Why is Gen Z so Extreme?

Only 56% of young Australians (18-29) believe democracy is the best form of government, as discussed in Bob Day’s article, “Democracy’s Christian Firewall is Cracking – and Gen Z is Handing Out Matches.”

I come from a primarily atheist background, so I approached this article with a hint of scepticism. However, the article provided a fascinating perspective and had me wondering: why is Gen Z embracing authoritarianism?

While I won’t deny the benefits of faith for some people, as I have friends and family who are Christian, I believe there is another, arguably more direct cause of Gen Z’s tendency toward authoritarianism: the economy.

Imagine for a moment you were born into a society that taught you if you simply follow the official pathways, work hard, and get a quality degree, you were sure to have a stable income and own your own home. Then imagine the moment you graduate high school, the cost of housing has skyrocketed to the point where you have to spend 3-4 times what the previous generation did for the exact same house.

Then imagine on top of that you pursued a university degree, potentially even in a field that provides a traditionally high paying job. Only this time you realise the jobs you’re pursuing have been replaced with AI. Now you’re stuck with severe debt, little to no income (depending whether you’ve been able to secure a job at all), and no hope of ever owning a home of your own.

Would you trust the status quo? Or would you feel betrayed by society and desperate for radical change?

I can attest to this on a personal level; even in my teenage years I could tell the status quo was failing people my age, and that perspective has only grown stronger year by year. Given this, as a teenager I was desperate for a radical solution, and the first option I came across was Marxism-Leninism-Maoism. I had some reservations, but I found myself generally believing such a radical position would address the failures of the status quo and achieve a society that provides for everyone’s needs without the corruption of the capitalist status quo.

I eventually became disillusioned when I learned about Marxism’s aim to abolish the family unit; I’ve always valued family, and the idea of abolishing the family unit had dangerous implications for how such a society would be imposed. This was the perfect time for me to discover libertarianism, and I had friends and family who helped me learn about and embrace libertarian philosophy. It quickly became clear to me that markets weren’t the problem; the problem was state privilege creating artificial scarcity in the market, most notably through inflation and bureaucracy.

Now imagine I didn’t have friends or family with libertarian values. I could just as easily have remained a Marxist-Leninist, or shifted toward something like Anarcho-Communism instead. This is unfortunately far more common among people my age, who are typically attracted to these ideologies because they desperately want radical change and they see rich people as the cause of their problems.

On the flipside, there is an epidemic of young men who feel betrayed by society, as they feel society treats them as disposable and blames them for all of society’s problems. This poses dangers of its own, as many of those men look back on an idealised past where men had more power and sway over society. It is also reflected in the suicide rate, which is far higher for men than women.

Considering the status quo has clearly failed Gen Z, it seems clear radical change is coming whether we like it or not. The question is, will this radical change be positive or negative? I fear in the current trajectory we will likely dive headfirst into some form of authoritarianism, whether it be technocracy, fascism, or state socialism. All of which terrify me. But perhaps it’s possible to appeal to disenfranchised young people in a positive way, encouraging them to embrace radical liberty instead of radical tyranny. Perhaps libertarianism could be the solution.

Hate the rich? Dismantle state privileges such as IP laws, patents and subsidies, and they will have less of a power imbalance. Housing crisis? Deregulate zoning laws to allow more housing supply. Men feeling undervalued by society? Reject state-enforced diversity quotas so men can pursue the roles that make them feel useful without being held to an unfair standard.

These are by no means blanket solutions, but just a few minor examples of how libertarianism can be pitched to a disenfranchised generation of people who are desperate for a society that values them as fellow citizens. In a new age of authoritarianism, it’s never been a scarier time to be a libertarian. However, this may also be the opportunity of a lifetime. I only hope it isn’t too late to escape the sinking ship.