"Populism" Goes The Weasel
A friend, speaking of a candidate for President, asked what's wrong with a little economic populism.
While I sometimes agree with allegedly populist political programs, I do have a problem with populism itself. The reason is simple. By definition, populism pits the "people" versus some elite. It tends to appeal to the worst in people--to their resentments, prejudices and paranoia.
It's trying to rile up a group by blaming someone else (generally by blaming someone who's not entirely at fault, sometimes not even slightly at fault). It's telling the folks "you're good and decent, and you aren't responsible for your own problems--there's a conspiracy of powerful, evil (usually rich) people plotting against you, just so they can screw you over more."
Populism tends to be anti-intellectual and all too often racist, and even when it's done with the best of intentions--even when there's some truth in the message--it's not the politics of reason, but of hatred.
posted by LAGuy @ 12:40 AM
3 Comments:
OK but nonrational emotional appeals to resentment are broader than just the Edwardsian "populism." Scare tactics and the demonization of some grossly caricatured other are hallmarks of arguments about increasing security, declining moral values, diatribes against about government overspending and welfare etc...
Here's the positive spin on populism. The last round of bankruptcy "reform" served to make a fresh start far more difficult to achieve for folks who had gotten into trouble when they had uninsured medical costs or were laid off work. However, credit company special interest lobbyists spent a lot of time and money obfuscating the fact that people in those unforeseen circumstances were a majority of those who seek Chapter 11 discharge. Instead they spun it as "deadbeats" costing the rest of us higher interest rates and fees. Without a helping of populism, they got exactly what they asked for: a very one-sided reform measure.
To anonymous, I would agree that populist appeals have been used by conservative populists too, but I think a line should be drawn when there is a legitimate, demonstrable target of popular resentment. For example, I think the successful attacks of 9/11 and a host of attacks leading up to that event justify popular resentment, fear and anger toward radical islamic terrorists. Unjustified populist fervor would be an extension of those sentiments to the entire class of Muslims, or indeed all foreigners.
The immigration debate is fraught with uncontrolled populism. On the one hand, there are a great number of illegal aliens in the country. The evidence is less established that these illegal aliens are a net detriment to society, but because they are here illegaly, populist demagogues (both Dems and Reps) can harness public discomfort with just about anything and direct it at this group of people.
I do not think concern over government spending and deficits is populist - its rational as it is a real event and threat to society. I do think that political diatribes against a vast, undemonstrable conspiracy of corporations is populism at its worst.
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