Changes

==The Old Testament's warning of populism==

==The Old Testament's warning of populism==

{{cquote|And it came to pass after this, that Absalom prepared him chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him. And Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate: and it was so, that when any man that had a controversy came to the king for judgment, then Absalom called unto him, and said, Of what city art thou? And he said, Thy servant is of one of the tribes of Israel. And Absalom said unto him, See, thy matters are good and right; but there is no man deputed of the king to hear thee. Absalom said moreover, Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man which hath any suit or cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice! And it was so, that when any man came nigh to him to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took him, and kissed him. And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment: so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.|||[[2 Samuel]] 15:1–6}}

{{cquote|And it came to pass after this, that [[Absalom]] prepared him chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him. And Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate: and it was so, that when any man that had a controversy came to the king for judgment, then Absalom called unto him, and said, Of what city art thou? And he said, Thy servant is of one of the tribes of Israel. And Absalom said unto him, See, thy matters are good and right; but there is no man deputed of the king to hear thee. Absalom said moreover, Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man which hath any suit or cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice! And it was so, that when any man came nigh to him to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took him, and kissed him. And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment: so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.|||[[2 Samuel]] 15:1–6}}

Absalom's behavior appears to the model for various populistic, socialistic demagogues of our time such as [[Donald Trump]], [[Bernie Sanders]], [[Stacy Abrams]], [[Kari Lake]], [[Paul Gosar]], [[Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez]], [[Tim Ryan]], [[Tucker Carlson]], etc. etc. It's all the same form of propaganda, telling their audiences, "if only you proletariat comrades had a great leader like me in charge instead of the petty elitist bourgeoisie!" This is precise what socialist<ref>If one considers "Trumpists" a social group, which it certainly is, then "Trumpism" is nothing more than socialism. For Communists it's class socialism, Nazis racial socialism, Islamists ethnoreligious socialism, and Trumpists their own respective, unique socialist order.</ref> Trumpists ''ad hoc'' propagate, albeit in their style.

Absalom's behavior appears to the model for various populistic, socialistic demagogues of our time such as [[Donald Trump]], [[Bernie Sanders]], [[Stacy Abrams]], [[Kari Lake]], [[Paul Gosar]], [[Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez]], [[Tim Ryan]], [[Tucker Carlson]], etc. etc. It's all the same form of propaganda, telling their audiences, "if only you proletariat comrades had a great leader like me in charge instead of the petty elitist bourgeoisie!" This is precise what socialist<ref>If one considers "Trumpists" a social group, which it certainly is, then "Trumpism" is nothing more than socialism. For Communists it's class socialism, Nazis racial socialism, Islamists ethnoreligious socialism, and Trumpists their own respective, unique socialist order.</ref> Trumpists ''ad hoc'' propagate, albeit in their style.