Populism and Democracy

Concerns about the adverse effects of populism on democracy have come into focus more and more in recent years. We observe plenty of anecdotal evidence in line with the view that populism has negative effects on the quality of democracy. For example, several right-wing populist parties, like the National Rally in France or the Forum for Democracy in the Netherlands, openly argue in favor of undermining minority rights – such as rights of migrants. Moreover, prominent chief executives around the world – like Evo Morales in Bolivia or Victor Orbán in Hungary – actively undermine established democratic norms – by attacking the media, politicizing the judiciary, or raising claims of electoral fraud against unfavorable election results. Despite this anecdotal evidence and the portrayal of populists in public debate, we need systematic and scientific evidence to effectively judge if and to what extent populists are a threat to democracy. Beyond outlining the threats that populism may pose to democracy, we also need to consider potential positive effects populism can have on democracy, a theme that is often overlooked in popular debates. This chapter will explore why populism is considered a threat or corrective to different understandings of democracy as well as the role correlates of populism play in driving the relationship. Thereby, students obtain insights into the concept of democracy, the ideational approach to populism as well as the relationship between these two complex concepts.

in Populism - An Introduction, edited by Robert Huber and Michael Jankowski