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2 The Concepts of Populism

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The Resurgence of Populism in Latin America
This chapter is in the book The Resurgence of Populism in Latin America
REFERENCES TO POPULISM ABOUND IN BOTH THE MEDIA AND THE ACA-demicliterature. In newspapers and magazines one reads of populist move-ments, leaders, parties, policies, and regimes and of left-wing, right-wing,anti-immigrant, and economic populism. Newspapers describe the populistleanings of politicians and candidates in the United States, France, Russia,Argentina, and Bolivia, and their antineoliberal, antielite, anti-US, pro-nation, procitizen, pro-people rhetoric. Reports highlight populism’s fascistand socialist tendencies, along with its inherent authoritarianism and dem-ocratic inclusiveness. Given the variety of meanings associated with theconcept, little wonder that widely disparate politicians such as MahmoudAhmadinejad of Iran, Alberto Fujimori of Peru, and Marine Le Pen ofFrance have all carried the populist label. Further, that George W. Bush,Barack Obama, and Donald Trump have been described as populists con-firms the flexibility of the term (e.g., Frank 2004; Zakaria 2016; Zuboff2008).1Consideration of only the academic literature offers little respite fromthe confusion. Some authors emphasize the discursive nature of populismby focusing on identities centered on an us-versus-them division of society(e.g., Laclau 1977; Panizza 2005). Others locate populism in specific his-torical junctures or circumstances (e.g, Malloy 1977; Vilas 1992–1993),leading a few to conclude that it is a thing of the past (e.g., Schamis 2006).Another group describes populism purely in economic terms, as a set ofpolicy outcomes (e.g., Dornbusch and Edwards 1991; Edwards 2010; Sachs1990). Yet another argues for a purely political understanding of the term(e.g., Leaman 2004; Weyland 2001).These circumstances have led some analysts to call for the abandon-ment of the concept altogether (e.g., Roxborough 1984). However, the fre-quency of the term’s usage in the literature and the periodic reemergence of232TheConceptsofPopulism
© 2022, Lynne Rienner Publishers, Boulder, USA

REFERENCES TO POPULISM ABOUND IN BOTH THE MEDIA AND THE ACA-demicliterature. In newspapers and magazines one reads of populist move-ments, leaders, parties, policies, and regimes and of left-wing, right-wing,anti-immigrant, and economic populism. Newspapers describe the populistleanings of politicians and candidates in the United States, France, Russia,Argentina, and Bolivia, and their antineoliberal, antielite, anti-US, pro-nation, procitizen, pro-people rhetoric. Reports highlight populism’s fascistand socialist tendencies, along with its inherent authoritarianism and dem-ocratic inclusiveness. Given the variety of meanings associated with theconcept, little wonder that widely disparate politicians such as MahmoudAhmadinejad of Iran, Alberto Fujimori of Peru, and Marine Le Pen ofFrance have all carried the populist label. Further, that George W. Bush,Barack Obama, and Donald Trump have been described as populists con-firms the flexibility of the term (e.g., Frank 2004; Zakaria 2016; Zuboff2008).1Consideration of only the academic literature offers little respite fromthe confusion. Some authors emphasize the discursive nature of populismby focusing on identities centered on an us-versus-them division of society(e.g., Laclau 1977; Panizza 2005). Others locate populism in specific his-torical junctures or circumstances (e.g, Malloy 1977; Vilas 1992–1993),leading a few to conclude that it is a thing of the past (e.g., Schamis 2006).Another group describes populism purely in economic terms, as a set ofpolicy outcomes (e.g., Dornbusch and Edwards 1991; Edwards 2010; Sachs1990). Yet another argues for a purely political understanding of the term(e.g., Leaman 2004; Weyland 2001).These circumstances have led some analysts to call for the abandon-ment of the concept altogether (e.g., Roxborough 1984). However, the fre-quency of the term’s usage in the literature and the periodic reemergence of232TheConceptsofPopulism
© 2022, Lynne Rienner Publishers, Boulder, USA

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter i
  2. Contents vii
  3. List of Tables and Figures ix
  4. Acknowledgments xi
  5. 1 Populism in Latin America 1
  6. 2 The Concepts of Populism 23
  7. 3 Explaining the Third Era 57
  8. 4 Populism in Bolivia 79
  9. 5 A Regional View 113
  10. 6 Outsiders and Others 147
  11. 7 The Implications of Populism 173
  12. Appendixes 187
  13. List of Acronyms 211
  14. References 215
  15. Index 239
  16. About the Book 251
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https://doi.org/10.1515/9781626376694-004

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter i
  2. Contents vii
  3. List of Tables and Figures ix
  4. Acknowledgments xi
  5. 1 Populism in Latin America 1
  6. 2 The Concepts of Populism 23
  7. 3 Explaining the Third Era 57
  8. 4 Populism in Bolivia 79
  9. 5 A Regional View 113
  10. 6 Outsiders and Others 147
  11. 7 The Implications of Populism 173
  12. Appendixes 187
  13. List of Acronyms 211
  14. References 215
  15. Index 239
  16. About the Book 251
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