The Nucleus of Populism: In Search of the Lowest Common Denominator
There are different area-based bodies of literature on populism, which generally define the concept in slightly different ways. As a result, the term populism has been attached to a wide variety of political actors; from Perot in the United States to Berlusconi in Italy, and from Perón in Argentina to Le Pen in France. Is it an unfortunate coincidence that the same word has been used for completely different parties and politicians, or is it possible to discern a lowest common denominator that these actors share? By means of a comparison of six cases, which is based on a most different systems design, I demonstrate that populists in different times and places have four characteristics in common: (1) they emphasize the central position of the people; (2) they criticize the elite; (3) they perceive the people as a homogeneous entity; and (4) they proclaim a serious crisis. These four characteristics constitute the core elements of populism.
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