Populism

Populism is a political philosophy or rhetorical style that holds that the common person is oppressed by the elite in society, and that the instruments of the State need to be grasped from this self-serving elite and used for the benefit and advancement of the people as a whole. A populist reaches out to ordinary people, talking about their economic and social concerns, and appealing to their common sense. Most scholarship on populism since 1980 has discussed it as a rhetorical style that can be used to promote a variety of ideologies.

History

Populism has been a strong component of North American and Latin American political history. In Latin America, several charismatic leaders emerged, while in the United States, the formation of such political parties during the late 1800s and early 1900s as the Populist Party, the United States Greenback Party, the Single Tax movement of Henry George, the United States Progressive Party, the Farmer-Labor Party, the Share Our Wealth movement of Huey Long, and the United States Union Party. Some early left-wing populist parties directly fed into the later emergence of the Socialist movement, while other populists have taken on a more right-wing character, such as Father Charles Coughlin.

Related Topics:
North America - Latin America - Charismatic leader - 1800s - 1900s - Populist Party - United States Greenback Party - Single Tax - Henry George - United States Progressive Party - Farmer-Labor Party - Share Our Wealth - Huey Long - United States Union Party - Left-wing - Socialist - Right-wing - Charles Coughlin

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