Populism and the Far Right

Populism (Mudde & Kaltwasser)

A thin-centred ideology that considers society to be ultimately separated into two homogeneous and antagonistic groups—'the pure people' and 'the corrupt elite'—and argues that politics should be an expression of the general will of the people.

Authoritarianism

A belief in a strictly ordered society where infringements on authority are severely punished

Nativism

A belief that states should be inhabited exclusively by the ‘native’ group and that non-native elements are fundamentally threatening

Democracy

Popular sovereignty and majority rule

Liberal democracy

Popular sovereignty, majority rule and:

Constitutional protection of minority rights, freedom of expression, alternative information source

Tension between liberal democracy and populism

Populism’s monism (belief in a single general will) is hostile to:

Pluralism: if the people have one will, then there can't be multiple separate legitimate group interests that require negotiation/compromise

The protection of minorities: any constraint on the unified will of the people is an elite obstruction. Minorities who dissent aren't legitimate political actors merely exercising their rights, but rather members of the 'corrupt elite'

Institutional centres of power: politics should be an unmediated expression of the general will

Potential positive effects of populism on democracy

Gives voice to groups that are genuinely underrepresented by elites (economic integration in Latin America)

Mobilises excludes segments of society (the underclass) ensuring their representation

Implements policies preferred by marginalised groups

Builds cross-class coalitions, dynamising party systems

Potential negative effects of populism on democracy

Uses popular sovereignty to override checks and balances

Uses majority rule to ignore/violate minority rights

Creates a populist/anti-populist cleavages that impedes the ability to build stable coalitions

Moralises politics, which strongly discourages compromise

Exclusionary populism

Predominantly European: the people are defined in ethnic/nativist terms, and political participation is reserved for these - while the elite are the 'corrupt' multicultural establishment

There arises a third type of enemy; those within the state but outside the nation

Inclusionary populism

Predominantly Latin American: the people are defined as the socio-economic underdog, while the elite are the corrupt oligarchic establishment