The precise meaning of populism refers to a society in which there is a belief in two opposing groups: ‘the pure people’ and ‘the corrupt elite’. Populism is the philosophy which claims to represent ‘the will of the people’ against the elite. However, the term is generally misused, particularly by politicians against their opponents, claiming that these opponents make unrealistic claims in order to gain support from ‘the masses’.
Populist movements have been on the rise in Europe and the USA, particularly since the financial crisis of 2008. Their policies are usually anti-immigration, nationalist (claiming that national sovereignty is under threat from ‘outsiders’) and authoritarian (claiming that there is a need for a single strong leader). Populist leaders claim that only they speak for and understand what they often call ‘the real people’.
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