How Liberal Elite Failure Fueled Far-Right Populism

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Dec 22, 2025

Gabriele Gratton, a political scientist at the University of New South Wales, explores the roots of rising far-right populism. He argues it's a backlash against technocratic governance, where policy decisions shift from democratic processes to experts. Gratton claims this response is a democratic reaction to elite failure, emphasizing the need for regulatory flexibility within liberalism. The discussion delves into how austerity and delegation have fueled resentment and the challenge of balancing expert authority with democratic engagement.

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INSIGHT

Democracy's Expert Paradox

Modern democracies delegate real power to unelected experts, which creates a paradox between electoral choice and insulated authority.
That insulation can stabilize policy but also provoke populist backlash when voters feel replaced by experts.

INSIGHT

Promises Versus Delivered Livelihoods

Many voters feel liberal democracy promised economic stability and social status that it didn't deliver, fueling resentment against intellectual elites.
That resentment centers on perceived elite focus on identity issues over everyday livelihoods.

INSIGHT

Technocracy As Insurance

Experts and technocrats increasingly make policy decisions, expanding institutions insulated from direct electoral control.
This delegation grows when governing coalitions fear losing power and want long-term policy insurance.

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Why is far-right populism on the rise? Political scientist Gabriele Gratton has a controversial theory: For decades, technocrats moved policy decisions — on austerity, climate, and more – away from the realm of mass politics and toward independent authorities, courts, and experts. The result? A populist backlash fueled by the desire to reassert control over policy.

In Gratton's telling, the populist backlash isn't irrational; it's a democratic response to elite failure. But his prescription isn't to abandon liberalism. This conversation explores how we got here and whether liberal democracy can course-correct before it's too late.

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