Internet as populism’s prime mover

Fukuyama argues that among familiar causes of populism—inequality, racism, elite failure, charisma—the internet best explains why populism surged now and in similar ways across different countries. He uses comparative cases (e.g., Poland without U.S.‑style racial dynamics) to show why tech’s information dynamics fit the timing and form of the wave. — If true, platform governance and information‑environment design become central levers for stabilizing liberal democracy, outweighing purely economic fixes.