Right-wing Narratives of Welfare State Demands in the Context of Poverty Alleviation

Abstract

Against the backdrop of current crises and the increase in experiences of poverty, it will be illuminated how right-wing narratives tell stories about the welfare state, what criticisms are made of it from the right and what demands are made of it. It will become visible that references are inconsistent and diverse. For example, the intellectualist "new right" actors focus on an exclusionary solidarity, presented through nationalist and racist ideologies, which is mixed with a "critique of capitalism" in the form of antisemitic interpretations, while smaller right-wing alliances see the welfare state (benefits to "others") as a threat to their livelihoods out of a frustration with democracy and demand a market-oriented solution. Rhetoric can also be observed in the conservative camp of the "center" that illustrates the cultural bridges from and to the right-wing milieu.