwell and Matthew Goodwin show, could not be further from the truth.

Written by two of the foremost experts on fascism and the rise of national populism, this lucid and deeply-researched book is a vital guide to our transformed political landscape. Challenging conventional wisdoms, Eatwell and Goodwin make a compelling case for serious, respectful engagement with the supporters and ideas of national populism--not least because it is a tide that won't be stemmed anytime soon.

Review Quotes

Compelling ... Eatwell and Goodwin do a good job of demolishing lazy stereotypes about Trump and Brexit supporters being almost exclusively white and old ... Measured and insightful--Sunday Telegraph

A fascinating new study ... the authors analyse the long-term demographic and socioeconomic trends shaping our age of upheaval. The attraction of this book lies in its cool, dispassionate tone. The authors intend to explain and inform rather than polemicise--Jason Cowley, The Sunday Times

Intelligent, counterintuitive ... [ranging] far beyond Brexit and Britain ... they put a parochial debate in a much bigger context--Economist

Valuable ... A finely organised, lucid explanation of the elements presently constituting the most dynamic political movements in Europe and the US--John Lloyd, Financial Times

A useful corrective... it demolishes the myth that young people aren't attracted to the populist right--Sarah Baxter, The Sunday Times

A reality check to any clinging to the hope that populism is a passing political squall ... Goodwin is one of the few academics to be vindicated by the political trends of the past few years. With a forensic grasp of the detail, Eatwell and Goodwin show how commentators have succumbed to "stereotypes that correspond with their outlook" rather than evidence-based conclusions--Asa Bennett, Telegraph

Convincing, powerful and very definitely worth a read--Robert Colvile, Director of CPS Think Tank

An important and stimulating book .. well written, well argued, highly accessible to the lay reader, and mercifully free of political science jargon ... it leaves room for optimism for the future of our country--Roger Liddle, Progress

An invaluable guide to the new politics of revolt ... Eatwell and Goodwin draw attention to the historic problem that liberalism has faced in accepting democracy. They give us the theoretical framework to understand national populism's rise ... Compelling--Jon Holbrook, Spiked

Informative and often compelling, providing clarity around a number of key debates within political science and political theory [...] Usefully, they provide copious evidence that rightwing populism has been a long time in the making.--Will Davies, Guardian

Unlike other authors, they do not write to warn and condemn, but to understand the movement ... Populist leaders are confrontational, mendacious and ruthless -- but those who follow them need to have their fears, resentments and beliefs addressed--Reuters

Superb ... one of the best of the post-Trump analyses--Tim Stanley

A provocative book, well worth reading--Matthew Partridge, Moneyweek

Eatwell and Goodwin rightly point out that the UK's political and economic system is, for many people, broken--Gavin Esler, The National

Readers may feel threatened by a rising tide of populism, but what, exactly, is it? National Populism offers penetrating and emancipating answers--The Times Literary Supplement, Books of the Year 2019

About the Author

Roger Eatwell is Emeritus Professor of Politics at the University of Bath. He has published widely on fascism and populism, including Fascism: a History. Matthew J. Goodwin is Professor of Politics at the University of Kent and a Senior Fellow at Chatham House. He has published five books, including Brexit: Why Britain Voted to Leave the European Union and Revolt on the Right: Explaining Support for the Radical Right in Britain. He writes regularly for the New York Times, the Financial Times and Politico, and has worked with more than 200 organizations on issues relating to political volatility in the West.