Nierówności przestrzenne a geografia niezadowolenia. Przykład preferencji wyborczych na obszarach problemowych w Polsce [Spatial inequalities and the geography of discontent. Examples of voting preferences in problem areas of Poland].
Przegląd Geograficzny 95(4), pp. 421-446, DOI:10.7163/PrzG.2023.4.4
Jerzy Bański, Mariusz Kowalski, Michał Konopski
The consequences of spatial inequalities pose a threat to social cohesion as well as contribute to injustice and marginalization, potentially leading to political divisions. A reflection of social discontent is the growing importance of populist and protest parties directed against the establishment. This paper addresses the issue of socio-economic spatial inequalities on a regional scale and the resulting geography of discontent among communities that feel “left behind.”
The analysis focuses on political preferences by comparing two electoral districts located in problem areas—characterized by delayed urbanization (Chełm district) and post-transformation shock (Koszalin district). The results of the last four parliamentary elections (2011, 2015, 2019, 2023) were examined. These outcomes were contrasted with nationwide political orientations and with those of one of the most elite—presumably the least populist—localities in Poland (the Poznań district). On this basis, the thesis that populations in problem areas have more populist voting preferences can be confirmed.
However, populism does not always represent a specific ideology along the left-right axis and shows the potential to attract voters in both conservative and more progressive local communities. Ideologically distinct parties, both right- and left-wing, achieved comparable or even higher results than the national average in both types of disadvantaged communities. Meanwhile, mainstream parties, recognizing the potential of populist movements, have adapted their electoral programs to compete for the votes of discontented communities in the “left-behind” areas.
You can read the paper here.