• Gabu@lemmy.ml
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      6
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      8 months ago

      No, they’re not. Populism as a whole is a horrible political strategy which benefits only a few members of the political class.

      • OurToothbrush@lemmy.mlM
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        4
        arrow-down
        5
        ·
        8 months ago

        Populism is literally focusing on the masses. Now elitists use it as a pejorative to refer to fascists when fascists are also elitist with faux populist rhetoric.

        • Gabu@lemmy.ml
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          7
          arrow-down
          2
          ·
          8 months ago

          No, populism is a focus on electorally beneficial short term goals. Has been so since always. Political decisions taken with the intent and plan of benefitting the populous are simply called a “good political administration”.

          • go_go_gadget@lemmy.world
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            1
            ·
            edit-2
            8 months ago

            No, populism is a focus on electorally beneficial short term goals.

            I mean I’ve heard people accuse Bernie of being a populist but I don’t think he’s focused on short term goals. Are they using the term wrong?

            • Gabu@lemmy.ml
              link
              fedilink
              arrow-up
              4
              ·
              8 months ago

              Quite clearly, yes. Bernie may rely on populism more than a hardline socialist, but as a relative metric against his rivals, he’s not even close to a populist.

          • OurToothbrush@lemmy.mlM
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            1
            arrow-down
            5
            ·
            8 months ago

            Political decisions taken with the intent and plan of benefitting the populous are simply called a “good political administration”.

            That’s populism.

    • wewbull@feddit.uk
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      2
      ·
      8 months ago

      Populists just tell you what you want to hear so they get power. There’s no intention to follow through.

    • _NoName_@lemmy.ml
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      3
      arrow-down
      2
      ·
      edit-2
      8 months ago

      Populism is simply a political strategy where you appeal to the ‘common voter.’ It is neither good nor bad.

      Pro-Union efforts are populist. So are most socialist movements.

      The Nazis also ran on a populist campaign. As is Trump right now.

      Stating a movement is populist is an in-the-moment observation. I would argue that trying to sort ‘true populists’ who are actually trying to help their supporter base from ‘faux-populists’ fundamentally misuses the term, which is simply noting who the politician is trying to appeal to.