From Populism to People

Populism, a significant phenomenon in todays liberal democracies, deserves an in-depth analysis. So far, the discussion has suffered from social scientists critical of capitalism taking populism as a new opportunity to rail against the market economy or from populism being seen as an understandable cultural backlash against the exaggerations of green and left-wing activists. Neither approach points to a realistic solution. In A New Perspective on Populism: The Politics and Economics of Populism, and What to Do About It, Heiko J. Starossom analyzes the subject from a unique perspective. He examines populism from an interdisciplinary point of view and goes beyond the traditional approach of looking for the causes of populism primarily in the economy. Instead, he includes cultural and psychological aspects. He also abandons the ideological left-right scheme. One way to address a problem is to eliminate its causes. In The Politics of Populism, he identifies three leading political causes: cartel parties or the convergence of the major political parties, the latent authoritarian tendency of a significant proportion of the population, and the loss of established status. In the context of The Economics of Populism, possible economic triggers of populism are unemployment and pressure on wages due to globalization or technological progress, as well as economic inequality. Unfortunately, there may be no simple solution to the principal political and economic drivers of populism. The answer, thus, lies in a revitalized philosophy that champions the meaning in life and places the community at its center. Strengthening human relationships in family and community is perhaps the most critical source of meaning in life and could be a promising solution worth trying. In sum, this is the most comprehensive book on populism in recent times.