Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0
Author-Name: Alan de Bromhead
Author-Workplace-Name: University of Oxford
Author-Name: Barry Eichengreen
Author-Workplace-Name: University of California, Berkeley
Author-Name: Kevin H.O’Rourke
Author-Workplace-Name: University of Oxford
Title: Right Wing Political Extremism in the Great Depression
Abstract: We examine the impact of the Great Depression on the share of votes for right-
wing anti-system parties in elections in the 1920s and 1930s.We confirm the 
existence of a link between political extremism and economic hard times as
captured by growth or contraction of the economy.What mattered was not 
simply growth at the time of the election but cumulative growth performance.
But the effect of the Depression on support for right-wing anti-system parties
was not equally powerful under all economic, political and social circumstances.
It was greatest in countries with relatively short histories of democracy, with
existing extremist parties, and with electoral systems that created low hurdles to
parliamentary representation. Above all, it was greatest where depressed
economic conditions were allowed to persist.
Classification-JEL: N10, D72
Keywords: Great Depression, political extremism, voting
Length: 37 pages
Creation-Date: 2012-02-21
Number: _095
File-URL: http://www.economics.ox.ac.uk/materials/papers/5679/bromheadeichengreenorourke95.pdf
File-Format: application/pdf
Handle: RePEc:nuf:esohwp:_095