Political distrust and the populist alt-view trap

The recent rise of populist movements in Western democracies has accompanied an erosion of trust in institutions and expertise. This column examines the dynamic between traditional policymaking – characterised by complex compromise – and the rise, persistence, and recurrence of populism, which tends to encourage extreme and simplistic policies without solid evidence. The link between distrust and ‘alt-truth’ engenders a trap whereby trust in the traditional political class never recovers, leading to a recurrence of populists in power. Surprisingly, this cycle sometimes benefits voters by having a disciplining effect on traditional politicians.