The Political Economy of Populist Reason in The Netherlands

Abstract This article argues that the appeal of different populist parties in the Netherlands should be understood against the backdrop of class dynamics in the Dutch economy. Changes in the structure of capital accumulation have led to a rise in precarious working conditions, and real estate increasingly functions as an investment opportunity, causing housing prices to skyrocket. The resulting political-economic crisis dynamic constitutes fruitful ground for populist opposition voices. Adopting Ernesto Laclau’s framework, the article analyzes the 2021 election programs of three populist parties to trace the contingent articulations of economic demands in wider constructions of “the people.” Radical right-wing populist parties, such as Partij voor de Vrijheid and Forum voor Democratie articulate class demands as part of broader populist projects based on xenophobic exclusions or “globalist” conspiracy theories. On the left, the Socialist Party constructs a more classical opposition between workers and capitalists. The article is theoretically innovative insofar as it shows how populist reason and contingent class dynamics can be considered from a comprehensive perspective.