Is Hitler the only racist left?

[Louis VI the Fat]

Furunculus, not everybody who favours lower taxes is a populist. But all the rightwing populist parties that are currently sweeping over Europe share roughly the same traits that I described, of which lower taxes is a natural part.

Once in an elected office, especially at the lower levels, these populist politicians almost invariably turn out to be such depressingly inept muppets that even their very own voters are thoroughly put off. And they usually don't have very high standards to begin with.

At the top, Europe's populist parties consist of well educated, sharply dressed people with a deliberate aura of some moderation. This top is usually very narrow. Directly below, below the first ten or twenty members of their organisation, there gapes the abyss already. That army of shady businessmen, taxi drivers, outright criminals and other muppets who fill their ranks and run for elected office. In their minds, they are the ones who ought to run the country.

[Furunculus]

Furunculus, not everybody who favours lower taxes is a populist. But all the rightwing populist parties that are currently sweeping over Europe share roughly the same traits that I described, of which lower taxes is a natural part.

Once in an elected office, especially at the lower levels, these populist politicians almost invariably turn out to be such depressingly inept muppets that even their very own voters are thoroughly put off. And they usually don't have very high standards to begin with.

At the top, Europe's populist parties consist of well educated, sharply dressed people with a deliberate aura of some moderation. This top is usually very narrow. Directly below, below the first ten or twenty members of their organisation, there gapes the abyss already. That army of shady businessmen, taxi drivers, outright criminals and other muppets who fill their ranks and run for elected office. In their minds, they are the ones who ought to run the country.

i accept what you say, specifically, that there are a lot of populist, right-wing parties in continental politics that are deeply unpleasant, that wouldn't get the time of day here, and who i wouldn't want to give the time of day too.

i totally reject the the disdain for populism, especially when among those who laud the actions of the EU.

populism is essentially the acquiescence to the will of the electorate, something that is deeply at odds with the way the EU has handled the whole lisbon constitution/treaty, and i will always jump up and down to point out the fact.

to my mind, the disdain for popularism among much of european political commentary is nothing more than a disdain for the failings of the voter, which is really a contempt for representative democracy.

>I< do not worry about demagogues in Britain, though i do appreciate the problem is more realised elsewhere in the less 'perfect' parts of the world.

[HoreTore]

populism is essentially the acquiescence to the will of the electorate

Funny then, that no populist party gets even close to 50% of the votes during an election....

If they actually represented "the will of the people", surely they'd get much more than 50%?

[Furunculus]

nothing you say above diminishes the concept of "populism", and nothing detracts from the truth that euro-enthusiasts decry populism because it works against their pet enthusiasm; ever-deeper-union.

Populism is a political discourse that juxtaposes "the people" with "the elites." Populism may comprise an ideology urging social and political system changes and/or a rhetorical style deployed by members of political or social movements. It is defined by the Cambridge dictionary as "political ideas and activities that are intended to represent ordinary people's needs and wishes"

[HoreTore]

nothing you say above diminishes the concept of "populism", and nothing detracts from the truth that euro-enthusiasts decry populism because it works against their pet enthusiasm; ever-deeper-union.

So.....

"Elites" are 80% of the population, and "the common people" only represent 20% of the populace?

[Furunculus]

So.....

"Elites" are 80% of the population, and "the common people" only represent 20% of the populace?

que?

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

By the most basic definition - not those of the political flunkies decrying it - populism is precisely as Furunculus defines it. In essence, therefore, populism is the cornerstone of our democracy. Every party does it to an extent, which accounts for HoreTore's post, though some parties more than others. These parties are the ones deemed "no-good uneducated misguided populists" and are thrown aside by the "political class." Ironically, this effectively proves the "populist" argument.

[HoreTore]

By the most basic definition - not those of the political flunkies decrying it - populism is precisely as Furunculus defines it. In essence, therefore, populism is the cornerstone of our democracy. Every party does it to an extent, which accounts for HoreTore's post, though some parties more than others. These parties are the ones deemed "no-good uneducated misguided populists" and are thrown aside by the "political class." Ironically, this effectively proves the "populist" argument.

Please, do explain why populist parties are at best fringe parties.

If they supposedly hold the views of the majority of the population, the common man, then surely they would have the majority of the votes, right?

Or....Perhaps "the common man" actually favours something else...? Election results says he does.

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

Please, do explain why populist parties are at best fringe parties.

If they supposedly hold the views of the majority of the population, the common man, then surely they would have the majority of the votes, right?

Or....Perhaps "the common man" actually favours something else...? Election results says he does.

Because mainstream parties try to portray them as dangerous fringe parties, because the people don't think that the populist parties will get elected, and because when the populist parties latch on to a big issue that threatens to displace the top few ruling parties those parties immediately take hold of that issue and begin to half-heartedly use it in their campaigns to prevent the populist parties from taking their votes.

[Louis VI the Fat]

'Populist' in common parlance does not mean a party which represents the populace at large, or represents the will of the people.

Populist is a pejorative term, for demagoguery, for 'easy' quick-fix solutions, for form over content.

This is why a populist party never refers to itself as such, no more than an environmental party refers to itself as 'tree-huggin' hippies'. Populism is not by definiton rightwing.

A populist party will always claim to represent the true will of the people, usually contrasted to an out-of-touch elite, or an even more sinister conspiracy.

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

'Populist' in common parlance does not mean a party which represents the populace at large, or represents the will of the people.

Yes, in common parlance perhaps, but not in the definition provided. In effect, a democracy can and should run on "populism." Populism is intended to represent the will of the people, even if it does not always precisely do so. If they promote unpopular policies they aren't really populist in the true sense. The danger in representing populism as you do is that when the claim of an out of touch and autocratic elite is legitimate, they are easily demonized and ignored.

[Louis VI the Fat]

Yes, in common parlance perhaps, but not in the definition provided. In effect, a democracy can and should run on "populism."

No, I am afraid you miss the point of the word 'populism'. Populism is a pejorative term. When a populist party is accused of being 'populist', their common answer to this allegation will be to insist that 'We are not populists! We simply represent the will of the people'.

Hugo Chavez is 'a populist'. By this, his critics do not mean he is a fine democrat. What is meant, is that he is a demagogue etc.