Some notes on ‘populism’

Abstract

The article criticizes the idea that we can find the ‘real meaning’ of populism and focuses instead on six psychological attitudes and political programmes that the term ‘populism’ can invoke: Lake Wobegon populism, short-termism, Trumpism, the attraction of simple solutions, responses to inequality, and direct democracy. While conceptually distinct, these are often found together and can reinforce each other.