What is Populism

* maizie* have a good hair do!! Good to talk - speak later.

ankers brilliant!!!!!!!

A demigod is not a demagogue!! And indeed vice versa.

This is such an interesting discussion. I'd love to contribute but I've had someone here all morning and now am off to the hairdressers.

I thought demagogue meant something like someone pretending to be 1/2 God!



That really made me laugh! I was so puzzled by your thinking that Trump is not a demagogue!!

And admire you for admitting your mistake

Part of my post vanished. Should have read "Countries with which he will be doing trade deals and influencing their internal policies to suit his profit margins"

I will post later.

A map of the world with Trump's business interests marked.
edition.cnn.com/2016/11/28/politics/trump-foreign-businesses/

Apologies!
I thought I knew what demagogue meant, but when I looked it up, I found I didn't.
I thought demagogue meant something like someone pretending to be 1/2 God!

In what sense is Trump not a demagogue?

Trump IS one of those rich and powerful ones. Have you seen a map of all the countries where he has business and financial interests? Countries with which he will be doing trade deals and infl

He says that he is handing over his business to his sones - but that is not hand over very far, is it? amd the other half of his family has been appointed to various powerful positions in his administration. A bit like the queen appointing all her children, grandchildren and nieces and nephews to positions of power here.

Obviously Trump's rise has been the result of an organised political machine and financing. However, I don't think the people who voted for him are organised in knowing what they really want. They are objecting to things they don't want, but I haven't seen any evidence that alternatives have been thought through. I don't think anybody really knows which directions Trump is heading and that's what makes the future so frightening. None of us really knows what forces are going to step in. In that sense, this is classic populism.

Whitewave. Trump.

Who would say he is a demagogue? Not me, that is for sure!

And who is doing this for Trump? ^ backed by the rich and powerful whose interests they pursue.^

No, ankers it is people from all shades of political opinion who distrust it,
Is it?
I dont think I agree with that.

those who can look back at previous examples of where populism (that is, unorganised pseudo democracy, rule by a mob led by dissatisfied revolutionary zealots) and look ahead at where we could be going.
I cant say that people can say that Trump etc is "unorganised pseudo democracy"
Or are you saying that the American election was not bone fide, in which case where is the evidence.
I think what you are talking about and thinking about is a different thing to what we now have.

I think then to sum up my argument today is to say that populism subverts democracy, in as much as the people who put their trust in a demagogue, do so in the trust that their life will improve, but in fact the demagogue are backed by the rich and powerful whose interests they pursue.

What is needed is a more radical mainstream form of democracy of any colour.

No, ankers it is people from all shades of political opinion who distrust it, those who can look back at previous examples of where populism (that is, unorganised pseudo democracy, rule by a mob led by dissatisfied revolutionary zealots) and look ahead at where we could be going.

It now seems to be the left who like the "experts" and the "elites"!

It seems to be that those on the left are frightened of "ordinary" people. Their votes and opinions. In other words, democracy.

X-posts. I wouldn't dream of calling you thick.

So back to my stall

There is a difference however between the populism of the nineteenth century and today's form of populism.

Whilst the 19thC argued for enfranchisement of the whole, we know that we have already established that today's populism has exclusive effects.

Unfortunately these demagogues will not be stopped by calls for dialogue or hopes that populism will burn itself out. We need to return to more a more radical form of democracy.

Yes, I thought we'd be able to agree on that one

ana well that's ok then

Perhaps I am just too thick to understand it all!

elegran you are so good and describing what I am trying to say in approachable language (smile)

I really didn't mean that remark to be a put-down, whitewave - the subject is obviously of interest to you and others on here.

I was in fact responding to Elegran's assertion that whatever you write will be torn apart by posters of one view or other (or both).

You certainly know how to put someone down don't you ana? I'm blessed with knowing no one in RL with the ability to throw such barbed comments.