Beyond the angers of populism: a psychosocial inquiry

Author:
Barry Richards Bournemouth University, UK

Search for other papers by Barry Richards in
Current site
Google Scholar
Close
Restricted access
Get eTOC alerts
Rights and permissions Cite this article

This article offers a model of psychosocial inquiry in an analysis of the sources of the passionate desire for the UK to leave the EU. It proceeds from separate consideration of the ‘monocular’ modes of both societally- and psychologically-focussed approaches, towards bringing them together in a more ‘binocular’ vision. Firstly, familiar societal explanations are considered, in the perceived losses of material security, of national sovereignty and of indigenous community. It is noted that this level of explanation cannot account for the variations amongst Leave-supporting individuals in the intensity of their anger with the ‘establishment’. Secondly, a depth-psychological approach is explored, noting the contribution of theories of ‘othering’ and focussing on how pro-Brexit anger can be understood as a narcissistic rage against the ‘otherness’ of authority, as represented both by Parliament and the British elites, and by European institutions. Thirdly, a psychosocial ‘binocularity’ is outlined, in which societally-generated anxieties can be seen to interact with the intra-psychic vector of the narcissistic defence. That defence in turn can be seen to have become more prominent in late-modern societies due to cultural changes which have impacted adversely on the capacity for basic trust, so in historical context the psychic dimension folds back into the societal.

  • Eatwell, R. & Goodwin, M. (2018) National populism: The revolt against liberal democracy. London: Pelican.

  • Erikson, E. (1950) Childhood and society. Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1965.

  • Fromm, E. (1942) The fear of freedom. London: Ark Paperbacks, 1984.

  • Giddens, A. (1990) The consequences of modernity. Cambridge: Polity.

  • Goodhart, D. (2017) The road to somewhere. London: Penguin.

  • Gove, M. (2016) Interview, Sky News, 3 June.

  • Greenberg, J. & Mitchell, S. (1983) Object relations in psychoanalytic theory. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press.

  • Guntrip, H. (1971) Psychoanalytic theory, therapy and the self. London: Karnac, 1977.

  • Horkheimer, M. & Adorno, T. (1956) Aspects of Sociology. London: Heinemann, 1973.

  • Lasch, C. (1978) The Culture of Narcissism. New York: Norton.

  • Lloyd, J. (2004) What the Media are Doing to our Politics. London: Constable.

  • Miscoiu, S. (2013) From populism to neo-populism? Empirical guidelines for a conceptual delineation. In Soare, S., Miscoiu, S. & Ghergina, S., eds., Contemporary Populism: A Controversial Concept and its Diverse Forms. Newcastle: Cambridge Scholars Publishing.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Mishra, P. (2017) Age of Anger. A History of the Present. London: Penguin.

  • O’Toole, F. (2018) Heroic Failure. Brexit and the Politics of Pain. London: Head of Zeus.

  • Winnicott, D. (1950) Some thoughts on the meaning of the word ‘democracy’. In Home Is Where We Start From, 239259. London: Penguin, 1986.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
Barry Richards Bournemouth University, UK

Search for other papers by Barry Richards in
Current site
Google Scholar
Close

Content Metrics

May 2022 onwards Past Year Past 30 Days
Abstract Views 276 2 0
Full Text Views 618 541 29
PDF Downloads 204 132 15

Altmetrics

Dimensions