POLI 212 Lecture Notes - Lecture 13: Dealignment, Post-Materialism, Pippa Norris
17 May 2018
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POLI 212 - Lecture 19
04/08/2018
Topic 8: Populism in Europe
● What is populism?
○ Definition still not agreed upon, but generally centers around three themes:
■ 1.) “The people”
● Who are “the people”?
● A “homeland” or “heartland”? “Common people”? “Natives” of
the country?
● An empty signifier that means everything and nothing?
● Give legitimacy to government and aim to bring “the government”
back to “the people”
■ 2.) “The elite”
● Corrupt and in cahoots with each other, prompting “special
interests” above the people’s will
● In conflict with “the people,” who are pure and authentic
● Political elite? Socioeconomic elite? Cultural elite? Media elite?
● Definition suddenly becomes malleable once populists become
part of the elite
■ 3.) “General will”
● Moral, democratizing element, empowers groups who do not feel
represented
● Appeal to “common sense”
● Break “taboos” imposed upon them by the politically-correct “elite
● Implies that the general will is absolute - can legitimate
authoritarian tendencies?
○ Can appear across the political spectrum (“left-wing populism” and “right-wing
populism”)
○ Can appear in degrees (“radical populism”)
○ Can appear in any country
○ Can populism have any benefits?
● Some Causes of Populism
○ Remember: voter dealignment, theory of cleavages, niche parties
○ Demand side
■ Ideology speaks to a current already present in society (re: immigrants,
trust in government, the EU, empowering disadvantaged groups)
● Populist ideas can be found even in countries with no relevant
populist actors
● Activated by social, economic, and political context
find more resources at oneclass.com
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Document Summary
Definition still not agreed upon, but generally centers around three themes: Give legitimacy to government and aim to bring the government back to the people . Corrupt and in cahoots with each other, prompting special interests above the people"s will. In conflict with the people, who are pure and authentic. Definition suddenly becomes malleable once populists become part of the elite. Moral, democratizing element, empowers groups who do not feel represented. Break taboos imposed upon them by the politically-correct elite. Can appear across the political spectrum ( left-wing populism and right-wing populism ) Remember: voter dealignment, theory of cleavages, niche parties. Ideology speaks to a current already present in society (re: immigrants, trust in government, the eu, empowering disadvantaged groups) Populist ideas can be found even in countries with no relevant populist actors. Activated by social, economic, and political context. Principal-agent problem: citizens want their governments to do one thing, but they must do something else.
