Module IV·Article I·~1 min read
Populism: What Is It and Why Has It Triumphed?
Political Challenges of the 21st Century
Turn this article into a podcast
Pick voices, format, length — AI generates the audio
Definition
Populism is a political logic (Ernesto Laclau), not an ideology. It divides society into two camps: "the pure people" vs "the corrupt elite." The populist claims: he is the true voice of the people, everyone else is part of the elite.
Populism can be left-wing (Chávez, Podemos, Sanders) or right-wing (Trump, Orbán, Le Pen). What is common is not an economic program, but the logic: "us versus them," "I speak on behalf of the real people."
Why Did It Emerge?
Three explanations: economic (globalization created losers who received no compensation); cultural (a backlash against progressive value changes, multiculturalism, feminism); institutional (growing distrust of parties, media, experts, parliaments).
None of the explanations is sufficient by itself.
Question for reflection: What "populist" narratives are present in your organization? How can a leader respond to legitimate discontent without undermining institutions?
§ Act · what next