Donald Trump’s election is another victory for a worldwide trend of populism…what is it & why is it happening?
(SORRY ABOUT THE FOCUS!)
QUICK NOTE: I really gloss over the identity component of populist rhetoric here - the “purity” of the groups in question (be they red-blooded ‘Muricans or blonde blue-eyed “Aryans”) is a critical component of a lot of this rhetoric. I didn’t want to invoke tribal sensitivity to accusations of racism - race frequently serves this role, but it’s a broader effect than that.
ANOTHER QUICK NOTE: Seriously, guys, the only reason I mentioned Nazis & punching them was because they were populists. The populism is the subject here!!!
Links for the Curious
Foreign Affairs, “The Power of Populism,” a collection of neat articles highlighting some of the potential causes of the global populist trend - https://www.foreignaffairs.com/issues/2016/95/6
The Economist Explains: What is Populism? - http://www.economist.com/blogs/economist-explains/2016/12/economist-explains-18
“Right-wing vs. progressive populism: How to win in these populist Trump times” by Jonathan Matthew Smucker - http://www.salon.com/2016/11/13/right-wing-vs-progressive-populism-how-to-win-in-these-populist-trump-times_partner/