Cultural Backlash Theory
Name:
Institution:
Cultural Backlash Theory
Culture is an essential aspect of any society in the world as it acts as a guideline of how things should be done, values, and norms of that society. Culture is a vital aspect in some societies that, when it is tampered with, the people tend to feel threatened, and that might result in conflict termed as Cultural backlash. “The spread of progressive values has also stimulated a cultural backlash among people who feel threatened by this development” (Norris & Inglehart, 2019). The change of traditional values that are brought about by the introduction of other foreign cultures or modernization creates a cultural backlash.
The cultural backlash theory states that the growth rate of immigration into the western world countries by people from lower-income countries in search of a better life has brought about a cultural backlash. The presence of immigrants changes the ethnic makeup of a country from a homogeneous makeup to a mixed one, which threatens the values of the original culture of that nation. The existence of cultural backlash has opened up avenues for a silent counter-revolution against foreigners, which contribute to xenophobia, nationalism, and racism creating the backlash (Norris & Inglehart, 2019). Cultural backlash theory tries to show how authoritarian-populist political parties use the silent counter-revolution to rally support for their leaders. For example, Trump’s slogan of making America great again appeals to when America was a homogeneous country.
Cultural backlash theory also explains that the cultural conflict caused by economic factors such as unemployment where the natives feel that the immigrants have taken away their jobs, even on insecurity such as Islamic related terrorism (Norris & Inglehart, 2019). The difference in values, norms, and other socio-economic factors has created a cleavage in the society resulting in backlash. The cultural backlash theory states that the backlash is caused by the cultural change in a once predominated sector of the population. The change has been enhanced by the industrial revolution that has caused the difference in the composition of the workforce in the postindustrial era.
In conclusion, the cultural backlash theory explains that the threats posed by immigrants in the western developed countries provide a platform for the authoritarian-populist political parties to use it as a campaign agenda that encourages the conflict. Cultural backlash promotes racism and unfair treatment of people from other races, which is harmful and should be discouraged.
Reference
Norris, P., & Inglehart, R. (2019). Cultural backlash: Trump, Brexit, and authoritarian populism.
