Did state responses to automation matter for voters?

Populist right parties are successfully winning over voters exposed to automation risk by appealing to "status anxiety". In contrast, compensatory policies, such as benefits, have seemingly little effect on persuading voters.

However, Jane Gingrich argues both approaches highlight the two predominant impacts of automation: material change and status change. The former leads voters to the left, whilst the latter swings voters to the populist right. Yet, generally, redistributive policies have so far proven ineffective in the West. Instead it is important to create new economic “winners” rather than simply compensating the “losers”.