Why We Are Living Through ‘Hyperpolitics’
Anton Jager explains why record voter turnout isn’t leading to systemic change.
Headline: Hyperpolitics Explained
The world today presents an intriguing paradox for citizens. They exhibit heightened political engagement and increased voting participation, yet struggle to bring about substantial structural changes. Political scientist Anton Jäger coined the term "hyperpolitics" to describe this phenomenon, characterized by heightened political activity accompanied by decreased institutional membership.
Jäger's recent book, Hyperpolitics: Extreme Politicization Without Political Consequences, has garnered attention among Europe's political and intellectual elite. However, the applicability of hyperpolitics extends beyond Western nations, potentially encompassing a broader global trend.
In the United States, voter turnout in recent presidential elections has reached unprecedented levels. Concurrently, union membership has plummeted to levels not seen since the 20th century's middle period. This divergence between heightened political involvement and diminished institutional engagement encapsulates the essence of hyperpolitics.
The United States, along with other Western countries, finds itself in the midst of this hyperpolitical era, which emerged as a consequence of the 2010s and the decade following the 2008 financial crisis. Jäger suggests that hyperpolitics serves to elucidate this contemporary state of affairs through its unique combination of political engagement and institutional disengagement.
While hyperpolitics may not necessarily be a detrimental development, it raises questions about the efficacy of political participation without corresponding institutional support. In Germany, a case in point, voter turnout has doubled in the upcoming election for Saxony, demonstrating the potential for increased political engagement without the stability of established political institutions.
The key challenge lies in translating this heightened political activity into tangible policy outcomes and altering the existing power dynamics within society. The hyperpolitical era, characterized by its paradoxical blend of political activity and institutional disengagement, invites further exploration and analysis to better understand its implications and potential consequences.
Written by urgent.news from Foreign Policy's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
