What is populism and what is its essence? We’ll try to figure it out.
Origin of the term
The concept of “populism” has a Latin origin. It is derived from the word populus - "people." Also, the term "populism" refers to the French literary school of the beginning of the last century (from French populisme). Its representatives preferred to depict folk life without embellishment. In fact, this literary movement was a kind of naturalism. However, what is populism today?
Modern meaning
The term in our time is purely political, because it is in this area that it is used most often. Its origin is associated with the word "popular." In politics, everything depends on it. But popularity can be achieved in various ways. Very often public figures use all means and methods to enlist the support of the electorate, therefore this concept has a negative meaning.
What is populism? Definition
This is a conscious position or style of rhetoric, aimed at shaping the opinion and preferences of the masses with their help. In politics, this is a consistent line of behavior, which involves putting forward deliberately demagogic and really unrealizable slogans and promises in order to maintain popular popularity or achieve it.
But “populism” and “popularity” are not identical concepts. The latter is almost always used in a positive sense, as well-deserved fame. Populism, on the other hand, is the achievement of the recognition of a people by a deliberately fraudulent means, through ghostly promises, as well as the manipulation of people's trust, values and expectations.
A synonym for the concept is empty, impossible obligations. For example, many political figures in the elections guarantee pensions, a multiple increase in wages, and a significant reduction in prices. Economically, such big words are very often unreasonable, that is, they cannot be fulfilled in a given situation.
Main methods
Having found out what populism is, let's move on to its main techniques:
- Attempts to adapt to the mood and demands of the people. For example, using the growth of anti-Caucasian trends in Russian society, many nationalist politicians put forward extremist slogans: “Russia for Russians”, “Dagestanis do not belong here” and the like. Moreover, they are well aware that the Caucasus, like many other regions, is part of a multinational single country. Their inhabitants are the same citizens of the Russian Federation, who have equal constitutional rights and freedoms throughout the state. Politicians who put forward such slogans understand this very well, but they continue to act in this direction to increase support for the electorate.
- The use of the mentality of the average layman. It is no secret that most citizens do not fully understand all the geopolitical and macroeconomic subtleties of governance. For example, you can’t raise everyone’s wages or strengthen the national ruble exchange rate with a wave of a magic wand. But populists, using simplified formulations and a minimum of theory, agitate the masses, saying that the requirements at this stage are feasible. They even give a phased plan for the implementation of their program, written in a language understood by millions of people. However, they are well aware of the futility of such promises. Their main task is to win the election and get to power.
- Speech on behalf of a simple person. This is a deliberately created illusion of "your own guy from the people." Such politicians very often use popular proverbs and sayings in public speeches.
- Direct contact with voters. At such rallies and meetings, populist statements on emotional grounds are most often put forward.
- Speculation on the faith of people in the existing simple and easy way out of economic and political crises. Although politicians are well aware that this is impossible even theoretically, since any crisis is systemic. It leads to a serious failure of many social institutions. As a rule, overcoming the crisis is always difficult and is accompanied by serious upheavals.
- The use of unresolved state problems in their favor.
The difference from the opposition
Based on the above methods, some citizens to the question: "What is populism?" - they can answer that this is the opposition, and they will be wrong. Indeed, most of these politicians are not at the helm of power. But using populism, you can quickly get to it. For example, win the election, discredit the current government. But it is not true to believe that all opposition members are populists. In addition, many politicians who are already in power also become populists. Feeling the loss of voters' confidence, they also begin to resort to such methods. But for them it is much more dangerous: unlike the opposition, the promises of the current government are taken much more seriously, their hopes are pinned much more, and if the promises are not fulfilled, people react more sharply to this.
Conditions for the emergence of populism
But such a phenomenon does not develop from scratch. As a rule, populism gains the greatest influence in a society where there is an economic, political, or other type of crisis. Then people are in a state of heightened anxiety and experience a natural desire to quickly get out of a difficult situation.
Summary
So what is populism? Social science defines it as a method of political influence based on false promises. In particular, in a game with the confidence of voters. If each person will clearly understand what populism is, to know its methods, then only smart and competent leaders will come to politics. Consequently, the welfare of the state and citizens will improve significantly.