Populism not socialism is a democracy’s worst nightmare
In our world today, populists have been having a field day in democratic governments picking the baton where the last of their kind left in the last generation. We, those of us still committed to democratic principles will determine whether they are here to stay or are a flame that will fizzle. Populists have been touted as disruptors of the status quo and dysfunction in the political establishment. We determine how much of that disruption is positive, and are willing to tolerate.
One thing a populist leader has is charisma which is interwoven with passion to deal with hot-button topics that normal political discourse often ignore or discuss in hushed tones. Populists will challenge immigration, social welfare, economy, race, religion, class. They are well aware of enough disgruntled members of the population feeling and willing to confront these issues if not vote for a leader who will ‘fight’ for them.
However, what you cannot give populists is time because they are an indelible stain that gets worse with time. They will permanently shape the social and political landscape with their tough tackle even controversial politics. Populists ran too fast and burn out too quickly because their message is short and disruptive. They don’t have the interest of time because their only focus is one challenge and don’t know how to tackle another challenge. They may do well tackling one thing and do terrible in another. Populists have the know-it-all attitude, but they live with the insecurity that they don't know much outside their scope of influence. These are the leaders that we have come to not trust in times of crisis such as the pandemic.
Populists are willing to hijack the process of democracy to propel them to power, but they will use any means possible to sow doubt and confusion to stay in power. Populism not socialism is democracy’s worse nightmare because populism in a matter of time, becomes the bridge between democracy and authoritarianism. Given a chance, populists disintegrate functioning democracies into misrule and authoritarianism. Favors become demands and opinions become crimes.
Even in a democracy, there is always a minority parts of the population that admire authoritarian power and wish that there was some sort of benevolent dictatorship to put everyone on the line. These people jump into the populism bandwagon whenever such a person present themselves. The credentials of that person do not matter whether he/she is a religious extremist, crook, racist, or fascist. The same person will go further than they bargained for because once in power, they are not willing to leave. They will ride the populist wave so long until they become the political establishment. That's why once popular leaders have had more than two decades of rule or misrule. The same people who once celebrated them now want them out.
History helps us understand or deal with the wave of populism we see today. When it hangs around too long, it never ends well. It also never goes away without a fight. Fragile democracies die out, while established ones are weakened. The populist you see today, will be the dictator you will see tomorrow. That's why I celebrate when a populist leader loses in a democratic process. It means that their mission is accomplished in the small-time frame they are elected. The electorate is woken to the fact that their democracy is worth more than some idealism. The electoral process is an escape route out of a nightmarish scenario if populism persists. That's why any democracy worth its salt should confront populism not with words but at the ballot. Whenever you feel confounded by populism, GO Vote it OUT!
