College of Political Knowledge

Subject:  Political Theory

Oh boy, a new year and new crap to report!

There seems to be a ground swell (at last according to the MSM) on a little known and less understood political theory of POPULISM.

The term is batted around like there is no tomorrow….but what is it?  Is it creeping socialism?  Or maybe a trip down a road we would not like?  Just what is this new form of political thought?

Let me do the work for you…..please give your Google finger a rest….I am sure that it is overworked because it is easier than reading……

Populism is a political philosophy which focuses on standing up for the rights and positions of the common people as opposed to the elite and the government. Several political movements around the world have promoted populist ideals. When used to describe political rhetoric, an individual or a political party, the term often carries pejorative connotations, and “populism” has become a loaded word to many people.

For the Common Man

The key ideal behind populism is that the common man should have a chance in society and an active role in government. Populist movements generally divide society into “the people” and “the elite,” with individuals who have limited power being considered the people and individuals who have clout being among the elite. The elite typically are wealthy and often use their wealth to influence the political system while accruing more wealth. Populists typically feel that the government protects the interests of the elite, not the needs of the common people, and they want that to change.

In Support of Democracy

People who espouse populism generally support democratic systems and believe that democracy is the best way for the people to play a role in the government. Although they promote the welfare of the common man, populists tend to shy away from socialism and extreme liberalism. Politicians from various political parties or viewpoints can be involved in populism, and politicians might accuse each other of pandering or playing to populism in an attempt to get support and votes.

For the Greatest Good

These sorts of political movements are designed to encourage governments and society in general to work to provide the greatest good to the greatest number of people. This might be achieved through policies and pieces of legislation that support ordinary people. Populist movements, however, often reject policy suggestions such as living-wage mandates, public assistance and government-sponsored healthcare, even though these policies are often designed to help the members of the public who are most in need.

Negative Uses

Some people are fond of using the terms “populist” and “populism” in descriptions of public outcry over political events. People might be said to be “erupting in populist rage” when they lodge complaints about flagrant abuses of power among the elite or when there is backlash against a government pushing through legislation that does little to benefit the lower and middle classes. In this sense, these terms might be pejorative in nature and are often used to suggest that the public is too ignorant or short-sighted to understand what is really taking place.

There you have a concise and yet simple definition that anyone can grasp….well just about anyone.

It seems that populism does not conform to traditional Right/Left paradigm……the Tea Party is said to be a populist movement…..meaning that it is suppose to be all about the rights and the need of the people.  People like Rand Paul have been labeled a “populist” and even Ted Cruz is being seen as such.  It appears that the extreme Right of the GOP is being seen as “populists”.

And then there is the Left version of populism….aka the Occupy Movement….it is all about the need for democracy, true democracy and the work of the common people against the Wall Street elites that are doing as they please without any constraints.  On the Left people like Eliz. Warren and Bernie Sanders are called “populists”…..I guess we could say it is the extreme Left of the Dem. Party.

All eyes have been locked on Hillary Clinton in relation to the 2016 Democratic nomination. However, could 2016 be similar to 2008 when an up-and-coming candidate to Clinton’s left beat her out of the top spot? Supporters of progressive-minded politicians like Elizabeth Warren, Senator from Massachusetts, certainly think so. Report from the Washington Post: For […]

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George Wallace was a populist……..the Black Panther Party was a populist movement…..and even Mao’s Cultural Revolution can be seen as populist movements….my point is that to call something a populist movement is just BS……basically, to me, it is nothing more than an anti-intellectual movement that depends on slogans and half ass science as its roots….it is party politics with a new name to avoid being type cast……