From economic struggles to culture wars: Study reveals how GDP influences polarization around the globe
Polarization in lower-income countries largely flows from economic and material issues, while social topics and identity-related debates are the most polarizing subjects in richer nations, new research reveals.
The study from City St George's, University of London analyzed 40 years of global data to explore how modernization influences ideological divides, shedding light on the factors driving ideological polarization across different nations around the world.
As political divisions deepen in many countries, the study clarifies the complex, multifaceted implications of modernization and highlights its influence on political polarization. It has been in the journal Cross-Cultural Research.
To explore how polarization differs depending on per capita Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the author, Dr. Francesco Rigoli drew on data from the World Values Survey, which spans more than 100 countries across seven waves of data over the past four decades.
By using per capita GDP as a measure of modernization, Dr. Rigoli found that ideological divisions in lower-income countries tend to focus on material concerns, such as economic issues, immigration, and gender equality.
But as societies modernize, it has been seen that ideological divides shift away from economic struggles towards debates over personal freedoms, such as abortion and divorce, and identity-related issues. This is partly due to the divide between conservative and liberal positions at play in higher-income countries, while lower-income nations tend to be more conservative.
The present findings support the idea that lower-income countries, which are those transitioning towards modernity, are predisposed to ideological polarization partly due to the clash between traditional culture, rooted in the pre-modern lifestyle, and radical new ideas. Education may also play a role, as in lower-income countries, higher education is typically reserved for the elites at the expense of the masses.
Given their small number and privileged status, in lower-income countries, the highly educated may focus on promoting their economic values, supporting inequality and free markets and minimal government intervention.
Dr. Francesco Rigoli, Reader in the Department of Psychology at City St George's, said, "Given the increasing political turmoil seen globally, from economic protests in developing nations to heated debates over social issues in Western democracies, understanding the roots of ideological polarization is more relevant than ever. The findings offer crucial insights into the political challenges faced by nations at different stages of development.
"The most striking observation is that ideological polarization appears to be higher in poor countries, but we also saw that rich countries emerge as being comparatively more vulnerable on matters of free choice. A compelling argument is that this vulnerability may explain the recent culture wars and surge of political tensions observed in the West.
"These observations may help policy makers to devise effective interventions aimed at mitigating the detrimental consequences of polarization and at fostering social cohesion. They suggest that interventions should take into account the specific vulnerabilities of a country that in part depend on the country's level of modernization."
More information: Francesco Rigoli, Modernization and Ideological Polarization on a Global Scale, Cross-Cultural Research (2025).
Provided by City St George's, University of London
