Populism in a society with an excess of challenges: the threat to democracy or the possibility of its correction?

In: Sociolohija: teorija, metody, marketynh, Heft 3, S. 65-80

Abstract

The phenomenon of growing support for populist parties and relevant orientations among the world's population is usually defined as a threat to democracy, social unity, and civic activism. The psychological appeal of populist ideas is based on the human need for collective identity, social cohesion, categorization of social life, predictability and sense of security as well as moral absolutism and support for conspiracy theories. This leads to the spread of confrontational discourse in the public sphere, support for authoritarianism and deepening social cleavages. However, empirical researches show the ambiguous focus of populist orientations in support of anti-democratic ideas. In fact, citizens with populist orientations should not be unambiguously identified with voters of populist parties. Because of its mobilizing potential, populism can make the democratic process more inclusive, as people with populist orientations support deliberative forms of democracy. In some cases, populist mobilization become useful in emergencies, such as the overthrow of an authoritarian regime or resistance to the enemy during war. However, populism can be an obstacle in trying to reform state institutions, as the absolutization of simplistic forms of government and the propensity for authoritarianism common among populists block civic initiative.