Policy fatalism: when the public thinks nothing can be done
2026-04-30
The article establishes the concept of policy fatalism, defined as the view that some societal issues are so intractable that no policy measures can be effectively taken to resolve them. It does so by distinguishing it from other well-known concepts and demarcating policy fatalism as a concept in contrast with a focus on personal fatalism applied in other studies. The concept finds empirical support through representative surveys in Britain and Australia that show a high proportion of people in both countries are fatalistic about the prospects for dealing with climate change but also for securing homeownership for future generations and avoiding economic slumps. We test for a range of correlates of policy fatalism, finding that those with lower formal education and those on the ideological right are more fatalistic, as are those that trust traditional media. Those expressing personal fatalism about their lives are not more fatalistic over policy. Exploring the consequences, we find that policy fatalism leads to greater disenchantment with democratic rule yet does not inspire greater personal action. We argue that policy fatalism is distinct from established concepts and connects policy studies to wider debates about a trend towards fatalism in society and its role in politics.