The article's central argument is that the rise of rightwing populists is fueled by a fundamental human desire to destroy what one feels excluded from. This urge is intensified by growing inequality, where the rich accumulate wealth while the poor remain largely unchanged.
The author cites evidence linking rising inequality to the surge in populist authoritarian movements. A one-unit increase in the Gini coefficient (a measure of inequality) correlates with a 1% rise in support for demagogues.
The author criticizes centrist parties for their inaction in addressing economic inequality. They are accused of being paralyzed by economic power and beholden to wealthy donors. This inaction allows rightwing populists to exploit the discontent of those left behind.
The article concludes that greater equality is the only solution to stop the rise of the far right. It calls for higher taxes on the rich to improve the lives of the poor and highlights the inadequacy of current taxation policies which fail to significantly reduce the gap between the rich and the poor.