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I'm confused by this article presenting populism as not democratic. If people are freely voting directly, that's democracy (rule by the people). Whether or not
by malandrew 7y ago
I'm confused by this article presenting populism as not democratic. If people are freely voting directly, that's democracy (rule by the people). Whether or not their voting decisions are driven by populism doesn't mean it ceases to be democratic. Populism if anything is the pathological case of democracy. Democracy is essentially mob rule and one reason the US was set up as a republic using representative democracy instead of direct democracy.
Furthermore, this article only talks about right-wing populism and completely elides left-wing populism. The two go hand in hand, fueling one another because of reactionary-ism.
- mar77i 7y ago> I'm confused by this article presenting populism as not democratic. Don't worry, the article and/or the underlying scripture appear to be confused about that, too.
- blacksmith_tb 7y agoIt's considered one of the fundamental pitfalls of democracy[1]. 1: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyranny_of_the_majority https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyranny_of_the_majority
- Fjolsvith 7y agoIts a good thing that America isn't a democracy. [1] 1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic
- blacksmith_tb 7y agoIt may or may not be a good thing, but your quip certainly hints at the kind of structural choices that have gone into the design of the federal government (for example the two houses of congress).
- dredmorbius 7y agoPopulism is generally predicated on one cohort of the population denying democratic rights to another or other cohorts. Where it is, imposes, or results in authoritarianism, it's inherently anti-democratic.
- Fjolsvith 7y agoIts good that the Bill of Rights in the US Constitution prevent cohorts from doing this.
- dredmorbius 7y agoHistory suggests a poor record of compliance.
- Fjolsvith 7y agoThat's only with the people who don't uphold the Constitution.
- dragonwriter 7y agoUnfortunately, tyrants—inclulding demagogic ones—rarely uphold laws that interfere with their tyranny.
- dragonwriter 7y agoLike other laws, it doesn't prevent anything. At best, it provides people who are inclined to prevent it a framework which helps avoid getting so bogged down in unending debates about where to draw lines about the boundaries as to never be able to take coordinated action. At worst it demobilizes action when people get the mistaken idea that the existence of a law is sufficient to guarantee correct behavior without vigilance.