Book contents
- The Psychology of Radical Social Change
- The Psychology of Radical Social Change
- Copyright page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Figures
- Contributors
- Foreword
- 1 Toward a Psychology of Revolution
- Part I Roots of Revolution
- 2 The Conservative Crowd?
- 3 Economic Inequality and the Rise of Civic Discontent
- 4 The Globalization-Revolution Paradox
- 5 From the Age of the Crowd to the Global Age
- Part II Evolution and Involution in Social Transformations
- Part III Representations of and in Revolution
- Index
- References
4 - The Globalization-Revolution Paradox
No Revolutions in Capitalist Democracies
from Part I - Roots of Revolution
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 03 April 2018
Book contents
- The Psychology of Radical Social Change
- The Psychology of Radical Social Change
- Copyright page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Figures
- Contributors
- Foreword
- 1 Toward a Psychology of Revolution
- Part I Roots of Revolution
- 2 The Conservative Crowd?
- 3 Economic Inequality and the Rise of Civic Discontent
- 4 The Globalization-Revolution Paradox
- 5 From the Age of the Crowd to the Global Age
- Part II Evolution and Involution in Social Transformations
- Part III Representations of and in Revolution
- Index
- References
Summary
This chapter explores a paradox at the heart of our 21st century world: globalization is leading to greater wealth concentration and inequalities, but at the same time thwarting revolutionary movements against increasing inequalities. The exploration of this paradox begins by reviewing the slow and often unsuccessful movement of major societies to get fully away from dictatorship, where they all began, toward actualized democracy, where no society has reached. This exploration focuses on a number of trends: first, the rise of the ‘new global super-rich’, a transnational elite capable of using nationalistic symbols and sentiments to influence the masses (as exemplified by Donald Trump). Related to this, second, the emergence of identity threat and the role of displaced aggression in re-directing mass political energies. A third factor is the transformation of the meaning of ‘freedom’ from the political to the market realm, to become ‘free to consume’. These and other factors have influenced mass political behavior around the world, without impacting increasing wealth concentration and resource inequalities.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- The Psychology of Radical Social ChangeFrom Rage to Revolution, pp. 54 - 85Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2018
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