Audiobook3 hours
Populism: A Very Short Introduction
Written by Cas Mudde and Cristobal Rovira Kaltwasser
Narrated by Leon Nixon
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5/5
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About this audiobook
Populism is a central concept in the current media debates about politics and elections. However, like most political buzzwords, the term often floats from one meaning to another, and both social scientists and journalists use it to denote diverse phenomena. What is populism really? Who are the populist leaders? And what is the relationship between populism and democracy? This book answers these questions in a simple and persuasive way, offering a swift guide to populism in theory and practice.
Cas Mudde and Cristobal Rovira Kaltwasser present populism as an ideology that divides society into two antagonistic camps, the "pure people" versus the "corrupt elite," and that privileges the general will of the people above all else. They illustrate the practical power of this ideology through a survey of representative populist movements of the modern era: European right-wing parties, left-wing presidents in Latin America, and the Tea Party movement in the United States. The authors delve into the ambivalent personalities of charismatic populist leaders such as Juan Domingo Peron, H. Ross Perot, Jean-Marie le Pen, Silvio Berlusconi, and Hugo Chávez. If the strong male leader embodies the mainstream form of populism, many resolute women, such as Eva Peron, Pauline Hanson, and Sarah Palin, have also succeeded in building a populist status, often by exploiting gendered notions of society.
Although populism is ultimately part of democracy, populist movements constitute an increasing challenge to democratic politics. Comparing political trends across different countries, this compelling book debates what the long-term consequences of this challenge could be, as it turns the spotlight on the bewildering effect of populism on today's political and social life.
Cas Mudde and Cristobal Rovira Kaltwasser present populism as an ideology that divides society into two antagonistic camps, the "pure people" versus the "corrupt elite," and that privileges the general will of the people above all else. They illustrate the practical power of this ideology through a survey of representative populist movements of the modern era: European right-wing parties, left-wing presidents in Latin America, and the Tea Party movement in the United States. The authors delve into the ambivalent personalities of charismatic populist leaders such as Juan Domingo Peron, H. Ross Perot, Jean-Marie le Pen, Silvio Berlusconi, and Hugo Chávez. If the strong male leader embodies the mainstream form of populism, many resolute women, such as Eva Peron, Pauline Hanson, and Sarah Palin, have also succeeded in building a populist status, often by exploiting gendered notions of society.
Although populism is ultimately part of democracy, populist movements constitute an increasing challenge to democratic politics. Comparing political trends across different countries, this compelling book debates what the long-term consequences of this challenge could be, as it turns the spotlight on the bewildering effect of populism on today's political and social life.
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Reviews for Populism
Rating: 4.258928571428571 out of 5 stars
4.5/5
56 ratings3 reviews
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This book was published in 2017. Perhaps I missed it, but there was no discussion of Trump's campaign or election success. A second edition seems warranted. This book is a stimulating overview of the theoretical contours of populism in the political science domain. The many real world examples given to illustrate various points are very welcome.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Does a fantastic job in introducing the concept (or rather giving a brief overview, as there is some knowledge of political science that might be required to best understand the book). The structure of the book could use some slight improvements, as at times the connectivity was a little lost, but overall it provides an amazing amount of insight in such a such a short read.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Comprehensive explanation on the rise of populism and its subsequent impact in human polity and economy.