What is populism?

I saw a really old thread on this but I didn't want to revive it.
Old users were saying things like populists are right wing and saying the word is basically "useless" but I don't understand what that term means. What is the difference between left wing and right wing populism? Who are the 'elite'?

(edited 5 years ago)

Reply 1

londonmyst

Political populism seem to be an emphasis upon reacting to the existing grassroots concerns of "the people" or new policy ideas aimed at appealing to ordinary people instead of "the elite" (big business/privileged few/the establishment).
Terms like "the will of the people" or

As regards place on the political spectrum, populism can go left or right.
It can also borrow from both sides but put a lot of emphasize upon single factors (like economic liberalisation, highly authoritarian law & order, anti-austerity/anti-globalism, immigration).
Left wing populists like Jeremy Corbyn.
More right wing like Italy's Five Star Movement.
Economic liberalism like Emanuel Macron.
Very authoritarian on law & order like the Philippines' President Duterte.
Anti austerity like the governing Syriza Party of Greece.

Its not really a new thing, the late Hugo Chavez was a Venezuelan populist last decade.

Reply 2

Axiomasher

Simplistic promises that appeal to the emotions of the politically/economically uneducated, can come from any direction but is most strongly associated with the right-wing. UKIP is a good example.

Reply 3

DrMikeHuntHertz

At the moment it means anything the libtards don't like.

Reply 4

ColinDent

Original post by DrMikeHuntHertz

At the moment it means anything the libtards don't like.

Certainly does, the word populism seems to have been used to try to underplay issues that are being felt by the working class oiks that should know their place.
Post #3 is a perfect example.

Reply 5

LostAccount

Populism doesn't mean anything beyond the other side denouncing something as being catered towards plebs of the lowest intellectual denominator who are easily led.

For example, many call Orban a populist because they think his voters are uneducated and the great unwashed are too easily led astray, and equally many call Corbyn a populist because they think his voters have two brain cells shared between them all.

In other words, ignore it. The only thing populist means literally is doing what the people want, since after all there are politicians who only care about what corporations or what trade unions want. A populist is someone who listens to the people (or a particular group within) and carries out their whims, for better or worse.

Reply 6

MrSuavetopia

Original post by londonmyst

Ignore the other nonsense here OP, this is a good summary.

Reply 7

Davij038

The establishment are very wealthy powerful people imbedded across governments, corporations, hollywood, banks, media and NGOs. They have been the dominant political power for almost a century.

They favour policies including foreign intervention, global capitalism, free trade and open borders as well as the subversion of traditional norms and institutions under the pretence of freedom. Hilary Clinton/ Obama/ Tony Blair/ George Soros/ Mark Zuckerberg/ Harvey Weinstein/ are the poster children of the movement.

Left or right wing wing populists are people who suppprt some aspects of their agenda but not others.

On the left this takes the form of rejection of their economic agenda, on the right this takes the form of rejection of the social agenda. The establishment will attack left or right wing populists such as Corbyn/ Trump but will ultimately tolerate them as they are half blind and thus unable to properly defeat the establishments agenda. Only by combining the left and right critique of the establishment t can they truly be seen.

And that’s called national socialism folks.

(edited 5 years ago)

Trump is a populist

Original post by Davij038

The same national socialism that was adopted by Oswold Mosley and widely known as fascism amongst his support base?
The national socialism of the NSDAP, better known as the nazis?
Never again.

Reply 10

username1148663