Emerging ideological schisms. In search of new political identities

LTReikšminiai žodžiai: Nacionalizmas; Nauji ideologiniai susiskaldymai; Radikalieji dešinieji; Vakarų Europos ir Šiaurės Amerikos visuomenė; Nationalism; New ideological divisions; Radical right; Western European and North American society.

ENThe chapter is based on a group of research that new ideological divisions emerge as a result of transformation of the previous economic left-right cleavage and other political cleavages in modern post-industrial societies of Western Europe and North America. Earlier political splits are losing relevance, as significant social, cultural or economic challenges that politicians are confronted with today go beyond national borders and require solutions at a broader scope, higher level and thinking outside of old ideological boxes. Primarily, the author focuses on the emerging ideological or value cleavages in East Central Europe (and Lithuania, in particular) within the context of the Western ideological-political landscape. A new ideological-political division between globalists (internationalists) and nationalists, as well as a dichotomy between the “progressives” and “traditionalists”, have been developing visibly in Western Europe and North America since 2014. Old political divisions lose relevance as significant social, cultural or economic problems that Western societies face, and which politicians should tackle, go beyond national borders. And the typical recipes offered by the political right or left, liberals or conservatives, no longer meet the challenges of the present, as the social and political problems, produced by industrialisation in the 18th-19th centuries have long been solved in Western countries. [Extract, p. 30]