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| − | '''Populism''' is a political term describing a political agenda that aims to favor the ordinary person over the [[elitism|elite]]. It is an agenda that appeals outside the norms acceptable to the establishment political class and its supportive [[mainstream media]]. | + | {{See also|Conservative populism}} |
| | + | '''Populism''' is a political term describing a political agenda that aims to favor the ordinary person over the [[elitism|elite]]. It is an agenda that appeals outside the norms acceptable to the establishment political class and its supportive [[mainstream media]]. '''Populism can be [[conservative]] or [[liberal]], and some view the political "spectrum" as a circle whereby the far-Left and far-Right join.''' Many supporters of [[Bernie Sanders]] voted for [[Donald Trump]], for example. The frontrunner for [[NYC]] [[mayor]] in 2025, [[Zohran Mamdani]], is a [[Leftist]] populist. |
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| − | Examples of populist legislation include the [[Right to Try Act]], which was opposed by the [[FDA]], [[Big Pharma]], and their political allies. Opposition to [[globalism]] and unlimited [[immigration]] is also a populist view. | + | Examples of populist legislation include the [[Right to Try Act]], which was opposed by the [[FDA]], [[Big Pharma]], and their political allies. Opposition to [[globalism]] and unlimited [[immigration]] is also a populist view. [[Donald Trump]] has strong populist support, and became the leader of [[conservative populism]] attracting 50,000 for a rally in the small town of [[Pickens]], [[South Carolina]] on July 1, 2023. Former Rep. [[Tulsi Gabbard]] (D-HI) is a populist. [[Italy]]'s [[Giorgia Meloni]], who swept into power in September 2022, is also a [[conservative]] populist.<ref>https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/sep/24/italy-right-georgia-meloni-after-election-voting-closes</ref> |
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| − | Populism can have both [[conservative]] and [[liberal]] elements. The [[Populist Party]] in the U.S. in the 1890s was a left-leaning coalition of leftist farmers and workers, who opposed the [[gold]]-only monetary standard. In the late 20th century [[Ronald Reagan]] and other [[conservative]]s adopted populist themes, attacking elites, such as federal judges and the [[lamestream media|national media]], as too distant from the people, and calling for more power to the people. | + | A populist focuses on the basic preferences and wishes of ordinary people, while an [[elitist]] tries unsuccessfully to extrapolate from his own unusual privileges and experiences. Professors and [[hedge fund]] traders are examples of elitists. |
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| | + | Populism can have both [[conservative]] and [[liberal]] elements. Voters who supported both [[Bernie Sanders]] and [[Donald Trump]] are populists. The [[Populist Party]] in the U.S. in the 1890s was a left-leaning coalition of leftist farmers and workers, who opposed the [[gold]]-only monetary standard. In the late 20th century [[Ronald Reagan]] and other [[conservative]]s adopted populist themes, attacking elites, such as federal judges and the [[lamestream media|national media]], as too distant from the people, and calling for more power to the people. |
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| | Since 1900 famous populist leaders in the U.S. included [[Huey Long]] campaigning from the left in the 1930s, [[George Wallace]] (combining both left and right elements) in the 1968 presidential election, and [[Ronald Reagan]] and [[Donald Trump]] from the right in the 1980 and 2016 presidential elections, respectively. Among [[U.S.]] [[Senators]], [[Ron Johnson]] (R-WI) is perhaps the leading populist in the early 21st century. | | Since 1900 famous populist leaders in the U.S. included [[Huey Long]] campaigning from the left in the 1930s, [[George Wallace]] (combining both left and right elements) in the 1968 presidential election, and [[Ronald Reagan]] and [[Donald Trump]] from the right in the 1980 and 2016 presidential elections, respectively. Among [[U.S.]] [[Senators]], [[Ron Johnson]] (R-WI) is perhaps the leading populist in the early 21st century. |
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| | In late December 2020 amidst a massive "coronavirus relief" spending bill being passed by Congress, anti-establishment, populist-leaning politicians from both sides including [[Tulsi Gabbard]]<ref>[https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2020/12/22/dem_rep_tulsi_gabbard_why_i_voted_against_the_5500-page_covid_spending_bill.html Dem Rep. Tulsi Gabbard: Why I Voted Against The 5,500-Page COVID Spending Bill]</ref> (D-HI) and [[Andy Biggs]]<ref>[https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2020/12/22/biggs-covid-relief-bill-should-be-vetoed-by-pocket-veto/ Biggs: COVID Relief Bill ‘Should Be Vetoed’ by Pocket Veto]</ref> (R-AZ) criticized and denounced the [[pork-barrel legislation]] that only included $600 stimulus checks for Americans, with some far-left Democrats even concurring with [[President Trump]]'s call for a larger sum of $2,000 checks.<ref>[https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/531393-ossoff-backs-trumps-call-for-2k-checks Georgia Senate candidate Ossoff backs Trump's call for $2K checks]</ref> However, establishmentarians such as [[Amy Klobuchar]] opposed Trump's proposal to further help Americans.<ref>[https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2020/12/22/klobuchar-we-have-the-votes-to-override-covid-relief-veto-trump-should-not-be-doing-this-right-now/ Klobuchar: ‘We Have the Votes’ to Override COVID Relief Veto, Trump ‘Should Not Be Doing This Right Now’]</ref> | | In late December 2020 amidst a massive "coronavirus relief" spending bill being passed by Congress, anti-establishment, populist-leaning politicians from both sides including [[Tulsi Gabbard]]<ref>[https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2020/12/22/dem_rep_tulsi_gabbard_why_i_voted_against_the_5500-page_covid_spending_bill.html Dem Rep. Tulsi Gabbard: Why I Voted Against The 5,500-Page COVID Spending Bill]</ref> (D-HI) and [[Andy Biggs]]<ref>[https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2020/12/22/biggs-covid-relief-bill-should-be-vetoed-by-pocket-veto/ Biggs: COVID Relief Bill ‘Should Be Vetoed’ by Pocket Veto]</ref> (R-AZ) criticized and denounced the [[pork-barrel legislation]] that only included $600 stimulus checks for Americans, with some far-left Democrats even concurring with [[President Trump]]'s call for a larger sum of $2,000 checks.<ref>[https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/531393-ossoff-backs-trumps-call-for-2k-checks Georgia Senate candidate Ossoff backs Trump's call for $2K checks]</ref> However, establishmentarians such as [[Amy Klobuchar]] opposed Trump's proposal to further help Americans.<ref>[https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2020/12/22/klobuchar-we-have-the-votes-to-override-covid-relief-veto-trump-should-not-be-doing-this-right-now/ Klobuchar: ‘We Have the Votes’ to Override COVID Relief Veto, Trump ‘Should Not Be Doing This Right Now’]</ref> |
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| − | ==Conservative populism== | + | ==Conservative and right-wing populism== |
| | {{See also|Right-wing populism}} | | {{See also|Right-wing populism}} |
| − | New conservative parties formed Europe in the late 20th century are adopting a populist style, often criticizing mass immigration.<ref>Hans-George Betz, "The New Politics of Resentment: Radical Right-Wing Populist Parties in Western Europe ", ''Comparative Politics,'' Vol. 25, No. 4 (Jul., 1993), pp. 413-427 [http://www.jstor.org/stable/422034 in JSTOR] | + | New conservative parties formed in Europe in the late 20th century are adopting a populist style, often criticizing mass immigration.<ref>Hans-George Betz, "The New Politics of Resentment: Radical Right-Wing Populist Parties in Western Europe ", ''Comparative Politics,'' Vol. 25, No. 4 (Jul., 1993), pp. 413-427 [http://www.jstor.org/stable/422034 in JSTOR] |
| | Abstract</ref> | | Abstract</ref> |
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| | Conservative populism has often been attacked by [[liberal]]s as "radical right", falsely implying that it is somehow beyond the bounds of legitimate debate. | | Conservative populism has often been attacked by [[liberal]]s as "radical right", falsely implying that it is somehow beyond the bounds of legitimate debate. |
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| | + | Professor [[Eric Kaufmann]] says about a graph showing the correlation between the projected growth of the Muslim population and the rise of right-wing nationalism in a country: |
| | + | {{Cquote|Figure 1 shows an important relationship between projected Muslim population share in 2030 and support for the populist right across 16 countries in Western Europe. Having worked with IIASA World Population Program researchers who generated cohort-component projections of Europe’s Muslim population for Pew in 2011, I am confident their projections are the most accurate and rigorous available. I put this together with election and polling data for the main West European populist right parties using the highest vote share or polling result I could find. Note the striking 78 percent correlation (R2 of .61) between projected Muslim share in 2030, a measure of both the level and rate of change of the Muslim population, and the best national result each country’s populist right has attained."<ref>[https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2017/03/18/why-the-fear-of-islamization-is-driving-populist-right-support-and-what-to-do-about-it/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Europp+%28EUROPP+-+European+Politics+and+Policy+at+LSE%29 Why the fear of Islamization is driving populist right support – and what to do about it], Eric Kaufmann</ref>}} |
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| | + | Samuel P. Huntington's thesis on ''The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order'' keeps getting vindicated. |
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| | ==Populism and Progressivism== | | ==Populism and Progressivism== |
| | Populism and [[Progressivism]], while sometimes have gone hand in hand, remain two distinct notions. Fundamentally, populism is [[democracy|democratic]], even if at times it has a wrongheaded approach, as can occur; whereas Progressivism is fundamentally anti-democratic and the road to [[technocracy]] and [[authoritarianism]]. | | Populism and [[Progressivism]], while sometimes have gone hand in hand, remain two distinct notions. Fundamentally, populism is [[democracy|democratic]], even if at times it has a wrongheaded approach, as can occur; whereas Progressivism is fundamentally anti-democratic and the road to [[technocracy]] and [[authoritarianism]]. |
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| | + | Longtime [[liberal]] representative [[Marcy Kaptur]] has been considered in some respects a progressive populist<ref>Gray, Eliza (August 26, 2019). [https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/magazine/wp/2019/08/26/feature/the-quiet-endurance-of-marcy-kaptur/ The Quiet Endurance of Marcy Kaptur]. ''The Washington Post''. Retrieved February 2, 2021.</ref><ref>Eaton, Sabrina (December 1, 2020). [https://www.cleveland.com/open/2020/12/panel-bypasses-rep-marcy-kaptur-for-house-appropriations-committee-chair.html Panel bypasses Rep. Marcy Kaptur for House Appropriations Committee chair]. ''cleveland.com''. Retrieved February 2, 2021.</ref> for her consistent stance in opposing "[[free trade]]" agreements.<ref>[https://www.ontheissues.org/OH/Marcy_Kaptur.htm Marcy Kaptur on the Issues]. ''On the Issues''. Retrieved February 2, 2021.</ref> While [[anti-Trump]], she praised the president's steel tariffs in early March 2018.<ref>Fox, Michelle (March 2, 2018). [https://www.cnbc.com/2018/03/02/democratic-congresswoman-supports-trumps-tariffs-we-cant-afford-to-lose-us-steel-production.html Democratic congresswoman supports Trump’s tariffs: We can’t afford to lose US steel production]. ''CNBC''. Retrieved February 2, 2021.</ref> Kaptur has noted her party's establishment to be out-of-touch with working-class Americans.<ref>Stanage, Niall (February 2, 2021). [https://thehill.com/homenews/house/536860-the-memo-ohio-dem-says-many-in-party-cant-understand-working-class-concerns The Memo: Ohio Dem says many in party 'can't understand' working-class concerns]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved February 2, 2021.</ref> |
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| | ==See also== | | ==See also== |
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| | * Kazin, Michael. ''The Populist Persuasion: An American History'' (1995), 380pp, the standard history, by a liberal historian | | * Kazin, Michael. ''The Populist Persuasion: An American History'' (1995), 380pp, the standard history, by a liberal historian |
| | ====Notes==== | | ====Notes==== |
| − | <references/>
| + | {{reflist}} |
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| | [[Category:Political Ideologies]] | | [[Category:Political Ideologies]] |
| | [[Category:Political Terms]] | | [[Category:Political Terms]] |