Status-seeking populists
Aristocratic/imperial touches for men of the people
What’s up with right-wing populists trying to be aristocrats or emperors? Jordan Bardella, the 30-year-old president of France’s far-right Rassemblement National (RN) party, has just officially announced his romantic relationship with the Italian socialite “Princess” Maria-Carolina of Bourbon-Two Sicilies. She is the daughter of one of the contenders to lead the royal house that ruled southern Italy before disappearing in 1861 as Italy was unified. The quotation marks are appropriate because Maria Carolina’s title has no legal standing in the Italian republic.
This comes just as the plans for President Trump’s triumphal arch have become public:
French president Macron is probably ruing the day in 2017 when he invited Trump to the Bastille Day celebration in Paris. The US president feels the need to outdo his French counterpart. France’s Arc de Triomphe is a modest thing compared to Trump’s planned blight on the Washington skyline, which will be 50% taller. The Arc de Triomphe is also lacks golden lions, eagles, and winged victories.
It was Napoleon, not exactly fond of understatement, who commissioned the Arc de Triomphe. But Trump’s triumphal arch is indicative of a leader whose ego puts the French emperor’s to shame.
Populist movements, at least in their political propaganda, pit the “pure people” against a “corrupt elite.” The hypocrisy of adopting aristocratic or even imperial trappings should be self-evident, and it may have political costs. Jordan Bardella could well be RN’s presidential candidate next year if the party’s true leader, Marine Le Pen, fails in appealing her corruption conviction and remains barred from office. And Bardella in fact is trying to manage the political risk in his relationship with Maria Carolina. As for Trump’s triumphal arch, polling in February indicated only 21% support for the project, with 52% opposed. But he does not seem too concerned about this political risk. (He has other problems.)
Status seeking, though it is a very human activity, can be self-defeating. One way to gain respect/prestige is by demonstrating competence. But others seek status through intimidation, by creating fear. Obsessive status seeking is associated, among other things, with narcissistic personality disorder, anxiety, depression, and unhappiness regardless of how much one achieves. Not exactly traits we want to see in political leaders.