Populism as an Ideology - Essay Example

Populism

Introduction

In the recent times, the concept of populism has received interest from the scholars of political sciences and social research. The complex nature of populism has provided setbacks to the researchers who wish to dig deep into this critical field of politics. Populism has been defined basing on politics, economics, discourse and social characteristics. Its analysis has focused on the political parties, the psychology of politics, the theory of democracy, the theory of modernity as well as the theory of social movements (Zhirkov 19). This effective concept in politics has failed to receive a conclusive definition that can be agreed upon by all the scholars. In view of this complexity, populism can be defined based on ideology, a form of political conscription and a discursive.

Populism as an Ideology

According to this approach, populism is a narrow ideological concept which views society as being fully divided into two mixed and incompatible categories: the pure individuals and the elites who are corrupt (Zhirkov 19), and proposes that should be the expression of the people’s general anticipation. Therefore, populism consists of ideologies which are characterized by a misunderstanding between the learned and the people and the general will of the people oppose the corrupt morals of the elites. Thus, this approach pays attention to the statements of politicians and political parties and or unions.

The Discursive Style Definition of Populism

Populism, in this case, is the fustian that develops politics as the ethical and moral struggle between people and the government. In this case, populism is linguistic of the claimants of offering the speech for a majority of citizens and offers the general identification processes thus categorizing it as a political form rather than a group of political players (André & Daniel 11).

Populism as a Strategy for Politics

Contrary to the ideology and discursive approaches to populism, there have been arguments for populism as a means of strategy in politics. In this approach, choices for policies, political organization, and mobilization forms are the main areas of argument (André & Daniel 11). Populism, therefore, assumes the form of specific economic policies and contributors of mobilizing the masses. The policies in populism are the strategies for the redistribution of the economic resources and nationalizing natural resources. Thus, the policies that receive massive support from an important portion of the population are implemented despite the ultimate harm to the financial desires of the major population.

Additively, populism encompasses the seeking or exertion of governmental power by individualistic leaders basing on direct and unfounded massive support from a majority of followers who are not organized. Populism is as well involves the political organization of many people by individualistic leaders that oppose the existing political and or monetary literates in place of ill-intended people. A major elaboration of the populism as a political strategy is how American republican presidential contestant Donald Trump has made populism a defining characteristic of the presidential campaign by using the rhetoric of populism to challenge the elites in economics and influence important decisions and stands to pertain foreign policies and other national areas.

Main Drivers of Populism

Populism just like any other discourse is driven by the existence of certain characteristics. First, the decline of democracy reflects the rising of populism because many politicians feel the great influence that they have on the masses and use their points of weakness to enhance their populism (Zhirkov 19). Second, the decline in the membership in parties has greatly attributed to the increment in populism as the politics are increasingly decaying and therefore contributes to the increasing populism. Due to the decline in party membership, some political influences exercise domineering power and influence over a majority of the masses and therefore give them the near overall say on the well-hood of the citizens and political decisions. A major example of this is the popularity of American republican presidential aspirant Trump who has used his influential prowess in most of his campaigns to defeat other contestants.

The implications of Populism

The 2016 American presidential campaigns have constantly been driven by the populist rhetoric. The following discussion elaborates on the implications of populism to nationalities and the citizens through deep analysis.

The effect of Populism to Foreign Policies

The existence of good international relations is an important player for international unity and peace. Thus, the national politics play an important role in shaping the foreign relation. According to (Benjamin & Simon 12), most populists such as Donald Trump are strong opponents of immigration and therefore this will be followed by the establishment of national walls as boundaries to prevent immigration. This political stance is a dangerous effect on international relations because the barring of international citizens from entering nations will loosen the unity of the nation with other neighboring countries. Additionally, most populists exercise ultimate racism through their political speeches and campaigns by taking contrasting stands about some races and ethnicities. Most populists are racial, and the current global world has realized globalization that has seen the integration of different races and ethnicities and therefore exercising racism will distort the unity and peace of existence. This is likely to cause the deterioration of international assistances and mutually beneficial partnerships that are likely to affect the national economies. Furthermore, Trump has proposed the ban of Muslims in the US which has caused great unrest from Islamic nations who view this as a form of religious alienation. Therefore, the international relations with most Islamic nations will be affected by such propositions which have been made based on populist agendas (Theda & Vanessa 15).

Implications of Populism to Democracy

It is not doubtable that national politics play an important role in shaping the democratic state of a nation and its citizens. Through the political approach to populism, it is evident that populism encourages the mobilization of masses and the political strategies that the populists use as a form of influential properties over the citizens. The populists, therefore, make their decisions based on part of and not all the citizens to make political and democratic assertions and propositions which might influence the democratic rights of the majority citizens. In most instances, they mobilize the masses and sometimes the people who are ill-informed and less knowledgeable about their democratic rights therefore using their opinions to make decisions. In the political discourse, populism uses part of the citizens to justify their presumed stand of all the citizens which might at times not agree with the perspectives of all the citizens (Stefano & Ruzza 11). Therefore, major democratic decisions of the citizens are influenced. For instance, most populists such as American presidential aspirant for the Democratic Party Donald Trump use their popularity to limit the nationality of their citizens by proposing the eradication of Muslims from America. This, therefore, puts the Muslims as non-American citizens despite their legal nationality which they claim. Therefore, the Muslims are deprived of their democratic right to citizenship because of the ill-informed decisions of populist leaders who discriminate their citizens according to religion.

Furthermore, populism limits the democratic participation of the citizens (Tim 9). Most populists have domineering influence in politics and therefore the less known individuals who are not as popular as the populists have limited participation in democratic politics. Additionally, populism affects the office works as the individualistic leaders only consider their supporters and base their decisions on what they presume good for them. In such cases, the democratic rights of participation and employment by the citizens are affected by the populist agendas.

Contrary to the negative effects that populism has on democracy, it can be noted that populism helps in bringing the alienated groups and societies into the democratic equality through encouraging the equal allocation of national resources to all parts of the nation and focusing more resources in underdeveloped communities that had been left in the national darkness (Müller 8). Populism can help in boosting democracy through the establishment of ideals for dealing with the marginalized societies and encouraging their growth through the acknowledgment of their existence and the focusing of resources in such areas in order to encourage growth. Through this, the populists encourage the growth of democracy through ensuring the equal allocation of country resources to encourage equal development in all parts of the nation.

Additionally, populism encourages democratic participation through the support to inclusionary political participation by the previously marginalized groups that had no political influence as is the case in the Latin American nations. Through populism, alienated societal groups are able to voice their political opinions and be encouraged to participate in politics which influence their daily livelihoods. Through populism, the leaders are able to collect the opinions of the alienated social individuals, therefore, allowing them to participate in making the political decisions that affect their lives. Furthermore, populism encourages democratic accountability by the people being accountable for the democratic decisions (Porter 6). Through populism, individualistic leaders are able to resume the accountability for democratic decisions and therefore influence the democratic processes of the nation. Through the accountability for democratic decisions, nations are able to monitor the democratic growth and establish or propose new democratic changes that are presumed to be helpful in the progression of democracy in a nation.

Furthermore, populism encourages the establishment of political associations that cut across boundaries of class and therefore encourage the growth of democracy (Smale 2). Through such coalitions, the people regardless of class make decisions based on their joint propositions and therefore encourage democratic growth through such coalitions. Democratic decisions affect people of all classes and therefore the establishment of cross-class partnerships will encourage the exercising of the democratic rights of citizens from different classes in making political decisions.

The Implication of Populism to Economic Growth

Populist propositions are made by individualistic political leaders who base their assumptions on the opinions of a large percentage of the massive population. The economic state of a nation is significant, and the political state and participation greatly influence this. For instance, some populist leaders might be against the free trade policy, therefore, limiting the economic progress of the nation because the high taxes levied on trading societies and individuals might limit their participation in trade which will, in turn, limit the economic income of the nationals and the nation at large (Cassidy 1). Consequently, some populist propositions such as the proposition to increase the minimum wages of the working class are likely to draw back the economic progression of the nation as the economy will have to spend more capital in paying its working class rather than using the resources for other developmental purposes. Through the proposition to increase the minimum wages in the United States, for instance, it is unlikely that the American economy will be able to manage substantial economic growth due to the high load of working class individuals in the American economy.

The Implication of Populism to Liberty

Populism and populist individuals negatively affect liberty as some governments such as the Poland populist decision to eliminate liberals and other oppositions of the state and other national institutions (Cassidy 1). Through this move, the liberal power and the liberty of the people especially in the media have been reduced therefore establishing a non-liberal government where the opinions of the people are controlled by the government.

Conclusion

Conclusively, populism and populist leaders are increasing in the present systems. Their massive influence over the public and their decisions on matters of immigration, nationality, and international relations affect the nations negatively. Populism affects democracy positively by encouraging political participation by the marginalized societies. Through some selfish populist decisions such as increasing the minimum wages and extinction of free trade, populism negatively affects the national economies.