Socio-economic vulnerabilities and poor education represent a fertile ground that can give rise to the radicalization of society, stated the university lecturer Alexandru Lupușor during an IPN debate on Monday. According to Alexandru Lupușor, in a democratic society polarization is a natural phenomenon, but political actors can transform polarization into radicalization.

Alexandru Lupușor, explained that nowadays the polarization of society occurs because of political actors who exploit traditional values, on the one hand, and the concept of freedom, on the other.

“The times in which we live represent the stage when we observe a gain in the rights of sexual minorities, the concept of gender is revised. Of course, all these gains of the concept of freedom are made with certain oppositions, some quite dramatic. Because those who remain on the other side of the division, the polarization, have the past. And so, we have the situation where socialist parties, which traditionally promoted emancipation and the advancement of freedom, today are in the position of defending traditionalism and traditional values. Why this insistence on gender issues or the rights of sexual minorities? Because it is an easy form of creating certain phobias, it addresses fears that are easily exploitable electorally and politically. During the Soviet period, Russia promoted a bright future and the concept of the new man, and now Russia promotes the preservation of the past. It is a game between those who promote the idea of ​​the future and those who fuel their ideologies from the themes of the past, the preservation of traditionalism”, said Alexandru Lupușor.

In the same context, the university professor explained that the phenomenon of social radicalization has existed since ancient times, but now it has penetrated all spheres of social life and is becoming increasingly difficult to combat. Alexandru Lupușor pointed out that the radicalization of society takes place, in particular, when there are economic vulnerabilities and poor education.

“Any polarization carries the seeds of radicalization. Whereas polarization is a natural thing in democratic systems, radicalization is often manmade. That is, certain intentional, subjective factors, certain actors must intervene. Depending on certain contexts, political and social arrangements, such radicalizations can be triggered. Radicalizations have always existed. The radicalizations of the past, the explosions of social hysteria were still limited in space and time, now they are soaked in several social elements and it is a diffuse phenomenon that becomes more difficult to combat on a point-by-point basis. Radicalization also exploits certain vulnerabilities. There is always a soil of vulnerabilities that is exploited to produce radicalization. I’m talking about social-economic vulnerabilities, but also poor education”, explained Alexandru Lupușor.

This was the 313th installment of the Political Culture Series, run by IPN with the support of the Hanns Seidel Foundation.