Populism, Stabilitocracy and Multiculturalism

Abstract

Populism, stabilitocracy and multiculturalism are three social phenomena which have recently been in the spotlight of political science professionals, while simultaneously also capturing the attention of a wider public. Studying these phenomena is important not only in order for us to better understand their nature, but also to be able to confront the consequences they produce. Stabilitocracy and multiculturality comprise political and social habitus of populism in Serbia, while liberal democracy and multiculturalism constitute political goals which lead to a well-regulated state and free society. Populism in Serbia, i.e. manifestations of Serbian populism primarily through glorification of the people, anti-elitism and anti-pluralism comprise the central part of this book, in addition to considerations of the institutional and political framework in which this populism is manifested – stabilitocracy. In order to better understand populism in Serbia, the study includes the results of an empirical research concerning the perception of politics, the attitudes of citizens towards the people and political elite, and their attitudes towards representative democracy, leader and "dangerous others". When in multinational societies populists homogenize the people, they usually homogenize their own national group, while the rest of the people are at the very least excluded, or even more frequently treated as "dangerous others". A consequence of the populist homogenization of the people is anti-pluralism which erodes liberal values in political communities, since in multicultural societies, the fight for pluralism is the fight for the harmony of diversity, while multiculturalism is the manner of diversity management which leads to harmonisation of the political community and society.