Extreme Poverty and the Extreme Right: Evidence from Young Citizens in Argentine Slums

Young, low-income citizens play a central role in the global rise of the far right. Understanding why this pivotal voting bloc supports illiberal forces is critical for the future of democracy. Yet existing scholarly and commercial surveys rarely reach the areas where these citizens live. We request funding from the Kellogg Institute to conduct a high-quality survey of 1,000 young residents of urban slums in the Metropolitan Area of Buenos Aires (MABA). This project is made feasible through a collaboration with the Jesuit Center for Research and Social Action in Argentina (CIAS), directed by Catholic priest Rodrigo Zarazaga, a renowned scholar and former Kellogg Fellow with extensive experience conducting surveys in slum neighborhoods through networks of local activists and community leaders. Home to one-third of the Argentine electorate and the historical core constituency of working-class Peronism, the MABA exhibited a dramatic electoral swing in favor of far-right candidate Javier Milei. Guided by a novel theoretical framework and innovative measurement strategies, this project will generate crucial evidence for a central debate about democratic resilience.