Summary
Despite rising economic inequality and a reduction in social mobility, today’s ‘left behind’ appear to be more concerned with immigration and civil rights than redistribution, and they occasionally support policies that oppose their economic interests. According to this piece, a movement from the conventional class-based differentiation and division between left and right to a distinction based on cultural attitudes and education is part of the modern discussion on populism. This shift significantly impacts mature democracies’ political systems, which are divided along classic left-right lines.
Personally, I am inclined to believe that populism, although at first glance it is a rabid ochlocratic method of conducting politics, is essential. Populism is inseparable from democracy and has existed since its inception and will continue to exist in the future. However, I believe that populism is not a problem in general, in contrast to the issues of the democratic system. Many modern democracies’ political systems are being transformed by the advent of new political movements. In conditions of constant instability in the political process, anger and a desire for radicalism sometimes accumulate in the electorate. Populism is a mouthpiece that broadcasts non-stop, but people listen to it only in troubled times.
- Many new populist parties run on anti-establishment and anti-elite platforms, claiming to reflect the ‘real interests’ of broad swaths of people. (Tabellini, Guido. “The Rise of Populism.” VOX, CEPR Policy Portal. VOX, 2019.)
- Populism as a political style that sets sacred people against two enemies: elites and other groups, which makes populism related to religious (particularly Abrahamic) currents. (DeHanas, Daniel Nilsson, and Marat Shterin. “Religion and the Rise of Populism.” Religion, State and Society 46, no. 3 (2018): 177–85.)
- In times of strong political dissatisfaction, the populist radical right gains from increasing engagement in politically detached local groups. (Schulte-Cloos, Julia, and Arndt Leininger. “Electoral Participation, Political Disaffection, and the Rise of the Populist Radical Right.” Party Politics 28, no. 3 (2021): 431–43.)
- While populism is founded on the old “people-vs.-elite” split, its dependence on new communication technologies, evolving relationship to political representation, and increasing ubiquity have seen it alter in complex ways that warrant explanation. (Moffitt, Benjamin. The Global Rise of Populism: Performance, Political Style, and Representation. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 2016.)
- The phenomenon of populism demonstrates that classical liberal democracy is not a natural product of history, as many people assumed in the 1990s, but rather an endangered species that requires a tremendous deal of effort to preserve. (Lochocki, Timo. The Rise of Populism in Western Europe a Media Analysis on Failed Political Messaging. Cham, USA: Springer International Publishing, 2018.)
- In addition to undermining democratic institutions, populist leaders utilize narratives to instill fear in the populace about alleged threats that are coming or are already here, positioning themselves as the only one who can bring protection. (O’Shaughnessy, Brendan. “The Rise of Populism.” Keough School – University of Notre Dame. Keough School, 2022.)
Bibliography:
DeHanas, Daniel Nilsson, and Marat Shterin. “Religion and the Rise of Populism.”Religion, State and Society 46, no. 3 (2018): 177–85. Web.
Lochocki, Timo. 2018. The Rise of Populism in Western Europe a Media Analysis on Failed Political Messaging. Cham, USA: Springer International Publishing.
Moffitt, Benjamin. 2016. The Global Rise of Populism: Performance, Political Style, and Representation. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press.
O’Shaughnessy, Brendan. 2022. “The Rise of Populism.” Keough School – University of Notre Dame. Web.
Schulte-Cloos, Julia, and Arndt Leininger. “Electoral Participation, Political Disaffection, and the Rise of the Populist Radical Right.”Party Politics 28, no. 3 (2021): 431–43. Web.
Tabellini, Guido. 2019. “The Rise of Populism.” VOX, CEPR Policy Portal. Web.