Empire of Resentment: Populism’s Toxic Embrace of Nationalism by Lawrence Rosenthal
Book Review: Empire of Resentment: Populism’s Toxic Embrace of Nationalism by Lawrence Rosenthal
Rating: ★★★★☆ (4.03 out of 5 stars)
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions and analyses presented below are completely my own and strictly unbiased.
Publication and Context
- Title: Empire of Resentment: Populism’s Toxic Embrace of Nationalism
- Author: Lawrence Rosenthal
- Publication Date: September 8, 2020
- Publisher: The New Press
- Page Count: 305 pages
- Format: Kindle Edition (ASIN: B07VPL2FTW / ISBN: 9781620975114)
- Genres: Politics / Nonfiction / History / Sociology / Political Science
Contextual Backdrop:
Published in the highly charged autumn of 2020, right before a pivotal US presidential election, Empire of Resentment arrived at a flashpoint in modern democratic history. Lawrence Rosenthal, the founder of UC Berkeley’s Center for Right-Wing Studies, offers a scholarly yet urgent dissection of a global political phenomenon. Reading this book in 2026 provides a fascinating retrospective lens; Rosenthal’s analysis of the global “Nationalist International” remains incredibly prescient when examining the political trajectories of the US, Europe, and South America over the current decade.
Purpose and Themes of the Work
The core thesis of the book challenges the mainstream narrative that right-wing populism simply “emerged” in 2016. Instead, Rosenthal argues that it transformed. The defining theme is that modern right-wing populism is fundamentally a protean, ideologically flexible force fueled primarily by one psychological driver: resentment toward perceived cultural and political elites.
The purpose of Rosenthal’s work is to map this transformation. He seeks to explain how a movement can pivot from the libertarian, free-market obsessiveness of the Tea Party to the protectionist, anti-immigrant, ethno-nationalism of the Trump era, demonstrating that the connective tissue isn’t economic policy, but cultural grievance.
Summary of the Work
Over 305 pages, Rosenthal paints a vivid sociological and psychological portrait of the modern far-right. He traces the American populist migration from the Tea Party to Donald Trump’s “America First” nationalism, arguing that this pivot was the single most crucial factor in Trump’s 2016 victory.
Crucially, Rosenthal expands his lens beyond the United States. He examines how this is a transnational epidemic, using case studies like the UK’s Brexit vote and Italy’s Northern League—a party that successfully reinvented itself by shifting its ire from Southern Italians to international immigrants. The book meticulously details how this ideological flexibility has allowed right-wing populists to gain power in over a dozen countries. Finally, Rosenthal warns of the dangerous mainstreaming of once-fringe elements, like white supremacy, and posits that the survival of democratic politics relies on the left’s ability to mobilize a compelling, progressive counter-narrative.
Analysis and Evaluation
Format, Pacing, and Structure
As expected from a leading academic, the book is meticulously researched and structurally sound. Rosenthal divides the narrative logically, establishing the psychological framework of “resentment” before applying it to specific historical and global case studies. While it is an academic text rooted in political science and sociology, the pacing is accessible. It avoids overly dense jargon, making it readable for the layperson interested in global politics.
Subjects and Voices
Rosenthal writes with the cool, analytical authority of a seasoned sociologist. He does not rely on hyperbole; instead, he uses historical data, political tracking, and sociological theory to make his case. His ability to dissect the psychological motivations of voters—moving the conversation past the cliché of “economic anxiety” and into the realm of cultural identity and resentment—is the book’s most compelling feature.
Strengths and Limitations
Strengths: The book’s greatest strength is its global perspective. By linking the American political right to movements in Italy, the UK, and elsewhere, Rosenthal successfully proves that Trumpism is not an isolated American anomaly, but part of a calculated, global political strategy. His diagnosis of “resentment” as the unifying glue is brilliantly articulated.
Limitations: Because the book was published in late 2020, it inherently misses the seismic events that followed, such as the January 6th Capitol attack or the subsequent global elections of the mid-2020s. However, rather than rendering the book obsolete, these missing events actually serve as a testament to the accuracy of Rosenthal’s predictive framework.
Suitability and Audience Guidance
- Content Considerations: Contains in-depth discussions of xenophobia, white supremacy, and political polarization.
- Target Audience: Ideal for political junkies, students of sociology and history, and any reader trying to make sense of the ideological shifts in conservative politics over the last decade. It is highly recommended for those who appreciate data-driven, academic approaches to modern history.
Conclusion and Verdict
Empire of Resentment is a sobering, essential text for understanding the mechanics of modern populism. Lawrence Rosenthal masterfully dismantles the illusion that right-wing nationalism is driven by rigid policy goals, exposing it instead as a highly adaptable vehicle for cultural grievance. Unbiased by my receipt of a free copy, I can confidently say this is a sharply written, deeply researched book that remains a vital key to decoding the current global political era.
Supplementary Elements: Reading Companions
“What to Read Next”
For readers looking to further explore the sociological and historical roots of modern political divides:
- Strangers in Their Own Land: Anger and Mourning on the American Right by Arlie Russell Hochschild – A perfect companion piece that dives deep into the deeply personal, emotional, and sociological drivers of the American right-wing voter.
- How Democracies Die by Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt – An essential political science text that explores how modern democracies are dismantled not by military coups, but by the gradual erosion of norms by elected populists.
- Twilight of Democracy: The Seductive Lure of Authoritarianism by Anne Applebaum – A brilliant look at why some of the author’s own contemporaries in the global political elite have abandoned democratic ideals in favor of nationalist populism.
Rating: ★★★★ 4.03 / 5
- Prairie Fox 🦊📖
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