The truth behind populism
The political philosophy of the people's party — or populism — is often clashing in complex ways with democracy. Populist forces regularly undermine liberal democracy in places such as Latin America and Turkey, prompting policymakers and politicians in Europe to pay closer attention to this development. In this context, the EU-funded project 'Populism in Europe and Latin America: A cross-regional perspective' (POPEUAL) investigated this political doctrine in two major world regions. Articulating a minimal definition of populism to facilitate comparative research, the project looked at different cases, particularly in Europe, Latin America and the United States. It examined radical right-wing parties in western Europe, leftist populist regimes in Latin America and the so-called Party Movement in the United States. Interestingly, the project team found that each has a different interpretation for 'pure people' versus 'corrupt elite', revealing as well how populists preferred majoritarianism over liberal democracy. In another valuable revelation, POPEUAL showed today's populism is addressing two key issues in a way that democracy hasn't been able to. These are the boundary challenge (how to define people) and the limits of self-government (how to control the controllers). Another project result was identification of populist forces that impact democratisation. The project's results are expected to enlighten policymakers, analysts and academics on the different types of populism manifesting themselves around the world. POPEUAL also delivered new tools to decipher the complex relationship between populism and democracy. Notable foundations and institutions have already shown interest in the project's findings. Additionally, several relevant papers and publications emerging from the project have been presented in academic journals. A subsequent research project is now continuing POPEUAL's efforts, delving into issues such as dealing with populists in government and analysing how populist forces relate to constitutionalism. Improved understanding of the pitfalls of populism and its interaction with democracy may eventually contribute to better government models.
Keywords
Populism, political, democracy, right-wing, leftist, pure people, corrupt elite, majoritarianism, boundary challenge, self-government, constitutionalism
