Act 1: Economic Crisis

The aftermath of the 2008 crash saw the radical right gaining traction in Western political systems, exploiting dissatisfaction with crisis management and blaming elites. Economic crises serve as manufactured disasters, leading people to hold elites accountable and undermining the credibility of political systems. What is highlighted as a pattern here is that radical right parties capitalise on this, offering scapegoats such as migrants, elites, and the EU to the discontented populace. This chapter emphasises the persistent scenario of blaming and scapegoating during crises.