The Antagonistic Logic of Far-Right Populism and Its Possible Transcendence

The global rise of far-right populism is a product of intertwined crises in the era of globalization. It is neither a fleeting political backlash nor a mere ghost of history resurfacing, but a systemic malaise deeply embedded in the fractures of contemporary social structures. As economic inequality widens, cultural identity anxieties fester, and technological revolutions spiral unchecked, far-right forces spread like wildfire across the parched grasslands of democratic institutions. This phenomenon not only threatens the foundations of pluralistic coexistence but also exposes the structural fragility of liberal democracy in confronting complex challenges. To untie this Gordian knot, we must pierce the fog of populist rhetoric to reveal its internal contradictions and seek genuine paths to unity through the reconstruction of the social contract.

The social soil nurturing far-right populism is the toxic fruit of three imbalances in the modernization process. Economically, neoliberal globalization has carved a chasm between winners and losers, casting industrial workers in developed nations and urban poor in developing countries into shared survival struggles. When Silicon Valley tech moguls and Wall Street financiers amass wealth at a pace dozens of times faster than the livelihoods lost to vanishing manufacturing jobs, embittered unemployed workers become the “forgotten majority” championed by populist demagogues. This economic alienation collides with cultural and identity politics, where progressive advocacy for diversity is perceived by conservative communities as a threat to traditional ways of life. When German small-town residents see their corner bakery replaced by a halal diner, or when Southern U.S. evangelicals witness the legalization of same-sex marriage, cultural disorientation morphs into a zealous defense of “purity.” Meanwhile, social media algorithms weave these scattered grievances into contagious collective narratives, making QAnon conspiracies more viral than scientific warnings about climate change. The resonance of these crises enables populists to reduce complex social issues to a battle cry of “us versusthem.”

Yet this antagonistic ideology harbors irreconcilable contradictions. When far-right parties pose as champions of the “underdog,” their policies often betray their promises. Trump’s 2017 tax reform slashed corporate rates from 35% to 21%, delivering over 17% of tax benefits to the richest 1% of Americans in 2018, while ordinary workers’ real wages stagnated. This blatant favoritism toward capital is cloaked in the nationalist rhetoric of “making America great again,” with working-class voters, sedated by cultural identity, willfully ignoring the systematic erosion of their economic interests. More perversely, the immigrants and refugees demonized as “internal enemies” by the far right share the same fate of abandonment under globalization as their populist supporters. France’s National Rally blames North African immigrants for draining welfare resources yet remains silent on the wealth siphoned offshore by BNP Paribas, which triples the Île-de-France region’s annual welfare budget. This contradiction is the survival strategy of populist politics—it thrives on perpetually manufacturing another to sustain group cohesion, even when that “other” is a fellow victim of the same economic order.

Confronting the far right’s exclusionary mindset and its propaganda offensives rooted in self- interest demands abandoning illusions. Appeals to mutual understanding or sentimental harmony cannot dismantle the far rights carefully crafted “working-class” narrative. On matters of core interest, far-right populists ruthlessly prioritize their own, showing no regard for others sharing their plight. Hollow calls for empathy merely indulge cheap moralism, failing to alter material realities, as the far right’s ideological contradictions stem from its fundamental self-interest.

Thus, exposing the contradictions of populist ideology in public discourse is essential. To counter and contain far-right street movements, beyond forming overt counterforces, tactics like infiltrating for surveillance and sabotage are commonly employed. The challenge lies in building organized, actionable resistance. The bourgeois class is unreliable, as right-wing policies promise them benefits, and even if they recognize these promises as hollow, their pessimism breeds apathy. Nor will improving external conditions automatically mobilize them, as the rise of far-right populism is itself a diversionary tactic, making the co-opted bourgeoisie complicit by design. For the proletariat, the urgent task is to stay vigilant and seek solidarity. Embracing shared values and rejecting narratives that pit the marginalized against the even weaker can prevent mutual harm. Directly disrupting far-right street actions can also maintain order and secure safe, stable workplaces. Amid the encirclement of right-wing policies, unchecked media platforms, violent threats, and digital control, preserving resistance requires forming vibrant, self-sustaining organizations rooted in mutual aid, gradually enhancing bargaining power for long-term gains.

Maintaining ideological purity and resisting capital’s co-optation (e.g., through NGO funding or financial colonialism) demands exploring non- capitalist internal exchange models to ensure economic independence, counter corporate coercion, and mitigate policy risks. This includes building trusted networks and non-monetary mutual aid systems. Such efforts must be sustained and adaptable to endure ongoing suppression. Robust mutual aid organizations can shield vulnerable groups while standing as steadfast opponents of far-right ideology.

At its core, far-right populism is a mechanism of monopoly capitalism to deflect its inherent contradictions. Merely highlighting its inconsistencies is insufficient to halt its domineering rule, as its rise is invariably propped up and facilitated by big capital. Under this logic of inertia and violence, achieving true solidarity and nurturing genuine hope demands relentless exploration by every principled individual. Flexibility, resolve, and the willingness to set aside personal gain and past suspicions are essential. Collective effort must strive for the true, universal independence and liberation of all.