The thing with populism is that it seeks to deal with what people think the issues facing society are, rather than what the issues actually are. It's why it primarily appeals to thickos.
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It also appeals to the lazy who think there's an easy quick fix, the obstinate who think their narrow worldview is correct regardless of evidence, and the idealists whose fixation on the ends means they never consider the means.
It's politics for the hard of thinking. And ironically, a demonstration of democracy's major flaw: everyone has a say, regardless of their ability to comprehend or engage with the issues. The simpler the mind, the easier it is to mould and manipulate. Most wouldn't know wise counsel if it bit them.
A more charitable analysis is that it appeals to people who, through the drudgery of their lives, don't have time to properly engage in politics. Further, it's not necessarily that it ACTUALLY seeks to deal with those issues; it SAYS it will to gain votes but has sinister unpopular ulterior motives.
This is why I get really annoyed / angry when journo's put leftist ideas automatically in 'populism'.
Bernie Sanders is populist. Former Labour leader was populist.
It can't be that the disparaging gap between rich and poor is an actual problem now can it?
Not really. Populism is about undermining harmful elites. It's stupid when those elites are invented (the world is not run by a secret cabal of Jews with space lasers, you moron). It's sensible when those elites really do exist and are harming everything (billionaires).
If you agree with the sentiment that the accelerating wealth of billionaires is harmful and political action should check that power and wealth for the good of everyone else, you're a populist too. Embrace it, it's fine. Just don't believe the distracting lies about woke academics or lizard people.
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https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/british-public-wrong-about-nearly-everything-survey-shows-8697821.html
Bernie Sanders is populist. Former Labour leader was populist.
It can't be that the disparaging gap between rich and poor is an actual problem now can it?
It's great the Tories gave us SO much to show for all that borrowing, and now it's time to pay it back. Only £80,000 per UK tax payer...
See the problem Labour have?