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POPULIST CHALLENGE TO DEMOCRACY
GUEST LECTURE
DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL & ECONOMIC STUDIESOPEN UNIVERSITY, HELSINKI
HALIL [email protected]
THE STRUCTURE
1. CONCEPTUAL AMBIGUITY
2. CONCEPTUAL HISTORY
3. THE PEOPLE
4. DEMOCRATIC PARADOX
5. TWO-PILLARS THEORY
6. POPULISM TODAY
DEMOCRATS & POPULISTS
1. IS DEMOCRACY A GOOD OR BAD THING?
2. ARE YOU A DEMOCRAT?
3. CAN YOU NAME A DEMOCRAT?
4. HOW ABOUT POPULISM, GOOD OR BAD?
5. CAN YOU NAME A POPULIST?
6. DO YOU LIKE THAT PERSON?
DEMOCRATS & POPULISTS
FIRST OFF: A THUMBS-UP TO THEIR “SUCCESS”
DEMOCRACY VS. POPULISM OR DEMOCRACY AND POPULISM?
VS. ASSUMES ANTAGONISM: GOOD
EVIL
BAD
2- WHAT IF THIS GUY IS MORE THAN JUST A VILLAIN?i.e. Is populism posing a challenge necessarily a bad thing to be overcome?
1- IS THIS REALLY THE GOOD GUY?i.e. Does the supposed equivalence (democracy=good) really exist?
DEMOCRACY VS. POPULISM OR DEMOCRACY AND POPULISM?
NOTHING BUT A WORD
A WORD SO “EMPTY” YET STILL SO HEGEMONIC THAT ONECANNOT AFFORD NOT ADHERE TO IT IN POLITICS...
VS.
MODERATE SOCIALISM NEO-LIBERAL CAPITALISMWEALTH REDISTRIBUTION UNLIMITED WEALTH ACCUMULATIONSTATE INTERVENTIONISM FREE-MARKET ECONOMYSTRONG WELFARE STATE NIGHTWATCHMAN STATE
VS.
DEMOCRACY
NOTHING BUT A WORD
NOTHING BUT A WORD
WE ARE ALL DEMOCRATS NOW!
THERE ARE POPULISTS – AND “POPULISTS”
A POLITICAL INSULTANTI-DEMOCRATIC
APPEAL TO GUT FEELINGSDEMAGOGUES
INSINCERE
A BADGE OF HONOURREAL DEMOCRATS
COURAGE TO SAY WHAT OTHERS THINKSPEAK THE PEOPLE’S LANGUAGE
TRUE TO THEIR PROMISES
HOW OTHERS SEE POPULISTS HOW POPULISTS SEE THEMSELVES
THERE ARE POPULISTS – AND “POPULISTS”
Politics of the streetsStammtisch
THE ONE’S POPULISM, IS THE OTHER ONE’SDEMOCRACY, AND VICE VERSA (Dahrendorf, 2003).
A VERY BRIEF HISTORY OF DEMOCRACY
v In ancient Greek world
§Rule by the worst class: demos, i.e. common people
§Not the wealthy (plutocracy)
§Not the wisest (meritocracy)
§Not the best (aristocracy)
§Not the clergy (theocracy)
§No economic independence
§No political breeding
§Tendency to pursue own, not communal interests
A state in which the poor, gaining the upper hand, kill some and banish others, and thendivide the offices among the remaining citizens usually by lot (Plato, Republic, bk. VIII, 557a).
v Disappeared entirely in Roman Empire and Middle Ages
§ John Dunn, Setting the People Free: Story of Democracy, 2005
A VERY BRIEF HISTORY OF DEMOCRACY
A VERY BRIEF HISTORY OF DEMOCRACY
v Reentered European Political Discourse during 1780s
§Aristocracy as its antonym
§“Democrats” demanding the same rights
§Still Regarded as “inferior” and “dangerous” as form of government
§US & French Revolutions: Representative/Republican, not “democratic”
§Voting: property-owning, white males only
One of the great points of difference between a democracy and a republic is that the latterdelegates the government to a small number of citizen elected by the rest… The effect of
[which] is to refine and enlarge public views by passing them through the medium of a chosenbody of citizens, whose wisdom may best discern the true interests of their country and
whose patriotism and love of justice will be least likely to sacrifice it to temporary or partialconsiderations. (Thomas Jefferson, Federalist 10, 1787)
v “Democratic” struggle of the mass movements in 1800s: 1st time used in positive terms!
§July Revolution of 1830
§February Revolution of 1848
§Paris Commune of 1871
A VERY BRIEF HISTORY OF DEMOCRACY
People have the right to mount the scaffold; they ought equally have the right to mountthe tribune!!
A VERY BRIEF HISTORY OF DEMOCRACY
v Overwhelming consensus in 19th & early 20th centuries: Democracy = Dangerous
vOnly after the World War II: Democracy = Good Government
§Legitimating tool for;
§Decolonized countries (in Africa and South-East Asia)
§Authoritarian regimes
§Civil Rights movements
A VERY BRIEF HISTORY OF DEMOCRACY
DANGEROUS PEOPLE
DANGEROUS PEOPLE
DANGEROUS PEOPLE
DANGEROUS PEOPLE
VANDALS MASSES
CROWDS
MOBS
LOOTERSPEOPLE
PLEBS
A lá Benetton Real People
vs.
DANGEROUS PEOPLE
vCurrent regime: a compromise between ELITISM & DEMOCRACY
§ Aristocratic Principle
§ Feudal in Origin
§ Not related to democracy or elections
§ Inherently oligarchic
vStill very much prevalent!
§ Social complexity
§ Select the best, not random
§ Politics as Profession
§ Elected due to their qualities
So we elect these people precisely because they are NOT like us!
Aristocratic AncestryOxford EducationCareer Politician
3rd Generation of Politician FamilyGrandson of ex-PM
US Education
Immense WealthFlamboyant Lifestyle
Fabulous hair (?)
DANGEROUS PEOPLE
vCurrent regime: a compromise between ELITISM & DEMOCRACY
§ Specular Principle
§ Unbiased representation of citizens’ views
§ Replica of common man’s values
§ Need constant check
§ Mirror-like politicians
§ Lottery as ideal method
§ Skeptical of power
§ Require immediate tools
So we elect these people precisely because they ARE like us!
DEMOCRACY TODAY
POPULAR
LIBERAL DEMOCRACY
Checks & Balances
Pluralism
Deliberation
Negotiations
Consensus Building
Closed Doors
Technocrats
Elites
Rule of the Few
Meritocracy
Popular Sovereignty
Majoritarianism
Exclusion
Decisions
Polarizing
Transparent
Representatives
Ordinary People
Rule of the Many
Absolute Equality
CONSTITUTIONAL
§ IT IS A SYMPTOM!
REMINDS US WHAT CAN BE IMPROVED!
POPULISM OF TODAY
§ IT IS HERE TO STAY!
WHEN THE DEMOCRATIC SYSTEM IS THREATENING TO RIGIDIFYAND ESTABLISHMENT LACKS IMAGINATION, WHEN THERE IS ANEED FOR RENEWAL, TIMES IN WHICH SUCH MOVEMENTS AND
ENERGIES HAVE THEIR POSITIVE HISTORICAL FUNCTION(Decker 2003, p. 48).
POPULIST ISSUES ARE CENTRAL TO DEMOCRACY!
LiberalConstitutionalRepresentativeParliamentary
PluralistDeliberative
=
Liberalindividual liberty & pluralism
Democraticpopular sovereignty & equality
The struggle between the twois the backbone of Western
Democracy!
Preconditionof
politics!
Liberaliseddemocracy
Democratisedliberalism
DEMOCRACY
:::::
Insert your fancy adjective here!
DEMOCRACY TODAY
This is precisely what’s happening since the end of Cold War!
Foreclose the possibility of envisioning an alternative to status quo!
FUKUYAMAISM
We accept the hegemony of One Pillar!
Struggle is over!
Consensus is reached!
Victory for democracy!
Without this struggle
DEMOCRACY TODAY
“It is this illusion that we now live in societies wherepolitical antagonisms have been eradicated that
makes it impossible for political passions to bechannelled through traditional parties” (55).
§ Non-adversarial politics is the name of the game!
Non-partisan Democracy!
Third-way Politics!
Consensus Building!
Good Governance!
Aim is to reach impartial solutions!
DEMOCRACY TODAY
There is no impartiality in politics!
There is always “US” vs.“THEM”
Ø Politics = individual motivations + result of self-interest pursuitØ Middle-class based
There is no alternative to the currentstatus quo and we have to accept its
laws and submit to its diktats.
More and more groups from lowersectors are keen to listen to those who
claim that alternatives do exist, and thatthey will give back to the people the
power to decide.
VS.
“When democratic politics has lost its capacity to shape the discussion about how we should organize our common life, and whenit is limited to securing the necessary conditions for the smooth functioning of status quo, the conditions are ripe for talented
demagagogues to articulate popular frustration.”
§ Mainstream vs. Populist Parties
ØTraditional Parties
ØPopulist Parties
Ø Politics = creation of collective identities:“US” vs.“THEM”Ø Popular sector based
POPULISM TODAY
§ IT IS A SYMPTOM!
REMINDS US WHAT CAN BE IMPROVED!
POPULISM OF TODAY
§ IT IS HERE TO STAY!
WHEN THE DEMOCRATIC SYSTEM IS THREATENING TO RIGIDIFYAND ESTABLISHMENT LACKS IMAGINATION, WHEN THERE IS ANEED FOR RENEWAL, TIMES IN WHICH SUCH MOVEMENTS AND
ENERGIES HAVE THEIR POSITIVE HISTORICAL FUNCTION(Decker 2003, p. 48).
POPULIST ISSUES ARE CENTRAL TO DEMOCRACY!
POPULISM TODAY
§ Mainstream ApproachØ Populists are:
Ø MarginalØ Result of national peculiarities
Ø Ghost from the pastØ Going to be eradicated through “democratization”
§ FactØ Populists are here to stay and on the rise:
Ø Progress Party (Nor) – 22.1%Ø People’s Party (Den) – 12.3%
Ø Party for Freedom (Ned) – 15.5%Ø National Front (Fra) – 17.9%
Ø Swiss People’s Party (Swz) – 29%Ø Freedom Party (Aus) – 25%
Ø Finns Party (Fin) – 19.1%Ø Donald Trump (Republicans) – 42%
X
They are the main threat to our democracies!
We shall understand their nature & causes…
≠
§ Mainstream Response to Populist Parties:
Contradiction in terms!Non-adversarial =Politics+
adversarial
ØBut still need to refer to some sort of “US” vs “THEM” Moral Division
USThe “good democrats”
THEMthe “evil extremists”
§Condemnation of “evil other” morally, not politically!
§No attempt to understand its existence: contain, eradicate,exterminate!
E.G. Cold War, post-9/11 era… now from IR to domestic
POPULISM TODAY
MORALISM
AntagonismsPolitics
“Us” & “Them”
Consensus-buildingMorality
“Good” & “Evil”
Post-politics
“Emergence of antagonisms that cannot be managed by the democraticprocess – i.e. as a struggle not between enemies, but between
‘adversaries’ who respect the legitimate right of their opponents to defendtheir position” (59).
Pop LD
feed
eachother
§ Mainstream Response to Populism: MORALISM
POPULISM TODAY
FURTHER READING
Albertazzi, Daniele & Duncan McDonnell (Eds.).21st Century Populism. Palgrave
Betz, Hans-Georg.1994. Radical Right-Wing Populism inWestern Europe. Palgrave
Canovan, Margaret. 2005. The People. Open University Press
De La Torre, Carlos. 2010. Populist Seduction in Latin America. Ohio University Press
Ionescu, Ghita & Ernest Gellner (Ed). 1969. Populism: Its Meanings and National Characteristics.Wiedenfeld
March, Luke. 2013. Radical Left Parties in Europe. Routledge
Kazin, Michael. 1995. The Populist Persuasion:An American History. Basic Books
Laclau, Ernesto. 2005. On Populist Reason. London:Verso
Mudde, Cas. 2007. Radical Right-Wing Populism in Europe. Cambridge University
— and Christopher Kaltwasser (Ed.). 2012. Populism in Europe and Latin Americas. Cambridge University
Panizza, Francisco (Ed). 2005. Populism and the Mirror of Democracy. London:Verso
Taggart, Paul. 2000. Populism.Open University Press
Mény,Yves andYves Surel (Ed). 2002. Democracies and the Populist Challenge. Palgrave
