Populism: A Sheep in Wolf’s Clothing

In 2016, support for populism erupted across the United States of America and catapulted Donald Trump into the Office of President.

Trump, symbol of populism

Furthermore, despite his defeat in 2020, Trump has returned as America’s President in 2024, specifically because his populist platform has continued to resonate with the American people and has generated electric support for the GOP.

As a result, populism has dominated the modern news cycle and all contemporary political discourse for nearly a decade.

Moreover, due to the fact that populism has invariably been associated with President Trump since the outset of his first presidential campaign, populist ideology has inevitably become verboten throughout the international political system.

In fact, since the advent of Trump’s first presidency in 2016, countless political actors and organizations have started to condemn populism as a malignant threat to any democracy and antithetical to all democratic political processes.

For example, the Council on Foreign Relations contends that “… populist leaders [attack] democratic norms” and that President Trump has  “… clashed with democratic institutions over the course of his presidency … [specifically because he] is an authoritarian populist.” In addition, CFR has frequently regurgitated the left’s tired claim that democracy in America has been relentlessly undermined by the outbreak of populism in post-Trump America.

Populism works with democracy, not against it

However, although populism and democracy have inevitably been misconstrued as utterly dissimilar and diametrically opposed, it is clear that populism and democracy are not at all mutually exclusive or inherently antagonistic.

Rather, if populism is earnestly compared and contrasted with democracy, then it immediately becomes readily apparent that populism and democracy are remarkably similar.

Firstly, populism and democracy both confirm that individual people are, unequivocally, the most important aspect of any state, and that, within any nation, the populace must necessarily govern itself. Furthermore, populism and democracy both argue that pursuing the needs of its citizens is the fundamental purpose of every state and that any truly democratic and ethical state is merely an instrument for the will of its people. In fact, populism and democracy both agree that a state’s national interests are actually indistinguishable from the will and the needs of its people. More importantly, populism and democracy both contend that if a state does not pursue the needs and the will of its populace, then it has become corrupt and must be immediately reformed.

Individual human rights

Moreover, populism and democracy both agree that the individual human rights of every person are of paramount import and utterly inviolable. Verily, populism and democracy are both inherently predicated upon an ardent, unending crusade to preserve and protect the fundamental human rights, liberties, and autonomy of every individual person. Therefore, populism and democracy both enshrine every person’s basic human rights and freedoms as sacrosanct and constantly endeavor to safeguard them against any transgression. In fact, populism and democracy both agree that even a state’s most urgent needs and political objectives cannot supersede or circumvent the rights and freedoms of its people.

In addition, populism and democracy both contend that a free-market economy is the ideal economic mode, as well as the only ethical economic system. In truth, populism and democracy both emphatically agree that any socialist state or communist economy is not merely grossly inefficient and utterly unproductive, but also quintessentially immoral and constantly in conflict with the fundamental human rights of its populace. Furthermore, populism and democracy both emphatically reject every aspect of a hierarchical, stratified society and constantly attempt to provide every citizen with an identical opportunity not merely to participate in the political process, but to earnestly self-determine economically, as well as politically.

Summary

Therefore, despite the fact that populism has been relentlessly disparaged by left-wing politicians and pundits as a severe threat to every state and antithetical to any democracy, it is clear that populism and democracy are not at all diametrically opposed or at all inherently antagonistic.

Rather, if populism is earnestly compared and contrasted with democracy, then it immediately becomes evident that populism and democracy are actually overwhelmingly similar and happily share various foundational principles and values.

More importantly, despite the fact that left-wing pundits and politicians have persistently invoked the “ghoul of populism” in an attempt to frighten and shame people away from the right wing of the political spectrum post-Trump, it is readily apparent that “populism” is merely the moniker the left has imposed upon any unwanted right-wing political outcomes and conservative results, in an effort to ignore the bedrock of any democracy: its people.

This article was originally published by RealClearPolitics and made available via RealClearWire.