Value orientation and external political efficacy: assessing the relationship between traditional values, progressive politics and political responsiveness

Abstract Values are often used to explain phenomena associated with problematic political behaviours. For example, the election of far-right parties is attributed traditional values. The ‘Cultural Backlash’ thesis (Inglehart and Norris in Cultural backlash: trump, Brexit, authoritarian populism. Cambridge University Press, 2017a) prominent this field research explains such behaviour by a predominance progressive issues as result Value Change. It assumed that causes individuals perceive system less responsive, which can also be understood low external efficacy; however, there little way empirical tests connection between one’s value orientation sense efficacy Trump, Rise Populism: Economic Have-Nots Backlash, 2016; Inglehart populism, Cambridge, 2017a; Perspect Polit 15(2):443-453, 2017b). This study aims fill gap examining effects values on perceptions efficacy, particular attention role predominantly politics. purpose, relationship brought into cross-national context order analyse moderating effect degree progressivity respective national system. To test these assumption multilevel mixed-effects model, uses European Social Survey data from 23 countries Manifesto Project. results show negative efficacy. They partially intensified more party manifestos are.