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.

Populism in the United States

Populism continues to be a force in modern American politics. The 1992 and 1996 third-party presidential campaigns of Ross Perot, Jerry Brown's campaign in the 1992 Democratic primary, Jesse Ventura's 1998 campaign for the governorship of Minnesota, the 2004 campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination by former Vermont governor Howard Dean and the 1996, 2000 and 2004 Presidential campaigns of Ralph Nader are all widely seen as modern manifestations of the populist phenomenon. The campaigns of Dennis Kucinich and Al Sharpton also had populist elements. U.S. President George W. Bush is thought by observers to be a populist figure (Peter and Rochelle Schweizer, The Bushes: Portrait of a Dynasty, p. 463, ISBN 0385498632).

Related Topics:
1996 - Ross Perot - Jerry Brown - 1992 - Democratic - Jesse Ventura - 1998 - Minnesota - 2004 - Vermont - Howard Dean - Ralph Nader - Dennis Kucinich - Al Sharpton - U.S. President - George W. Bush

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Over time, there have been several versions of a Populist Party in the United States, inspired by the Peoples Party of the 1890s. This was the party of the early U.S. Populist movement in which millions of farmers and other working people successfully challenged much of the social ills engendered by the "Gilded Age" monopolists.

Related Topics:
Populist Party - Gilded Age - Monopolist

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In 1984 the Populist Party name was revived by Willis Carto, and was used in 1988 as a vehicle for the Presidential campaign of former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke. Right-Wing Patriot movement organizer Bo Gritz was briefly Duke's running mate. This incarnation was widely regarded as a vehicle for white supremacist recruitment.

Related Topics:
1984 - Populist Party - Willis Carto - 1988 - Ku Klux Klan - David Duke - Bo Gritz

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In 2002, the Populist Party of America was formed.

Related Topics:
2002 - Populist Party of America

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In 2005, the American Moderation Party was formed in response to the call by many voters for more political moderation. This party has also adopted several populist ideals, chief among them working against Corporatism.

Related Topics:
2005 - American Moderation Party - Corporatism

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~