General Discussion

Tom Rinaldo

(22,912 posts)

19. I think the crux of this debate revolves around the terms "populist movement" vs "populist leader"

Wed Jun 24, 2020, 11:27 AM

Jun 2020

It reflects a cart before the horse potential problem. If a supposedly "populist leader" is trying to advance himself/herself through a preexisting political structure by seeking to develop a political following by exploiting ongoing social divisions for his/her own political ends, that is often a formula for danger. In a nut shell it is a wanna be leader trying to corral currents of social discontent into a force of followers that can propel him or her into power. Donald Trump fits that profile. On the other end of that spectrum lies a person like Mahatma Gandhi or Nelson Mandela. They initially rose to civic prominence through their long and hard involvement at the grass roots level building true movements for social justice, in other words they were elevated by the respect they legitimately earned via their accomplishments seeking justice for those denied it.

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29 replies

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What is a populist? [View all] kentuck Jun 2020 OP

Differences in populism between the 2 parties JonLP24 Jun 2020 #1

Umhm. Defined by the current leaders, the LW version was class warfare Hortensis Jun 2020 #4

This message was self-deleted by its author JonLP24 Jun 2020 #6

Class warfare has already been declared by the rich onto the rest of us, how dare we attempt to... Humanist_Activist Jun 2020 #15

Suspect my moving most of my comment to its own post Hortensis Jun 2020 #8

I misread your post so I sent you a reply that had nothing to do with what you said JonLP24 Jun 2020 #10

Oh, been there, done that! :) Hortensis Jun 2020 #11

Demagogues Doc_Technical Jun 2020 #2

A euphemism for "unpopular and crazy?" lagomorph777 Jun 2020 #3

I disagree with significant portions of this academic description Tom Rinaldo Jun 2020 #5

Yours is the imagining of earnest supporters of change, Hortensis Jun 2020 #9

A populist movement can be a tool to destroy a nation. Or it can be a tool to redeem one Tom Rinaldo Jun 2020 #13

Problem is, they almost never redeem. Populist leaders Hortensis Jun 2020 #18

I think the crux of this debate revolves around the terms "populist movement" vs "populist leader" Tom Rinaldo Jun 2020 #19

Good national leaders try to draw everyone Hortensis Jun 2020 #20

A good national leader has a strong moral compass Tom Rinaldo Jun 2020 #24

Yes. And must always be very clear-eyed about what is moral. Hortensis Jun 2020 #26

Here we reach full agreement Tom Rinaldo Jun 2020 #27

:) Nice! Hortensis Jun 2020 #28

The most telling proof that populism is more a harnessed negative energy Hortensis Jun 2020 #7

I've always thought of it as politics for low info folks BannonsLiver Jun 2020 #12

Like Hope and Change JonLP24 Jun 2020 #21

This.... Hotler Jun 2020 #14

As a stand-alone political ideology, it's vague, tricky and poorly defined; as a frame or flavor on WhiskeyGrinder Jun 2020 #16

'Populist' is an abused term, imo empedocles Jun 2020 #17

My guess is it's different depending on country & era. In the US post-1960? Racist. Drunken Irishman Jun 2020 #22

Populism is broadly aimed at "for the people" (e.g. "us") vs power interests and outsiders ("them") brooklynite Jun 2020 #23

Your first paragraph. Is that populism or just the truth? JonLP24 Jun 2020 #25

We also have to think of the term in context of the dominant social and political paradigm. Caliman73 Jun 2020 #29