Brexit and the economics of populism

This conference brought together 50 leading economists and commentators to consider Brexit and the economics of populism. The participants largely agreed that globalisation had not been the driving force behind the Brexit vote. Rising inequality and economic insecurity had been factors, but reflected the deregulation of labour and financial markets, technological change and tax and housing policies, more than globalisation itself. Social and cultural factors had also played a major role in the vote. The relationship between economic wellbeing and backing for populists was loose. Brexit supporters were much older than average, had not been affected economically by immigration or suffered disproportionately from the financial crisis.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Brexit and the Rise of Rejectionism http://www.europeansources.info/record/brexit-and-the-rise-of-rejectionism/

ESO: Background information: The revenge of the countryside http://www.europeansources.info/record/the-revenge-of-the-countryside/

ESO: Background information: How we can reframe the debate about Europe’s populist threat http://www.europeansources.info/record/how-we-can-reframe-the-debate-about-europes-populist-threat/

Carnegie Europe: Strategic Europe, 23.11.16: Judy Asks: Is Populism Here to Stay? http://carnegieeurope.eu/strategiceurope/66236

Social Europe, 30.11.16: Containing The Populist Contagion https://www.socialeurope.eu/2016/11/containing-populist-contagion/

ESO: Background information: Populism And Social Democracy’s Distress http://www.europeansources.info/record/populism-and-social-democracys-distress/

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