Does early-life exposure to economic uncertainty fuel a persistent fear of economic decline, increasing far-right support in adulthood? While macro-level studies have established a link between economic crises and far-right support, micro-level evidence on the relationship between individuals' current economic situation and far-right voting is scarce. I test one possible explanation for this puzzle: that exposure to major labor market shocks during childhood and adolescence fosters status anxiety, increasing receptivity to far-right appeals in adulthood. I build on political socialization theory, which highlights formative years as a critical period for the formation of stable, long-term political attitudes. Leveraging longitudinal data from the German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP, 1984–2022) and historical regional unemployment data, I combine early-life local unemployment rates with political behavior in adulthood to assess the enduring impact of early-life economic conditions on voting for the far-right. Germany provides a compelling case: Post-reunification labor market transformations produced significant regional economic disparities—a context in which now middle-aged cohorts, disproportionately represented among German far-right supporters, were socialized. By linking early-life exposure to structural labor market risks with adult political outcomes, this study moves beyond individual current economic conditions to explain far-right support. It has implications for research on political behavior and the long-term political impact of economic crises.