Tuesday 13 June 2023

Populists

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The electoral system rather than the guile of the establishment prevents a figure like Mrs Meloni or Nigel Farage coming to power in England - but populists have ruled Scotland for sixteen years. 

I used to think proporțional representation would be undemocratic and mean the bipartisan consensus never changing - but in the age of populists it might make politics more democratic, by which I mean more populist. 

The American populists in the late 19th century were a radical party that represented the poor in the countryside, but nowadays populists are, as far as I can define the word, politicians who propose to do things the people want. 

By that definition Jeremy Corbyn tried but was a failed populist. Trump and Macron were successes, though Macron had the backing of the French deep state which made it easier. Pope Francis is also a populist. I am not sure how to measure his success.

2 comments:

  1. Do you have any evidence of the 'deep state'? Or are you just parroting conspiracy sites and the outright lies of Trump?

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  2. Macron did not really need the deep state. He is an attractive young man and lucky in his opponent’s disadvantages — Marine Le Pen is a back number, not very bright, and France is reluctant to elect a woman to any position of major power.

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