Is populism a problem?
In this week’s episode, Julia, Lee, and James tackle populism. They consider what it is, discuss where it comes from, and debate its influence on American politics.
This episode is also available on Apple, Spotify, and Stitcher.
Show Notes
Both James and Julia cite Nixonland: The Rise of a President and the Fracturing of America by Rick Perlstein.
Lee quotes Benjamin Arditi in Politics on the Edge of Liberalism: Difference, Populism, Revolution, Agitation.
“Populism resembles a drunken guest at a dinner party: he’s not respecting table manners, he is rude, he might even start flirting with the wives of other guests but he might also be blurting out truth about liberal democracy that has become forgetful of popular sovereignty.”
James refers to Federalist 10 while noting that populism is an unavoidable fact of life in American politics.